Twitch rolled out a new feature for streamers that will allow them to go live for an audience of only subscribers. The feature has been in beta for some time and was finally (quietly) released on Wednesday.
When the news broke on Reddit Wednesday, many commenters were quick to turn their noses up at the option. The top comment with 6,000 upvotes by simply says: “This would make me not watch streams and not sub.” Over 1,000 comments generally agree with this sentiment, with one Redditor proposing that a blacklist be kept of all the streamers that use the feature even once.
Some big streamers have been weighing in on the feature as well. MOONMOON_OW, a popular Overwatch player turned variety star, suggests that the type of streamers that will be using subscriber only streams tend to cater to a… specific audience:
Comparisons to the business model of adult webcam sites are to be expected, though there are a number of guidelines in place to help Twitch ensure that only reputable streamers can use the new mode. First, you must be an established partner or affiliate with a minimum of 90 days streamed post-partnership. Secondly, you must not have violated Twitch community guidelines in the last 90 days. This certainly disqualifies Dr Disrespect, who recently was banned for 2 weeks after repeatedly streaming in the bathrooms at E3.
Functionally, you will see a star next to the streamer’s name to let you know they are streaming in subscriber-only mode. You also will be able to watch a short preview of the stream, which may encourage more people to subscribe to see what they’re missing.
Whether this becomes a “great way to show appreciation to your core community, and thank them for their on-going patronage,” as Twitch describes it remains to be seen. Perhaps Moon Moon is right, and the feature will be quickly forgotten.
