Top 10 Gaming Influencers – And Why Your Brand Should Work With Them

Who are the top gaming influencers? Think of this as the gaming manual for brands entering this niche to reach and attract Gen Z.
Fanbytes | Top 10 Gaming Influencers - And Why Your Brand Should Work With Them

In 30 seconds:

  • Gaming influencers on Instagram, Twitch, Youtube and TikTok are growing in popularity. But what does this mean for your brand? We’ll go through why you should be getting your head in the game.
  • Among US teens, gamers are the second most popular type of influencer. It’s evident Gen Z loves gaming influencers, but why are they so valuable?
  • We’ve listed the top 10 gaming influencers (UK and globally) to show you how it’s done and why your brand should start working (and winning) with them.


If you feel like you’re a “noob” (new person) in the Gaming influencer world, we’ve got your back. Gamers are hugely popular within their niche, but they are also hugely impactful for brands – and not just brands in the gaming industry.

20% of all overall online users follow gaming influencers. That means there’s a likely crossover between your potential customers and fans of gaming influencers.

Amongst online audiences, gaming influencers are as followed as social activists. But for Gen Z audiences specifically, these content creators‘ ranking shoots up even further. That’s right, 18-24 year olds are big fans of gamers. So if your brand is looking to target a younger demographic, buckle up. It’s time to find a Gen Z gaming influencer to market your brand.

Why are gaming influencers so valuable?

Gen Z likes influencers: two-thirds of US teens follow an influencer online, and 50% trust their recommendations. 

Gen Z also likes gaming: 87% of Generation Z are playing video games on gaming consoles, mobile games, and computer games at least weekly, if not daily. 26% of young adults say they access livestream gaming service Twitch at least once a week.

Add these two up, and you get the perfect audience for gaming influencers

These influencers are especially valuable because they attract “hard-to-get” audiences. 12% of gaming influencer followers state they do not follow influencers in any other field or topic. This is higher than any other kind of audience. 

This is partly because gaming influencers also command the attention of the trickiest demographic to reach. Gaming influencers are the most popular among males aged 18-34. So if you’re looking to grab the attention of this target audience, marketing strategies that include gamers could supercharge your brand’s success. 

Going LIVE

Another feature that gaming influencers have harnessed is live streaming. In the first quarter of 2021, a total of 8.8 billion hours of video game live streams were watched across the world, up from merely 3.6 billion hours two years previously. So going LIVE is vital. 

Twitch is one of the top live gaming channels, as well as Youtube gaming, Facebook gaming and Instagram LIVE. 

What about TikTok livestream? Since TikTok is Gen Z’s favourite social media platform, gaming is a natural fit for the platform. Fanbytes are seeing gaming already starting to amplify on the video-streaming app. Hashtags such as #GamerGoals have been trending on TikTok, and TikTok has also already launched The Game Room, “a monthly LIVE series featuring some of TikTok‘s most prominent creators and global celebrities playing their favourite games”. 

Take it from us… (we are buffs on this subject, after all): TikTok’s gaming scene is growing fast.

Fanbytes | How can you work with gaming influencers?

How can you work with a gaming influencer?

There are some simple steps (or ‘levels’, if you will) to start using gaming influencer marketing without any glitches. Let’s play.

Level 1: Choose a platform that works for your brand.

Twitch will have slightly different audiences to Instagram gaming, for instance. You may also find your gaming influencer shares content across multiple platforms, sharing clips of their Twitch gaming to their TikTok channel, for example. So, choose wisely.

Level 2: Find the right gaming influencer for your brand.

Make sure whichever influencer you collaborate with aligns with your brand. This can be hard to do, but you mustn’t settle on an account just because of followers or views alone. Authenticity is key to winning the hearts of Gen Z. Think about what it is about the influencer that appeals to their audience, and how their content will build your brand.

We have a game-changing tool that helps you find the perfect influencer (gamers or non-gamers), called Bytesights. Check it out to see how you can find the best influencer for you. 

Level 3: Collaborate effectively.

When you’ve found the correct influencer, reach out through their professional email if they have one or through the platform itself. Talk to them as an individual, don’t blanket email them. Mention why they would be perfect for your brand and exactly what the project would entail. Then, get collaborating!

So with all these insights, who should your brand be switching to multiplayer with?

Let’s take you through the top gaming influencers and why you might want to work with them. 

The top 10 gaming influencers

111 million Youtube subscribers.

Pewdiepie (Felix Kjellberg) is the most followed gamer out there. He originally started making gaming videos and game reviews back in 2010. From playing Grand Theft Auto (GTA) to Slender Man, he’s grown to become one of the most famous YouTubers globally and has spread to Twitch, Instagram and Facebook.

Why should you work with them?

His reach may be gigantic, but this isn’t necessarily the top reason to be working with Pewdiepie. He has an infectious sense of humour and has been a big fan of horror since the get-go. So it’s more about alignment (and budget). 

30.8 million Youtube subscribers.

Alia Marie “Lia” Shelesh is known to her fans as SSSniperwolf on her Youtube channel and SSSwolf on Twitch. This American YouTuber is one of the most prominent female gaming influencers out there and has a huge fan base. She is also interested in makeup tutorials, fashion and DIY projects and uploads videos on this through her other channel Little Lia.

Why should you work with them?

Women make up 48% of the gaming population (compared with 40% in 2010). That’s a growing audience that your brand could be tapping into. Alia’s infectious personality and other interests make her an ideal match for lifestyle brands.

25.6 million Youtube subscribers

Canadian influencer Evan Fong created Vanoss Gaming to share reviews, walkthrough videos and gameplays to his fanbase. He’s got funny bones, and people love his comic voiceovers. His creativity earned him a Shorty Award for Tech and Innovation, under the “gaming” category back in 2016.

Why should you work with them?

In the UK and US, almost nine in ten 13-40-year-olds who follow gamers identified ‘sense of humour’ as a gaming influencer’s most appealing attribute. VanossGaming is funny and authentic, so his followers are likely to trust his commentary. 

17.3 million Twitch followers.

In December 2020, Ninja was crowned the most followed Twitch channel. Also known as Richard Tyler Blevins, he started as a professional Esports player, contributing to teams playing Halo 3. After this, he began streaming his own videos, earning millions of fans amongst twitch streamers. Is he “out there”? Yes. But through his bold character and sometimes risky attitude, he has become a gaming household name.

Why should you work with them?

Ninja is *not bland*. And the brands he’s worked with show this. He’s most recently signed a deal with Adidas and collaborated with Uber Eats. He has a bright persona that gels with similarly aligned brands, so if this is you, he’s a great contender for your next marketing campaign

5. KSI

10.9 million Instagram followers.

If you look for Gaming influencers UK, KSI will likely come up at the top. Olajide William is an Instagram gamer as well as a Youtube star. KSI stands for Knowledge, Strength and Integrity. His channel reflects this, plus there’s a lot of humour sprinkled in his gameplay videos. His reaction videos to games have got millions of views, and his facial expressions are hilarious. 

Why should you work with them?

KSI is not just a a vlogger or gaming superstar. He is also a professional boxer and rapper. He’s released three singles, with one (“Lamborghini”) reaching number 30 on the UK Singles downloads Chart. He’s also performed his songs on Roblox. So he’s not just in the game; he’s way ahead of it. Brands can utilise this when collaborating. 

9.9 million Twitch followers.

This Polish-American gamer has the goods both professionally and entertainment-wise. Michael Grzesiek is known for playing first-person shooter games and just being a phenomenal gamer. His accuracy is something talked about all over the internet, and he lives up to the hype.

Why should you work with them?

As a technical gamer and a brilliant one at that, Shroud’s followers clearly care about a “good game” (gg everyone). Tech brands would be a great match with this influencer, but equally, his funny commentary and authentic feel would appeal to many audiences globally.

6.62 million Youtube subscribers.

Ldshadowlady (Elizabeth “Lizzie”) began creating videos in 2010 and is probably best known for her Minecraft stories. Her humour is infectious, and she has a remarkably genuine approach to her commentaries. Her videos and home page’s pink and rainbow accents give a distinct “sweet” aesthetic that attracts a slightly different audience from other gamers

Why should you work with them?

Elizabeth has a unique feel to her videos that would work well for younger demographics. She plays more Role Playing Games (RPGs), like Minecraft and The Sims. This gives her channel a friendlier approach that brands might use, with less “shooting” and more “playing”.

31.5 million Youtube subscribers.

Mark Fischbach (known to most as Markeplier) is best known for his horror game walkthroughs. He’s also a tremendous multiplayer YouTuber, with him and his friends entering the world of Grand Theft Auto 5 amongst other games. His laughable reactions have gained him a massive following. People come back for more because he’s true to himself and has a brilliantly amusing way of seeing the world (and his games). 

Why should you work with them?

Markeplier is not just a funny gaming influencer. He also believes in giving. He has done live streams for charity and talked openly with his followers on how we as humans can connect. He openly and actively supports the LGBTQ+ movement as well, and these are all factors that make him an ideal influencer to work with. 

22.6 million Youtube subscribers.

Jelly derived his gaming title from his real name – Jelle Van Vucht. This dutch YouTube gamer and vlogger describes himself as a “child-friendly YouTuber”, which is rare to find on the channel these days.

Why should you work with them?

Young audiences are notoriously hard to reach, so having a trusted influencer who speaks to them directly by your brand’s side will put you on the marketing leaderboard. Consider Jelly for a giveaway, but be careful how you market to impressionable young viewers. 

6.3 million Youtube subscribers.

Tiffany “Tiffy” Michelle Herrera introduces herself as “cupquake” in her videos and does many comic walkthroughs. Her love of cats is a common subject, and her videos are watershed-friendly (she hardly ever swears). Her personality shines through in each game she plays, and she comes across as bubbly, funny and sometimes a little clumsy. 

Why should you work with them?

Her approachable feel and adorable videos are refreshing to see in the gaming community. She appeals to the younger end of Gen Z as well as those aged 20+ , and all genders. She would be an excellent choice for brands looking to work with the entire age group. 

Gaming influencer: you’ve reached a checkpoint.

Congratulations. You’ve got to the end. You now know the top 10 gaming influencers and why you should work with them. But what’s the next level?

Working with influencers can be tricky when you don’t know where to start. Planning a social media influencer marketing campaign is complex and time consuming (especially without software like ours…), and we know you’re against the clock.

So take our tips and use them to find the right creator for you. Remember, alignment is vital. Don’t press “play” without connecting with your teammate first. 

We have stacks of experience in finding the perfect talent for brands, and we know our Call of Duty from our Fifa when it comes to gaming influencers. So if you’re ready to get started, we know the right buttons to press. 

Get in touch to find out how we can supercharge your campaigns and give you the cheat codes necessary to win the hearts of Gen Z.  


Bonus material! We have loads of easter eggs for you on influencer marketing below:


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