The industry is agog, or rather twitching, at Twitch’s most recent announcement made at TwitchCon in Las Vegas. Users of the massive live-streaming network may now stream their material simultaneously on other platforms. Although the firm had previously relaxed its policies about cross-streaming to social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok, this is a big move that allows broadcasting to occur on “any service,” excluding the broadcaster from being restricted by a Twitch exclusivity deal.
This seems like a move to retain its massive streamer base
This seems like a strange decision for Twitch at first. It would seem that Twitch is ultimately undermining its own viewership by permitting users to stream elsewhere. Why therefore make such a big alteration? In the live-streaming industry, keeping great personnel is probably a calculated risk.
Some well-known figures, including Ludwig, have recently abandoned Twitch in favor of rival websites like YouTube. Twitch may be extending an olive branch by giving producers greater freedom to simulcast without restrictions, particularly to mid-level creators who may be considering switching because to financial worries.
However, there is an additional perspective to take into account: Twitch is actually expanding its audience by providing more customizable broadcasting choices. Streamers have the ability to draw viewers from other platforms and maybe entice them back to Twitch. Furthermore, it speaks favorably of the business’s flexibility. Only in the last few months, Twitch has revised its guidelines on harassment that occurs off-platform and has even tried using machine learning to moderate chats.
The new policy does, however, include a set of rules. It’s unclear and up to interpretation what it means to say that the “Twitch user experience should not be compromised” on other platforms. It’s unclear how Twitch will police this and what happens to those who step over the line.