Amazon would seek to review the monetization system for the biggest Twitch streamers to get a bigger share in exchange for an end to their exclusivity. A deal that seems like a very bad idea…
History repeats itself, proving once again, if it were still necessary to prove it, that monopolies are harmful to users. In the small world of streaming – which has grown exponentially in recent years – it is a new thunderclap that roars today through the new revelations of the American media Bloomberg on Twitch. Explanations.
Amazon always more greedy on Twitch
When talking about live streaming, the first platform that comes to mind is obviously Twitch. Built on the ruins of Justin.tv, the platform specialized for a long time in content dedicated to video games before expanding to all types of shows. Today, there are many very varied programs and you can even find debates, quizzes and other discussions around new technologies on the Frandroid channel.
But now, the streaming specialist is owned by Amazon and it seems that recent discussions in Seattle point to an increase in profits generated by the platform. For this, several avenues are considered.
Angry streamers… or viewers?
One of the first levers available is of course advertising. Recently, Twitch has been trying to increase the volume of ads broadcast on its platform by encouraging streamers to include more on their channel. These are nevertheless very badly seen by the public who sometimes come to attend live exploits and do not want to miss THE moment of anthology because an advertisement was launched 10 seconds before.
According to Bloomberg, Twitch would therefore consider reviewing the monetization of streamers and streamers. Right now, you can subscribe to a channel’s content or donate to your favorite streamers. Of all this, Twitch recovers 30% of the profits and therefore leaves 70% to content creators.
However, for the biggest streamers, this share could increase to… 50%. Several tiers could thus be created, gradually lowering streamers’ revenue share as their earnings increase, similar to tax brackets. Of course, some major streamers were quick to express their displeasure — or at least their anger — on social media.
Amazoned once again https://t.co/3VXzfaMlbx
— mistermv (@mistermv) April 27, 2022
In return, this less financially attractive Twitch Partner contract would leave creators more freedom by lifting the platform’s exclusivity clause. It would then become possible to also broadcast this content on YouTube or Facebook for example.
Note that these are, according to Bloomberg, internal discussions that have not yet been finalized. The reactions to this hallway noise could therefore allow Twitch to measure the temperature and advise accordingly.
A dangerous idea
We obviously have to see what form this could take, but attacking the revenues of the main engines of the platform is a very dangerous game. Even if the alternatives aren’t particularly compelling, Twitch could see an exodus of its creators to competitors like YouTube. Some even come to regret Mixer, the equivalent held at the time by Microsoft…
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS application. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.