It’s hard to believe it’s 2025 already, and time is speeding by with January already behind us. For fans of online gaming this year is certainly off to a fantastic start, with so many immersive games and streaming options to choose from, setting the tone for what definitely looks like an epic year ahead. If you’ve been a little bit out of the loop, or just wondering which games are most popular right now, keep reading – we’ve compiled a quick list of the hottest and most streamed games of January 2025.
League of Legends
Our first mention has to be League of Legends (LoL), which racked up 100,830,775 viewer hours and 725 average live streaming channels on Twitch in January 2025 alone, making it one of the hottest games in the world right now. This fast-paced game is a longstanding staple of the online multiplayer gaming scene, and there’s a serious amount of hype building up around the 2025 edition of the League of Legends World Championship, which is set to be held in China this year. This iconic free-to-play game has maintained its widespread appeal over the years because of its high production value, accessibility, and fun team-based gaming structure, and these days LoL is considered one of the best video games ever made. With new champions to choose from all the time, this legendary game is going nowhere. If you haven’t played it yet, now’s the time to try it out.
Minecraft
Next up is Minecraft, which has captured the imaginations of people of all ages throughout the world for well over a decade. It certainly seems like the old favorites are still ruling the roost as we head into 2025, and Minecraft consistently ranks as one of the most streamed games on all the ideal gaming platforms out there.
This immersive world-building game contains endless possibilities, and the unbelievably complex creations of many talented gamers regularly draw enormous attention from viewers around the world. To this day, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, with over 170 million monthly active players and over 300 million copies sold. It’s easy to see why the endless universe of this hugely satisfying game has allowed it to consistently top the streaming charts, and Minecraft has surely cemented its vital place in gaming history.
Valorant
We all know that 2024 was an incredible year for gaming, and Valorant, the first-person tactical shooter game released in 2020, has continued to entertain gamers throughout the first half of this decade. Another fantastic release from Riot Games, this highly engaging game has once again made it into the top charts of the most streamed games in 2025 so far. Because of its competitive and immersive nature, Valorant has quickly become a favorite for esports lovers, and there will be plenty of tournaments taking place throughout this year which has helped boost its streaming appeal. If you’re a fan of first-person tactical hero shooter games and you haven’t checked out this one yet, where have you been? Valorant is still one of the hottest games out there today, so don’t miss this one.
PokerStars Tournaments
For those who prefer the satisfying subtleties and high drama of classic casino card games, online tournaments on leading sites like PokerStars continued to be hugely popular amongst gamers and streamers around the globe in January this year. The weekly PokerStars Sunday Million tournament always attracts a huge number of players and viewers, with live coverage of the games streamed on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels.
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Marvel Rivals
Lastly, this recent release from NetEase Games was seriously popular in January 2025, making it the 3rd most streamed game on Twitch during the first month of this year. Released on December 6, 2024, Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play third-person hero shooter game which has seen a quick uptake of fans, having reached 10 million players worldwide within just 72 hours of its release. This super fun game is seriously hot right now, thanks to its Marvel-themed characters which have tapped into a hugely popular niche. Fans have also enjoyed being able to cross-play across all its supported platforms, alongside the exciting multiplayer features created by its 37 playable characters and variety of complex maps, which present a whole world of opportunities. As Marvel Rivals continues to enjoy widespread popularity, this epic new game is sure to see further streaming success during the rest of this year and beyond.
In the world of gaming, 2025 is clearly off to an incredible start, and this is just a small selection of the most streamed games of the year so far. And with the global games live streaming market predicted to have 1.8 billion users by 2029, this incredible entertainment scene will not be slowing down any time soon. There’s something out there for everyone to enjoy, and whatever your gaming style, we know you’ll love one of the titles on this list – enjoy!