Twitch.tv has become one of the most popular sites in the world, with millions of viewers streaming video every day . The website has become a place for people with similar interests to congregate and watch anything from video game playthroughs to Bob Ross's live painting . Over the last year, Twitch has skyrocketed in popularity, even rivaling YouTube in views.
If you are new to Twitch, the choices might seem a bit daunting. Are streamers at the top really the best, or are there hidden gems closer to the bottom? I’m going to break down the different types of League of Legends streamers, so that you can find the right person to watch. Twitch streamers come in three basic flavors: informative, pro and entertainment.
1. Informative
Do you feel like you stink at League ? Watching a better player might help you improve, and Twitch has a cornucopia of Challenger-tier players to help you. These players focus on explaining their picks and the plays they make. Figuring out how League of Legends works can be a daunting task, and guides can only get you so far. Watching high-tier players is the best way to improve at League .
There are quite a few Master and Challenger tier players who stream every day. Nightblue3 is a jungle main who streams from morning until mid-afternoon every weekday, eastern time. He’s a cheery guy who isn’t afraid to answer questions on his stream. If you want to learn what‘s the best jungle route to take or when to gank a lane, you should be watching NB3.
Valkrin started out as a Challenger streamer, and is now a sub for Team Solo Mid, the biggest team in North America. He plays a little bit of every role, being well-rounded enough to excel at whatever he’s playing. He streams Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
Other great streams include Annie Bot , Pink Ward , and Heisendong . They all have sporadic streaming schedules, so catching one of them is a real treat. They are all “one-trick ponies,” meaning they only play one champion. Annie Bot is the best Annie in the world, constantly showing up in high-tier games. Pink Ward only plays AP Shaco, in perhaps the weirdest and most interesting way to play the clown. He baits people to walk into his traps, so they kill themselves. I couldn’t begin to give him justice here, just watch .
2. Pros
Professional League of Legends players make up a high percentage of top Twitch streams. Whether they are retired or still playing, people come in droves to watch these masters at work.
Each pro has a style and personality all their own. Some, like Cloud 9 Sneaky and Meteos , tend to cater towards the “meme-centric” crowd. Their chat spams Kappas and donates money to have weird messages read live during the stream.
Other pros are more relaxed, focusing on high level play with entertaining personalities. TSM Bjergsen and Doublelift have the most successful Twitch streams. They average around 50,000 players a night, even when their streaming simultaneously. They are League rock stars, with thousands of adoring fans throwing donations and Twitch subscriptions, hoping to get a response from the NA kings themselves.
Full-time streaming has become the main job of retired LCS players. Theoddone , Dyrus , Voyboy , and Iwilldominate are just a few that played professionally. Check out each of their channels and see who you like. Theoddone tends to be more excitable and energetic, while Dyrus speaks in a monotone voice that can be quite relaxing to unwind with after a long day.
Imaqtpie used to play for Team Dignitas, until retiring to become a full-time streamer two years ago. He streams most days, blasting hip-hop and offering his unique opinions on the League of Legends community. When anyone subscribes to his channel, he welcomes them into “the big dick club.” He tends to swear a lot, so if that bothers you it might be best to visit someone else.
3. Entertainment
All streams should be entertaining, that’s why we watch them. Some tend to be a little crazier, with personalities overshadowing the gameplay. Trick2G is the most famous high-elo Udyr player out there, with a playstyle others try to emulate. Trick will spam emotes to try and bait enemies into ambushes or chases, allowing his team to come in and save the day. When less skilled players try this, they usually just end up dying. He often hosts games between his subscribers, calling them “sub-wars.” Watching Trick cast a game between 10 Bronze players is hilarious to watch. Due to their popularity, other streams have started to have “sub-wars” as well.
Gross Gore is a Master-tier British streamer whose main champion is Twisted Fate. His large personality is fun to watch, especially when it gets him into trouble. On stream, he’s been in feuds with Keemstar , Rainbowkidz , and even a pimp . You never know what’s going to happen when you turn his stream on, and I think that’s what makes him so popular.
I would be amiss if I did not mention the bane of the Twitch community, the “gamer girl.” Now I don’t mean girls who play the game normally, like the Hearthstone streamers Hafu and Eloise . I mean girl gamers who flaunt massive cleavage and play League of Legends poorly to anger the people watching. My advice is to avoid any streamer whose camera on screen is bigger than the actual game (though you’ll check them out anyway.)
Honorable Mentions
Cowsep - A Master Yi main, who wears a cow hat and plays on the Korean server.
Scarra - He used to play for Dignitas and streams full time. Worth watching just to see his Katarina.
Spazie - Swedish YouTuber whostreams on Tuesdays with his teammates.
HiImGosu - The best Vayne in world, he just started using a microphone and can be a bit shy.
