I'd guess it's similar to a job in the entertainment industry, like being a host of a TV show.
You won't get very far by just sitting there playing some games, you have to be entertaining, engage with the audience, provide commentary etc. And do all of this with a happy face/mood for 6-12 hours, preferably every single day. And when you're not streaming you most likely do social media stuff.
I know of a streamer who got "big" (enough to earn a living) by playing factorio. At some point he burnt out on the game and tried different things but his audience didn't really care for that and income broke down substantially, so it wasn't sustainable anymore. So he continued playing factorio without actually enjoying that so that he could make a living for his family. Just like a "real" job.
I know of a streamer who got "big" (enough to earn a living) by playing factorio. At some point he burnt out on the game and tried different things but his audience didn't really care for that and income broke down substantially, so it wasn't sustainable anymore. So he continued playing factorio without actually enjoying that so that he could make a living for his family. Just like a "real" job.