Twitch remains at the forefront of live streaming platforms due to its deep-rooted culture, reaching an impressive 140 million monthly active users in 2022 and a remarkable 5.71 billion hours watch time in the third quarter of 2022. In May 2023, the platform saw approximately 7.25 million active streamers, further highlighting its appeal to content creators worldwide. Despite this success, Twitch's recent unnecessary changes raise questions about its longevity and potential user loss.
Twitch consistently remains the talk of the town, constantly grabbing attention. In 2023, it unveiled “groundbreaking moves” that changed the streaming landscape for both streamers and viewers. Let's see what these revolutionary changes are all about!
- The infamous “Morgpie” meta
Doc. Morgpie on Twitch
In late 2023, the "topless meta," also known as implied nudity trend on Twitch went viral. Streamer “Morgpie” brought this trend into the spotlight with a clip showing her seemingly shirtless during a live stream. The live streams caused a strong negative reaction on social media, leading to Twitch eventually banning streamers who went “too far”.
Despite the platform's "family-friendly" image, sexual-themed trends weren't new. During an interview with VTuber "Roflgator," The CEO of Twitch, Dan Clancy expressed his belief that there's no issue with the meta as long as viewers have options to filter it out if they prefer not to see it. Twitch might be able to create a system for this, and Clancy mentioned his goal to develop it.
“It’s something we will build, but engineering takes time. So, we needed to roll back the change. Not because we necessarily find that all of the stuff is wrong or something like that, it’s just our product doesn’t work well to handle it. By the way, we already have this problem if you look at the ASMR category,” said Clancy.
- Brand new ad guidelines
Doc. Twitch
On June 6, Twitch announced new rules for branded streams that were set to take effect on July 1. These brand new policies also included limitations on the types of burned-in advertisements that could potentially be strictly limited from becoming a significant part of the live stream itself.
This policy left both advertisers and streamers in a state of desperation as they were unable to seamlessly incorporate promotional content into their streams. This means they had to find new ways to make money and work with sponsors.
A few days later, Twitch seemed to have a change of heart. Clancy apologized for the short-lived guideline mishap, “We got a lot of negative pushback and the bottom line is we messed up. It’s on us and I apologize for that.”
- Streamers payout alteration
Doc. Twitch
June 2023 seemed to be a big month for Twitch. The discussion about Twitch didn't end with the chaos surrounding ad guidelines, it continued due to its alteration in affiliate and partner payouts. In a blog post on 21 September 2022, Twitch stated that starting on 1 June 2023, streamers with pre-existing contracts would only be eligible for a 70/30 split on the first $100,000 in subscriber revenue, with the remaining funds being divided at the regular 50/50 share split. As expected, many streamers have voiced their dissatisfaction regarding this issue including big names like Charlie 'MoistCr1TiKaL' and Babywock.
Twitch's ongoing baffling decisions could cause trouble for their future. By continuously making questionable choices, they might end up driving away streamers who will seek better options elsewhere. This leaves the door wide open for competitors like YouTube and Kick to flourish.
So, what can be improved?
Twitch seems to prioritize its own profitability over the experience of its users, when there should be a better balance between both. This is evident in the frequent use of considerably lengthy and unskippable ads every time viewers open streams, resulting in a less enjoyable experience.
To address this, obviously Twitch needs to organize its own operation, internal system, and infrastructure. Engaging in open dialogue with streamers and viewers to seek their insights as vital stakeholders is key. It's crucial to consider their input before implementing new policies.
It can also improve transparency by providing regular updates on changes. This approach helps build user trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters a more supportive and engaged community.
Considering Twitch is all about its strong community, Clancy and his team should focus on making the platform safe and comfortable for everyone, including minors. This helps keep things steady and creates an enjoyable experience for all.
