Lead Mods, TikTok Sold, Nvidia Cutting Gaming GPUs, + Carter Efe #1 in Africa

Welcome to the final newsletter of 2025! You're busy, I'm busy - so we'll jump right into it pretty quickly here, but I did want to thank you again for an incredible year. I hope you all have a safe, relaxing, and fun time, and I'll see you in January with my annual predictions!

🟪 TWITCH

• The Lead Moderator role is now available. It offers additional functionality previously restricted to the streamer.
• Twitch has improved the Clip API to support clips from VODs.
• There are five new Hype Train emotes.
• Amazon announced Content Exclusion categories for advertisers on Twitch to avoid content such as Religion, Weapons, Gambling, and more.

🟥 YOUTUBE

• YouTube will be the exclusive broadcaster of The Oscars starting in 2029.
• YouTube will soon allow American creators to get paid in a crypto stablecoin via PayPal.

⬛ TIKTOK

• TikTok is adding new accessibility functionality to remove photosensitive videos.
• The TikTok US sale appears to be nearing completion with a deal set to close on January 22. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will own 45%, with ~30% held by ByteDance affiliates and ~20% retained by ByteDance.

🟦 DISCORD & TWITTER X

• Discord has a new holiday ringtone, remixed by C418.
• Message Previews on Discord Desktop may be launching soon.

🔲 OTHERS

• Kick suggested it had a partnership with Xbox, something that Xbox denies.
• Kick has avoided being blocked in France for the time being.