Streaming News for the week of Nov 13th 2023
Twitch New
Follower Emotes Accessibility: Twitch has introduced a significant update making follower emotes available to all creators, removing the previous condition tied to Instant Upload Eligibility.
Transition from Hype Chats to Bits: In a strategic move, Twitch is discontinuing Hype Chats, incorporating their functionality into Bits. Premium members were given insight into this transition as early as August.
Enhanced Tools for Channel Editors: Channel Editors now enjoy expanded capabilities with access to the Clip Editor, providing them with additional tools to refine and enhance content.
Hype Challenge Across Borders: Twitch is currently hosting a Hype Challenge exclusive to Partners in France. Additionally, there are indications of similar challenges in Germany, with potential plans for the UK, signaling a broadened international engagement strategy.
Empowering Women Creators: The Women’s Guild on Twitch is spearheading a unique event, the Raid Train, running from today until November 22nd. This initiative involves over 80 women and femme/nonbinary creators actively participating in raids, fostering collaboration and visibility.
Media Coverage on Twitch CEO’s Strategy: Bloomberg has covered Twitch CEO’s approach to address discontent among streamers, shedding light on the platform’s efforts to navigate and appease the concerns of its content creators.
Twitch as a Platform for Varied Advertising: Passionfruit explores the intriguing use of Twitch as a platform for advertising by entities such as Big Oil and the US Navy, revealing a unique avenue for recruiting young audiences.
GameSquare’s Quarterly Earnings on Twitch: GameSquare is set to stream its quarterly earnings call on Twitch, featuring the prominent presence of Ninja, underscoring the platform’s evolving role in business and finance.
Xbox Features Live Performance on Twitch: In a captivating move, Xbox recently showcased a live performance by Jung Kook on Twitch, demonstrating the platform’s diverse content offerings beyond gaming.
Streaming Industry News
OBS Studio Update Highlights: The widely-used OBS Studio has undergone a major update to Version 30.0, introducing a plethora of enhancements. Notable features include a new status bar, Full-Height Docs, improved sorting mechanisms, WebRTC Output, Linus and MacOS optimizations, a new Safe Mode, RTMP IPv6 compatibility, and more.
Noice Raises $21M for Innovative Platform: A new player in the streaming arena, Noice, has secured an impressive $21 million in funding. Billing itself as a “multiplayer game and streaming service,” the platform has attracted attention, with a former Facebook Gaming Partnership Manager joining as the Director of Creator Relationships.
TikTok’s Twitch-like Drop System: TikTok is experimenting with a drop system reminiscent of Twitch, offering Minecraft props as incentives for viewers. This move underscores the growing convergence of features across different streaming platforms.
Lantern Initiative for Policy Violations: Tech giants Meta, Discord, Twitch, Google, and others have collaborated on the Lantern program. This initiative aims to facilitate the sharing of ‘signals’ related to activities that may violate Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) policies.
End of an Era: Omegle Shuts Down: After 14 years, Omegle has ceased operations due to a lawsuit filed by a sexual abuse survivor. This development marks the end of an era for the platform known for its random video chat service.
Aftermath: New Gaming/Industry News Site Launch: Former Kotaku journalists Nathan Grayson, Gita Jackson, Riley Macleod, and Luke Plunkett have come together to launch Aftermath, a new gaming and industry news site, bringing their collective expertise to a fresh platform.
Livestreaming Tipping Payout Insights: The Information has delved into the world of livestreaming tipping payouts, providing valuable insights into this aspect of the streaming industry. (Paywall)
Discord’s Nitro Trial Offer: Discord is extending a 2-week trial of Nitro to eligible users in regions where Nitro is available, allowing users to experience the premium features of the platform.
Twitter Enhances Desktop Live Streams: Twitter has introduced a chat feature for desktop live streams, enhancing the interactive experience for users engaging with live content on the platform.
Vtuber Awards Call for Nominations: The Vtuber Awards is currently accepting nominations across various categories, including Art Vtuber, FPS Vtuber, and more, recognizing excellence in the virtual content creation space.
Kraft Mayo’s Unconventional Word of the Year Campaign: Kraft Mayo has taken a unique approach on Twitch, attempting to ‘search hack’ the word “Moist” into becoming the Word of the Year, showcasing unconventional marketing strategies in the streaming space.
Concerns Surrounding DouYu CEO’s Disappearance: The CEO of DouYu, a prominent Chinese streaming platform, has gone missing, raising questions and concerns within the streaming industry about the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
