In Graphic Detail: The state of streaming highlights the power of creators

Halfway through 2026, the state of streaming underlines just how dependent the category has become on big, personality-driven creators. 

Streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming were designed to showcase video games, but they’ve become a major spoke in the broader creator economy wheel. 

According to a Q1 2026 study from streaming software company Streamlabs and data analytics company Stream Hatchet, “Just Chatting” is now the most-watched category across the major streaming platforms. The non-gaming category, where streamers talk directly to viewers, has been boosted by creators who bring their audience with them for IRL streams, chat about their lives from home, or recap breaking news from behind a desks. 

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Future of Marketing Briefing: Why Bose is building an entertainment company

Bose Studios launched last month. But the music company’s entertainment division is the culmination of a strategic shift that has been years in the making.

It already accounts for one-third to 40% of the brand’s marketing, CMO Jim Mollica told Digiday at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity last week. He expects that to reach 60-65% by the end of this year or next. The reason, he said, comes down to one question: when was the last great TV ad you saw? 

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