Live streaming now has its own awards season, and the 2026 edition has officially begun. On 16 October 2026, Blaire “QTCinderella,” the founder and host of The Streamer Awards, revealed the full list of nominees across 37 categories during a livestream, and fan voting opened the same day. The announcement quickly became one of the most talked-about topics in online entertainment, trending per news coverage across gaming and creator-economy outlets. The ceremony itself takes place on 12 November 2026 in Los Angeles, giving fans just over three weeks to cast their votes.
What happened
The nominees were announced category by category during a livestream hosted by QTCinderella on 16 October 2026. In total, 37 categories were revealed, covering everything from gaming and music to role-play, reality content, vertical live streaming, and breakout talent. Voting opened immediately after the announcement and runs until 31 October 2026.
The headline category, Streamer of the Year, produced the most discussion. The five nominees are Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins, Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart, Case “CaseOh” Baker, Rani “Stable Ronaldo” Netz, and Joe Bartolozzi. Each of them represents a different corner of the streaming world: IShowSpeed is known for high-energy international travel and in-real-life broadcasts, Jynxzi for his marathon Rainbow Six Siege streams and remarkable consistency, CaseOh for his laid-back, community-driven variety content, Stable Ronaldo for reality and Fortnite content, and Bartolozzi for Just Chatting and breakout popularity. Bartolozzi’s name also appears in two other categories, Streamer of the Year aside: President of Chat and Best Breakout Streamer.
What the Streamer Awards are
The Streamer Awards is an annual awards show dedicated to live streamers, founded in 2022 by Twitch streamer QTCinderella to celebrate creators, primarily from the Twitch community. The first ceremony took place on 12 March 2022, and the show has grown every year since, expanding to cover creators across platforms and adding categories as streaming itself has diversified. The 2026 edition is the sixth edition of the show.
The format has two main parts: a red carpet show, where nominees and internet personalities are interviewed as they arrive, and the main awards show, where winners are revealed. The ceremony is streamed live on QTCinderella’s Twitch and YouTube channels, so fans around the world can watch it in real time. Over the years, the show has become a fixture of creator culture, in the same way that film and television have their own awards nights. For a deeper look at how streamed entertainment evolved from earlier screen traditions, see our guide to the history of cinema from silent films to streaming.
The Streamer of the Year race
Streamer of the Year is the flagship prize, and this year’s five-way race is unusually open. IShowSpeed enters as one of the most recognisable streamers on the planet, with a global fanbase built on travel streams, football content, and viral moments. Jynxzi’s case rests on consistency: he has streamed nearly every day for roughly two years, building a loyal audience around long, marathon broadcasts. CaseOh has become a community favourite through a calmer style of variety streaming, where the chat itself is a big part of the show. Stable Ronaldo blends reality content with competitive gaming, while Joe Bartolozzi has had a breakout year that earned him nominations in three separate categories.
The debate began almost as soon as the names were read out. Some fans pointed out that none of the five Streamer of the Year nominees is a woman, and asked why creators such as Cinna were not included. Others argued that the lineup was one of the strongest in the show’s history, with each nominee having a genuine claim. That kind of argument is part of what makes awards season engaging: the nominations themselves become a conversation, and the conversation drives even more people to vote.
One of the most talked-about reactions came from Felix “xQc” Lengyel, one of the biggest names in streaming, who received no nominations in any of the 37 categories. During his own livestream on 16 October, he reacted with humour, joking that he considers himself streamer of the year every day, and went on to cast a vote for IShowSpeed in the Streamer of the Year category. The moment was widely shared and summed up the playful, self-aware tone that runs through much of streaming culture.
Other categories to watch
Beyond the headline prize, several categories capture where streaming is heading. Best IRL Streamer features IShowSpeed alongside Qoqsik, Cooksux, ExtraEmily, and Evelyn Ortiz, reflecting how much of modern streaming now happens out in the world rather than at a desk. Best International Streamer has a genuinely global field: Ashwag, Carter Efe, Peller, Young Multi, and StarYuuki. The nominations of Nigerian creators Carter Efe and Peller were widely covered in African media, and their inclusion shows how far streaming’s centre of gravity has spread beyond North America and Europe.
Best Content Group pits established collectives against each other, with AMP, QSMP, CORE, Clooless, and a team-up of Fuslie, Squeex, Ludwig, and Valkyrae all nominated. Stream Game of the Year is a four-way contest between Minecraft, Fortnite, Big Walk, and Meccha Chameleon, the last of which was highlighted by its publisher after the announcement. Other categories span the full map of streaming: Best Music Streamer (DDG, Plaqueboymax, Bishu, AriAtHome), Best Minecraft Streamer (Katie B, Feinberg, DrDonut, Ashwag), Best Fortnite Streamer (Clix, HappyHappyGal, Faxuty, AussieAntics), Best FPS Streamer, Best MOBA Streamer, Best Cozy Game Streamer, Best Speedrun Streamer, Best Sports Streamer, Best Fighting Game Streamer, Best Battle Royale Streamer, Best MMORPG Streamer, Best Strategy Game Streamer, Best Reality Streamer, Best Role-Play Streamer, Best Creative Arts Streamer, Best Vertical Live Streamer, Best Stream Duo, Best Streamer Collab, Best Brand Partner, and the Hidden Gem Award for smaller creators on the rise. Streaming’s breadth today goes far beyond gaming alone: anime streaming communities and music, talk, and reality formats all have their own audiences now, and the category list reflects that.
How voting works
Winners are decided by a combination of fan voting and a panel vote. The community vote counts for 70% of the result, while an industry panel accounts for the remaining 30%, so fans hold the majority of the power but not all of it. Voting opened on 16 October 2026 and closes on 31 October 2026. Fans can vote on the official Streamer Awards website after signing in with a valid email address.
The road to the nominations was longer than the announcement itself. For the 2026 edition, the organisers introduced applications, allowing creators to put their own names forward by setting their name, picking categories, and uploading clips. Applications ran until 2 October 2026, and community nominations ran from 12 September to 2 October. After nominations closed, the community’s top picks filled each category, with the industry panel adding one nominee per category. Another change for 2026 is that nominees can come from all streaming platforms, including rival Kick, after fans and creators had previously raised concerns about bias. Nominees also get access to a dashboard where they can update their name, photo, and the clip that plays during the show and on the website.
The debates and reactions
Awards nominations always spark arguments, and this year was no exception. The most prominent debate was over the Streamer of the Year lineup, with some fans questioning the absence of any woman among the five nominees, while others praised the field as one of the most competitive ever. The xQc snub became its own storyline, with his good-humoured reaction and his vote for IShowSpeed drawing wide attention. Meanwhile, fans of individual creators mobilised quickly, campaigning for their favourites in category after category.
There is also a serious side to the conversation. Awards like these shape careers: a nomination can bring new viewers, sponsorships, and collaborations, especially for smaller creators in categories like the Hidden Gem Award or Best Breakout Streamer. For mid-sized creators, a Streamer Awards nomination is often the moment a hobby becomes a profession. That is why the voting window matters so much, and why fan communities treat it almost like an election campaign.
What happens next
Voting remains open until 31 October 2026. After the votes are counted, the winners will be revealed at the ceremony on 12 November 2026 in Los Angeles. The red carpet begins at 2:30 PM Pacific Time, with the main show following later the same evening, streamed live on QTCinderella’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Expect acceptance speeches, musical performances, and the usual mix of celebration and surprise that has become the show’s trademark.
Between now and the ceremony, expect more campaigning, more debate, and more clips as fans make the case for their favourites. The Streamer of the Year race will dominate the conversation, but the most interesting stories often come from the smaller categories, where a win can change a creator’s career overnight.
Why it matters
Live streaming has grown from a niche hobby into a major part of global entertainment. Millions of people now watch creators the way earlier generations watched television, and awards shows like this one are how the medium recognises its own stars. The 2026 Streamer Awards also show how international streaming has become: nominees come from Nigeria, India, Poland, Cuba, and beyond, and audiences vote from every time zone. As viewing habits keep shifting toward live and interactive formats — and as streaming devices and platforms keep evolving — events like this one mark the moments when internet culture sets its own agenda. Whether your favourite wins or not, the nominations themselves are a snapshot of what the world was watching in 2026.
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