Streaming News for the week of Nov 6th 2023

Twitch News

1. Moderators Can Now Feature Clips: Creators have gained the ability to empower their moderators to feature clips on Twitch. To utilize this feature, simply navigate to the “Clips Settings” section located on the relevant page.
2. Twitch App for Nintendo Switch Closure: Mark your calendars for January 31, 2024, as that’s the date when the Twitch App for Nintendo Switch will be discontinued.
3. Changes in Esports Directory: The Esports directory has recently undergone modifications, including the removal of some unique features. This alteration is attributed to a “backend system change,” which aligns the directory more closely with other standard directories.
4. Unity Guilds’ Promise: Twitch’s Unity Guilds are set to bring forth a new era on the platform. This exciting development has also been featured in an article by Refinery29.
5. Crunchyroll’s Support a Streamer Campaign: Crunchyroll has rolled out a Support a Streamer Campaign on Twitch. Generous viewers who gift two subscriptions to participating channels will receive a reward of 60 days of free Crunchyroll access.
6. New Global Emote: JonesyW: In collaboration with Fortnite’s OG season, a new global emote has been introduced on Twitch, and it goes by the name “JonesyW.”
7. Change in Partner Plus Points: Notably, Partner Plus Points for multi-month subscriptions will now be displayed on the subscription anniversary date, moving away from the previous practice of being visible on the 1st of the month.
8. Departure of Twitch’s Chief Customer Officer: Twitch’s Chief Customer Officer, Doug Scott, has made the announcement of his departure from the company. Since Clancy took over as CEO, Twitch has witnessed the departure of several high-level executives in a relatively short timeframe. This type of transition is somewhat expected under new leadership, and further departures wouldn’t be surprising.
9. Nokia’s Lawsuit Against Amazon-Twitch: Nokia has initiated legal action against Amazon-Twitch, alleging infringement on their video streaming technology. This legal battle could have significant implications in the world of video streaming and intellectual property rights.

Streaming Industry News

TikTok’s Livestreaming Expansion: TikTok has ambitious plans for further expansion into the livestreaming sector, with significant developments on the horizon. (Note: This source has a hard paywall.) Additionally, a recent report has revealed that in Q3, over $250 million in digital gifts were spent on livestream creators in the United States, underscoring the growth and potential of the livestreaming industry.

Facebook and Instagram Ad-Free Subscriptions: In Europe, Facebook and Instagram have introduced ad-free subscription options for their services, providing users with an ad-free experience in exchange for a subscription fee.

YouTube Studio Payment Details: YouTube has made it easier for content creators to access payment details by introducing a feature within the YouTube Studio app.

IOC Partnership with CazeTV: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formed a partnership with CazeTV to livestream the Paris 2024 Olympics in Brazil via Twitch and YouTube channels, marking a significant move in the world of sports streaming.

LiveSpace Streamlabs Alert Integration: LiveSpace has announced integration with Streamlabs alerts, enhancing the capabilities of the platform for content creators and streamers.

Washington Post’s Creator Economy Deep Dive: The Washington Post has conducted an in-depth exploration of the growing creator economy, shedding light on the trends, challenges, and opportunities within this dynamic industry.

ScuffleTV’s Competitor Service Plans: ScuffleTV, a future streaming platform, has revealed some of its plans for launching a competitor service to Amazon IVS, promising an exciting new entrant in the streaming industry.

Ukrainian Minister’s Call to Cease Collaboration: Last week, the Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, called on the gaming industry, including Twitch, to cease collaborations with Xsolla due to its ties to Russia. The Interim CEO of Xsolla has since responded to these concerns, sparking a conversation on the intersection of politics and gaming.

Devolver Digital’s Acquisition: Devolver Digital has made a notable acquisition, taking over System Era Softworks, which could have implications for the gaming and streaming sectors.

Overwatch League Shutdown Speculation: Rumors of an Overwatch League shutdown have emerged, according to reports by Jacob Wolf, raising questions about the future of this popular esports league.

OBS Multiple RTMP Plugin Update: The OBS Multiple RTMP Plugin has received a minor update, now at version 0.5.0.3, enhancing its functionality and performance for streamers and content creators.