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IShowSpeed has won Streamer of the Year at the Streamer Awards for the third year in a row. At the ceremony in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 12, hosted by founder QTCinderella and Caroline Kwan, the 21-year-old American creator also took Best IRL Streamer, and his World Cup Tour won Best Streamed Series. He beat CaseOh, Joe Bartolozzi, Jynxzi and Stable Ronaldo for the top prize.
He shared the most-awarded spot with three others who also won three awards each: Kai Cenat (League of Their Own, Best Streamed Event for Streamer University, and Best Mainstream Collab for his stream with singer Tyla), breakout creator Katie B, and Vanillamace. Jynxzi was named Gamer of the Year. Winners are decided 70 percent by public vote and 30 percent by an industry panel.
Why it trended in Indonesia
“IShowSpeed” and “streamer awards” both trended in Indonesia, and the reason is simple: Speed is enormously popular here. His livestreamed tours of Asia, and his habit of turning up in public, running through crowds, trying local food and reacting to whatever happens, make him one of the most recognised foreign internet personalities among Indonesian teenagers. His appearances generate huge clip traffic on TikTok and YouTube Shorts in Indonesia, in both English and dubbed or subtitled versions.
My view: IRL streaming is the new travel TV
The awards are a useful snapshot of where attention has moved. A decade ago, the top streamers were mostly gamers sitting in front of a camera. Today the biggest award goes to an IRL (in real life) streamer whose content is travel, crowds and spontaneous encounters. That is a format television once owned: travel shows, hidden-camera comedy and celebrity tours. Streaming does it live, without editing, and with millions of viewers commenting in real time.
There are real benefits. Speed’s tours have given huge global exposure to places that traditional media rarely shows, and many young viewers outside the US experience him as a curious, energetic visitor rather than a cultural imperialist. Kai Cenat’s Streamer University and the Tyla collaboration show how streaming and the music industry are now closely connected.
There are also concerns. IRL streams depend on crowds and unpredictability, and both can turn dangerous. Several of Speed’s appearances around the world have caused crowd crushes and police interventions. Brands and tourism boards that invite IRL streamers, including in Southeast Asia, need proper crowd control and safety plans, not just enthusiasm for the publicity.
For Indonesian creators, the lesson is clear. The audience rewards authenticity and spontaneity more than polish. Indonesian streamers already dominate local TikTok Live. The next step is building formats, like Speed’s tours, that work across borders.
Sources: The Hype Magazine; Dot Esports; Rolling Out.
