Twitch viewers more likely to buy within 24 hours of stream

Twitch data scientist Danny Hernandez has been busy crunching numbers to show how harnessing the streaming service can drive sales. 

According to Hernandez, when a Steam connected viewer happens across a game on Twitch, their odds of picking up the game within the next 24 hours increases significantly. 

It's a phenomena he calls the "watch then buy" pattern, and one he says can be recorded by attributing a game sale -- as recorded by Steam Spy during a five month window -- to Twitch if a purchase happens in the day following a streaming session. 

Using Punch Club as an example, Hernandez says 25 percent of its sales are directly attributable to Twitch. 

"Within 6 weeks, 1.2 Million viewers watched Punch Club on Twitch. The viewing experience was so compelling that 2.8 percent of steam connected viewers went on to buy the game," explains Hernandez.

"Given the assumption that steam connected viewers (0.53 percent of views - based on Steam API data) behave similarly to Twitch’s global viewership, I estimate 25 percent of Punch Club sales are directly attributable to Twitch."

Using the same formula, Hernandez looks at the impact Twitch had on sales of indie titles and triple-A releases alike in the chart below.

Digging deeper, Hernandez reveals he didn't find a "minute watched or video play threshold" that outperformed a single play in improving sales. What this means, says the data scientist, is that even a single minute of gameplay could convince players they'd rather be playing the game, than watching it. 

Despite having faith in his findings, Hernandez concedes there's a chance that viewers appear to be so influenced by Twitch because they're actively seeking out the games they're already interested in.

For more stats, figures, and for a full methodological breakdown, head on over to the Twitch blog.