Rivers SOTY, Subtember 2024, Kamala Joins Twitch, + Mobile Price Increases

Zach Bussey -

Hello! I hope you've all had a great weekend! I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Streamer meetup on Saturday, something I didn't know I needed as much as I did. It was a great event; well done, Mdee14 + crew! It reminded me what's actually great about streaming—the creators and the community! Getting to reconnect with creators I've known since when I first started, like PixelPete, Skillmammu, and Zin_o_Vision; connecting with those I've encountered along the way, like Hollytwolf, 3llebelle, and ShondraKayd; or meeting new people like TKbreezy, BunnyGirlBree, and Melmie; each conversation offered a different reminder on why I like the streaming space and why I do what I do.

If I were doing all this to be a journalist covering the beat of the streaming space, I'd likely lose my mind. More often than not, platforms make terrible decisions; they gaslight and lie about why they have to make those decisions. In person, they smile and nod, pretending to listen and care about our feedback or suggestions, only to do what they were going to do anyway. They put on a good show, but that's all it is: theater.

For me, covering the space is not about being the first to report on a feature or update (though that often happens), getting a scoop (though that often happens), or speaking truth to power (though that often happens). Instead, I do this for the creator community. If I can make it easier for you to know the decisions that are outside your control, that gives you the ability to make decisions that are within your control. This weekend reminded me of that!

And with that, let's talk about everything else that happened last week in the streaming space! (PS. I'm live on YouTube in 15 minutes to read through this newsletter together!)

Twitch News

  • Tier 1 Sub Prices are increasing on mobile (iOS/Android) starting October 1st.
  • Subtember runs from August 29th to October 1.
    • All Month: 25% off 1-Month + 3-Month Subs.
    • All Month: 30% off 6-Month Subs.
    • Sept 12-17: Cheer 300+, Get 10%+ Bonus.
    • Sept 26-Oct 1: Gift 5 Subs, Get 1+ Bonus.
  • If you enable the permission, Twitch will soon let your viewers post your clips to their YouTube or TikTok accounts.
  • You can now timeout or ban almost all Twitch Staff. However, banned staff are exempt from blocked viewing of streams.
  • The Ads Scheduler will get a slight visual update in September.
  • The Summer Drops Promotion started for the next three weeks. Many games offer a combination of free Drops campaigns and Support-A-Streamer options (gift a sub = get the drop).
  • A new Power Ups message effect called Cosmic Abyss launched this week.
  • The Hype Train visuals have been updated, but people would like the details on the next level restored. They've also added a "Lootbox" mechanic for the earned emote.
  • 2024 Twitch Interns get a unique chat badge.
  • Tubefilter covered how the "Gamba Meta" continues on Twitch despite being banned.
  • Twitch recognizes that most people are unhappy with the current mobile app. Unfortunately, they are staying the course and making minor updates to reduce friction. They can't go back because Twitch "needs mobile viewers," and the former app was only suitable for existing users.
  • Twitch Ambassador applications have reopened for the second time this year. (Partner Only.)
  • Kai Cenat called CEO Dan Clancy every day for a week to unban Adin Ross.
  • Beatport launched a Twitch Channel.
  • Kamala Harris joined Twitch. Her first stream peaked at 951, with 722 average viewers.
  • I posted a video about music on Twitch, diving deeper into how enforcement may change and what might be coming with this program in the years ahead.
  • Guest Star released the new Drop In update. It's on by default for all creators and doesn't offer a single opt-out toggle. Here's the roundabout way to turn it off.

Twitchcon San Diego 2024