Twitch faces Backlash from the Masses

Twitch’s affiliate program offers individuals the ability to earn revenue while streaming. The platform focuses on standard video game streaming first, but includes coverage of the rapidly growing competitive eSports industry as well.

Becoming a Twitch Affiliate enables streamers to earn as long as they stream on a frequent basis, with the option to accumulate revenue from the sale of games and their in-game items. They may also earn via ‘Bits’: virtual goods that viewers can offer, resulting in a share of the revenue for the streamer. Successfully building up their affiliate audience and subscribers allows streamers to become a highly desirable ‘Twitch Partner’.

The company’s decisions have seen them face backlash from the masses on social media. The ‘pay to play’ aspect of this feature isn’t the only thing that users have chimed in against – others have accused Twitch of pushing a narrative that feels like a false promise to streamers who don’t get many viewers.

“Telling broadcasters who have 0-2 viewers that they are ‘closer to making a living’ on Twitch if they buy your product is misleading, exploitative, and irresponsible,” wrote ‘Fruitbats,’ a streamer on the platform. However, not everyone has a huge issue with this paid fast-track method; others, like popular content creator chocoTaco, have pointed out that the requirements to get Affiliate are so low and easy that this new feature is of no major consequence.