Ispend a lot of time on Twitch; probably more than I care to admit. For me, the name of the game is comfort. It’s all about finding streams that intensify that cozy, TV-in-my-jammies-feel of years past from a plethora of diverse content creators. A lot of times, that means venturing out to find awesome non-gaming streamers. (And it’s a whole new world out there!)

A ton of artists, singers, craftspeople, musicians, and vloggers have found their home on Twitch and brought their community spaces with them. As a community peep, there’s nothing I love more than people sharing their passions and interacting with one another. A while back, Twitch changed its category labels from IRL/creative to a variety of interests, from Art to Cook&Drink. Since then, non-gaming streamers have experienced a boost in viewerships. They continue to grow, expanding our concepts of what streaming services can deliver. It’s a wonderful opportunity for content creators to find support, accessibility, and fans. Plus, it makes me excited for the future of streaming. Interested? Here’s some awesome non-gaming channels to check out.

SleepyMia

SleepyMia is a digital artist dedicated to “capitalizing on the internet love for doggos”. Her streams are like stepping into your cooler friend’s room (only she doesn’t even know it) and getting to watch them do what they love: doodle anime characters and cuddle with their dogs. And hey, sometimes she’ll even take you with her when she cooks breakfast.

Watch if you like: teasing humor, anime doodles, silliness 

Girlnovember

Girlnovember’s quiet, sit-yourself-down-with-some-tea-and-chat streams are a delight. In the world of quiet Twitch streaming, she’s pretty chatty. The chat shares knitting tips, coupon advice, and positivity while girlnovember knits away, occasionally dishing on Star Trek reruns and her latest writing venture.  

Watch if you like: knitting tips, positivity, and mental health streams

A jar of peanut butter

A jar of peanut butter by Jackdire. Okay, maybe not WATCHING but it’s interesting to see how art installations have transcended brick and mortar and found a home on Twitch. Will it unsettle our souls? Doubtful, but we are happy to stick around and see what the nuttiness is all about.  

Watch if you like: the lifestyles section of your local paper, throwing out strange bits at parties and modern art (or dislike, either works here)

P.S. Mr. Jack Dire is the creator of Business Panda Beach Party, Red Flags, You’ve Got Problems, and a bunch of other card games.

Chris Frosin

1. Ever since I saw Hereditary, in which foreboding story plots are retold through Toni Collete’s miniature figurine models, I’ve been really curious to get some insights on this medium. ChrisFrosin’s miniatures’ painting stream certainly fills that gap in my knowledge while providing a chill, story swapping environment to settle into. 

Watch if you like: quiet stories, relaxing vibes, detail painting

Hungry

Cooking channels are getting harder to market to a new generation of audiences who consume entertainment through computers and mobile devices. But wait! Twitch has a solution for getting young foodies’ attention. There’s a variety of classic cooking programs being licensed to Twitch, everything from Great Chefs to the essential Julia and Jacques – Cooking at Home. But now there’s new cooking talent out there. These new host-at-home shows are translating pretty well on Twitch, probably because cooking can often have unexpected explorations. In many ways, it’s raw capture on video mixes very well with raw ingredients.  Hungry is a good way to start to dip your toes into this genre, which includes ‘A Taste of History’ and Pati’s Mexican Table. The soft lighting and elegantly explained meals will inspire you to bring the stream into your kitchen, or at least make you hungrier while you wait on that uber eats. 

Watch if you like: Julia and Julia, with the mystical Meryl Streep, Anthony Bourdain, food history

ThatViolinChick

ThatViolinChick is a veteran violin player of 26 years who streams improv electronic violin concertos in addition to gaming. She also gives life advice and has multiple, hilarious conversations (sometimes in the form of nerf wars) with her husband. It’s a channel full of contagious laughter and humor, but also leaves you feeling inspired. 

Watch if you like: Modern classical music sneaking into Top 100 Pop songs,  positive couple vibes, and skits with a good track

What do you think?

For more on the changing Twitch landscape and the growing spaces for non-gaming content, read this.

So, what are YOU tuning into this weekend?