It’s no surprise that VTubers are well loved by gamers. Most VTubers are gamers themselves. Even VTubers who focus on Twitch’s ASMR and Just Chatting categories inevitably stream games at one point or another. But you might be shocked to hear that nearly one in five gamers reported watching VTubers the most on YouTube. At least, that’s according to a study taken from earlier this year, which found VTubers were more popular than game publishers and developers on the video platform.
Gamers (just barely) prefer Vtubers over devs. oh, and female gamers love vtubers
In February 2025, games marketing agency Big Games Machine published a report analyzing American gamers’ YouTube viewing habits. The study was based on a 1,050-person survey from January. With an even split between male and female respondents, the survey revealed women were more likely to view VTubers the most: Only 14% of men surveyed preferred VTubers, compared to 23% of female respondents.
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VTubers were more preferred among gamers than major game publishers and developers, too. Admittedly, the margin was very slim. Very, very slim. When asked “What kind of content creator do you watch the most?,” 18% of gamers answered “VTubers.” Only 17% preferred major game publishers and developers, while just a mere 5% of gamers watched indie devs the most. VTubers were also more popular than esports organizations and teams, which were only watched the most with 10% of respondents.
Which age groups are watching VTubers? The category actually skews older, not younger. Among gamers who preferred watching VTubers, respondents in the 45-54 age range reported watching VTubers the most, followed by 35-44, then 25-34, and finally 18-24. Differences between age groups were marginal, especially between 18-24 and 25-34. Nonetheless, the data reveals that VTubing isn’t just a phenomenon popular with young viewers. Every age group has VTuber fans, at least among gamers.
VTubing in and of itself was not the preferred form of gaming content creation, not by a long shot. 44% of viewers preferred YouTubers who dabbled in a variety of content, from reviews to let’s plays and everything in between. Streamers were next at 41%, followed by YouTubers who focused on a specific style (25%), gaming news and reviews (23%), and then genre-specific YouTubers (21%). Women similarly preferred general gaming YouTubers the most, although it’s worth noting that VTubing is the only category where women lead over men. Otherwise, men also prefer esports organizations over women too: 14% of men preferred esports compared to 6% of women.
Why do women in gaming love VTubers?
Why do so many female gamers love VTubers so much? It’s hard to say without further data; analyzing VTubing with a wide brush can be a fool’s errand, given how enormous the medium has become. Nonetheless, there are a couple potential reasons that factor into female preference for VTubers.
Women may prefer watching other women play games. They may also enjoy the escapism of watching anime women play video games (look no further than Maid Mint for an example). Some women may want to study VTubers if they hope to become one. Or if they are a VTuber themselves, they might want to watch their friends and colleagues at work. Also, I’m sure many women want to watch anime men play and discuss video games for the same reason that men watch female VTubers: Because they’re attractive. This is likely the case for many queer female VTuber fans too. Plenty of bi, pan, and lesbian women like watching attractive anime girls do attractive things. Look no further than CottontailVA. I’d watch that woman do anything. Even play Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing.
Don’t forget, many VTubers also lean heavily into the cuteness factor. Ever find yourself scrolling through your friend’s Discord server and “aww”-ing at her pet cat photos? VTubing has a similar phenomenon too. The proof is clear as day with YouTube’s latest indie star Sameko Saba, whose debut stream reached over 200,000 viewers at its peak.
Why is Saba so well liked? She’s adorable. No, seriously. Saba is not just incredibly talented, she’s incredibly skilled at making viewers gush by doing cute things cutely. Her model reveal alone was a masterclass in debuting, as Saba hyped up the crowd by making her shyness and anxiety seem nothing short of precious. I’m sure many female VTuber fans had the same thought I did: “Isn’t that little catfish just the cutest?” There are many such cases in VTubing.
Of course, Big Games Machine’s study on YouTubers only pertains to Americans. It was taken several months ago in January and published in late February. More studies are needed to understand why female gamers love VTubers so much, why gamers prefer VTubers over indie game devs, and whether VTubing has a greater share of gaming viewership than before. After all, VTubing is a growing industry. It’s very likely that VTubers are even more preferred among gamers than ever before. But who knows? Only time will tell as new data appears.
