Streaming News for the week starting Nov 27th 2023
The streaming scene has experienced a relatively tranquil week, a common occurrence during American Thanksgiving. However, excitement is mounting as Twitch prepares to introduce several new features in the coming two weeks before the company-wide holiday break, assuring that the current calm is only a brief respite.
As for this week’s promotions, we’re thrilled to present our Holiday Collection at the Store. All proceeds will go towards supporting the Rainbow Railroad, aiding LGBTQIA members globally in escaping perilous situations.
Twitch News
There was an update to Bits pricing to reflect changing exchange rates over the last year. To see where prices went up or down, check my Twitter thread. It only went UP in price in Japan and Turkey, while much of Europe saw decreases.
Twitch is encouraging charity streams from November 28 to December 3. Creators using #TogetherForGood or #Charity in their content tags or stream titles may be featured on the front page. Also, anyone who donates at least $5 with Twitch’s Charity Tool will receive a unique chat badge.
The clip quality on Twitch has been broken since the middle of last week. Clip quality is ordered randomly when viewing, and downloading quality is also impacted.
Defector interviewed creators and explored the world of Twitch at Twitchcon.
Other Streaming News
Noice has officially launched into closed beta, and I had the chance to explore it last week. In a nutshell, Noice is a streaming platform currently focused on Fortnite and Apex Legends. It stands out with its built-in prediction game for viewers, enabling them to earn points by completing challenges against other viewers (e.g., achieving specific in-game tasks within a time limit). Alongside this, it features creator-built spaces, unique monetization options, and viewer customization. While engaging, it caters to a specific niche. Notably, the revenue split for creators is set at 70%.
In a significant development, several members of StreamElements’ executive team are facing accusations of downplaying the events of genocide in Gaza and exhibiting a general lack of empathy. Consequently, some streamers are opting to switch alert services in response to these allegations.
Previously reported as missing, the CEO of Douyu, a Chinese streaming service, has been confirmed to have been arrested. The arrest is linked to his suspected involvement in the establishment of a casino.
Attributed to China’s slow economic growth, an op-ed asserts that Chinese live streaming is experiencing a gradual decline.
This week, Mike Rose of No More Robots, an indie publisher, sparked controversy with a thread suggesting they received no YouTube creator reviews (despite displaying reviews of their game) and expressing discomfort with paying YouTube creators. He later issued an apology for the thread.
