Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Screen

(Hardback)

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Told through the diverse and fascinating careers of nine streamers, this is the definitive story of Twitch and how the livestream platform revolutionized technology, entertainment, business, and pop culture.

With 2.5 million viewers at any given moment, the streaming platform Twitch is in the lead and often well beyond mainstream networks like CNN and Fox during primetime. On Twitch, the Amazon-owned tech behemoth, the biggest personalities, like Kai Cenat, Flix xQc Lengyel, and Hasan HasanAbi Piker, can earn millions per year by firing up their internet connection and going live.

Veteran technology and gaming journalist Nathan Grayson takes us inside the triumphs and tribulations of Twitch with exclusive access to its biggest content creators who helped make the platform into a billion-dollar global business. From Twitchs early days of rapid growth to acquisition by Amazon to the defection of creators and rival platforms, Grayson makes the radical argument that many social technology companies are far more dependent on their creators than the creators are on their platforms.

Rivetingly told through nine exceptional Twitch creators whose on-screen personalities helped the company grow into a powerhouse, this is the explosive story of when entertainment meets the internet in the era of social and video content domination.

Reviews

A timely and insightful dive into the players and politics of one of the twenty-first centurys most influential modes of media. Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine and The One Device
Nathan Grayson is an empathetic, inquisitive reporter with an eye for great stories and the rare ability to make every sentence interesting. Jason Schreier, nationally bestselling author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels
This is not a tech book full of inaccessible billionaires or boring suits. Grayson has found the rich, fascinating characters at the heart of Twitch, with all its highs and very brutal lows. A necessary read for anyone who wants to understand the platform.Mark Bergen, author of Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise to World Domination
Grayson captures the multitudes contained within Twitch while offering a captivating window into content creators livesReaders will want to tune in to this. Publishers Weekly
This is not a tech book full of inaccessible billionaires or boring suits. Grayson has found the rich, fascinating characters at the heart of Twitch, with all its highs and very brutal lows. A necessary read for anyone who wants to understand the platform. Mark Bergen, author of Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise To World Domination
Nathan Graysons Stream Big is an authoritative and comprehensive exploration of the gaming world and a must read for anyone seeking to understand the streaming landscape today. Grayson's unique access to key figures in the industry, along with his years of experience as a journalist, allows readers an inside look at the forces shaping modern gaming and internet culture. Taylor Lorenz, host of Power User
Finally, a book that understands streaming isn't just about watching others playit's about the birth of an entirely new form of human interaction. Grayson masterfully chronicles how Twitch creators have pioneered new ways to foster belonging, create shared purpose, and generate collective joy at massive scale. Jane McGonigal, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World

Author Bio

Nathan Grayson is a founder and reporter atAftermath, a worker-owned tech, video game, and digital publication from veterans of sites likeThe Washington Post,Vice, andKotaku. He has reported on the world of live streaming for half a decade and has conducted interviews with dozens of professional livestreamers.Stream Bigis his first book. You can follow Nathan on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Vahn16.