Streamers criticize Twitch’s Partner Plus program as being “anti-community”.

Streamers criticize Twitch's Partner Plus program as being "anti-community".

Twitch’s Partner Plus Program: A Hilarious Anti-Community Conspiracy?

Is Twitch trying to kick its streamers to the curb?

Hey gamers, listen up! Twitch recently made some big waves with its new Partner Plus program. How exciting, right? Well, maybe not. According to Eurogamer, many streamers are calling it “anti-community” and describing it in less-than-positive terms. Let’s dive in and see what all the fuss is about.

First off, let’s talk about this supposed revenue split. Twitch claims it’s offering a 70/30 split – a significant improvement from the usual 50/50. But hold your horses, because here’s the catch: the criteria to qualify for this higher split are about as easy to achieve as snagging a victory royale while blindfolded.

Partners who want to hop on the Partner Plus bandwagon need to maintain a subscription count of at least 350 recurring paid subscriptions for three consecutive months. Oh, and forget about those one-off gift subscriptions or Twitch Prime subscriptions – they don’t count. Stream Analytics platform Stream Charts reveals that a mere 2.5 percent of Partners will actually meet this threshold. Yikes!

Twitch Ambassador Ebonix summed it up perfectly, saying, “It felt like it was an optical illusion, where the goal posts were getting closer but, in actual fact, the view had shifted.” In other words, it’s a little like trying to find a legendary item in a level one dungeon – pretty much impossible.

Twitch Ambassador Joesephyr shared a similar sentiment, stating, “It looks like it’s a step in the right direction but only for certain people. If you’re not within the bracket of 350 subs – and there are so many stipulations within it – it seems like it’s a gesture of good faith until it’s not. It feels quite unattainable for the majority.” Ouch!

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But the real slap in the face for streamers is the exclusion of gift subscriptions. Twitch, why you gotta be like that? Gift subs are a way for viewers to support both the streamer and the community. Twitch Partner Warwick put it perfectly when they said, “I could potentially say don’t support me through gifts anymore, I need you all to sub yourselves because your gifting doesn’t help me. That’s very anti-community. It’s like saying their support isn’t enough.” Twitch Partner Lomadiah echoed this sentiment, pointing out how this exclusion hurts diverse communities that rely heavily on gift subs.

While some streamers appreciate the transparency the Partner Plus program brings, most agree that it’s not worth the hassle. Twitch Ambassador Psyche said, “It’s not something I’m pushing for because I don’t want to make my community feel like they have to do anything differently to what they’ve done before.” Can’t argue with that logic.

ReadySetBen, another Twitch Ambassador, raised concerns about burnout and the pressure on streamers to maintain the necessary subscriber count. “People are now streaming saying we’re going for this milestone, streaming super long hours to hit that threshold, but they forget that they need to maintain that,” he said. Wise words, my friend!

But let’s not lose all hope. Many streamers still see the Partner Plus program as a step in the right direction. A 70/30 revenue split across the board would undoubtedly benefit all streamers. As Twitch Ambassador Warwick put it, “It’s good they’re talking about it, and I feel like it’s slightly closer to the point where they think ‘OK, we need to look at this as a base’. So I’m optimistic in that way, but right now, it’s not enough.” Fingers crossed, folks!

In the end, Twitch’s Partner Plus program might seem like another one of those impossible side quests, but it has sparked important conversations about revenue splits and the challenges faced by streamers. Let’s hope Twitch takes all the feedback to heart and levels up their game. And hey, streamers, remember to diversify your revenue streams and not put all your eggs in one loot box. Sponsored content and other forms of support can be your secret power-up. Stay positive, keep gaming, and until next time, this is your comedic gaming guide signing off. Good luck out there!