Market data
YouTube Live reaches 60.3% of tracked watch time in Q2 report
Streamlabs and Hatchet report a stable but shifting live market: 21.5 billion hours watched, with YouTube Live extending its lead while Facebook Gaming contracted sharply.
The Q2 2026 Streamlabs and Hatchet report puts tracked live viewing at 21.5 billion hours, up 7.6% year over year. YouTube Live accounted for 60.3% of tracked watch time and grew 18% year over year, while Facebook Gaming fell to roughly 0.1% of the tracked total. The market is not simply growing; audience and creator attention are concentrating differently by platform.
What to take into the workflow
- Market share is concentrating around YouTube Live
- Platform-specific workflows still matter for distribution
- A multi-destination strategy should preserve ownership of the source and schedule
Source: Streamlabs & Hatchet ↗
Put this into practice
Prepare a short test before a longer show. Use our first-broadcast checklist, or troubleshoot a destination using the reported evidence.