As Streamer University 2026 Ends, Here’s How Streamers Performed
Kai Cenat returned from a hiatus to host Streamer University 2026, and his decision proved to be correct, with newly-released metrics showing that the event generated millions of views and hours watched on both Twitch and YouTube.
There was significant anticipation for Streamer University 2026, and not just because the previous year’s event was a success. The bigger reason for many fans was that Kai Cenat would return from a months-long break specifically to host Streamer University. The event has now ended, with roughly 1.45 million peak viewers, 56.79 million hours watched, 435,724 average viewers, and 6004 channels streaming it. These metrics were published by Streams Charts and are combined from Twitch and YouTube, as Streamer University 2026 was broadcast on both — here is a closer look at how the streamers performed.
Image credit: Streams Charts
Here are the most-popular and most-watched Streamer University 2026 channels
Kai Cenat’s Twitch and YouTube channels had the most peak viewers, peaking at 594,100 and 322,200, respectively. This isn’t surprising, as Kai Cenat was arguably the biggest name at the event. Quvonn “Rakai” Linder is up next, with 230,500, thanks to his massive fan following.
Jacob “SuburbBaby” Ogunlade, the unexpected star of Streamer University 2026, with 195,400, and Roberto “Fanum” Escanio close by with 191,000, also made waves in the event. The others were Jason “JasonTheWeen” Nguyen, Nicholas “Lacy” Fosco, MacArthur “FunnyMike” Johnson, Maxwell Elliot “PlaqueBoyMax” Dent, and Darryl “DDG” Dwayne Granberry Jr., with peak viewers ranging from 84,703 to 120,800.
Image credit: Streams Charts
Kai Cenat’s Twitch channel was also the most-watched, with the streamer getting 6.75 million watched hours. SuburbBaby was second with 5.40 million, and Lacy followed behind with 4.87 million. The other top creators were Kanel Joseph, Kai’s YouTube channel, JasonTheWeen, PlaqueBoyMax, wardrobewinter, Rakai, and Joshua “YourRage” Maynard, with watch hours ranging from 1.41 million to 2.84 million. Rakai getting such a large number of watch hours was surprising, as he wasn’t at the event all five days. He made quite the impact in a short space of time, with viewers seemingly responding to his high-energy persona; he was also named “Best Breakout Streamer” at the Streamer Awards in 2025.
Kai Cenat, SuburbBaby, JasonTheWeen, Lacy, and PlaqueBoyMax are on both lists, but only one name stands out. SuburbBaby isn’t new to the industry, but his Twitch channel is substantially smaller than the other four creators’, so he pulled off a remarkable feat. The other creators are huge and have a substantial following, so it was no surprise that their channels were both most-popular and most-watched during the event.
Image credit: Streams Charts
Editor’s View: What makes Streamer University so popular
Streamer University is a different type of event than ones creators are used to. While Kai Cenat has received some flak for seemingly not inviting smaller creators in the 2026 version, the event undoubtedly had substantial educational content. Ludwig Ahgren even revealed his own revenue from streaming, explaining to his class why he prioritized sponsorship income rather than expecting to receive money from viewers. This provided the students a different perspective, and also helped viewers understand how creators can make money separate from the livestreaming platforms.
Another huge pro of Streamer University is collaborations, as Kai Ceant brought the entire AMP crew to the 2026 version and even invited controversial creators Rakai and Nina “NinaDaddyisBack” Lin. Kai Ceant also had an entire script for students and professors, including one where he was apparently kidnapped by Fanum, and he showed up to the party to kick out the attending students.
Kai Cenat is no Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., but he also runs IRL content, such as Mafiathon and Streamer University, displaying what viewers expect from the biggest personalities now. Previously, it was easier to play games or just chat, but audiences now want larger-scale productions and this is shown in the millions of watch hours. The next challenge will be to grow this further for the 2027 edition.
Feature image credit: Streamer University 2026
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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