Back to Newsletter
⌘K
Issue #104

Are Twitch Streamers Finally Allowed To Multistream?

In a surprising move, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy confirmed that the company has granted popular streamer Ninja permission to livestream simultaneously on multiple platforms.

Twitch’s Multistreaming Experiment

In a surprising move, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy confirmed (opens in a new tab) that the company has granted popular streamer Ninja permission to multistream, i.e., to livestream simultaneously on multiple platforms. This is a first for the platform, which generally requires streamers to obtain written permission (opens in a new tab) for simulcasting on platforms similar to Twitch, except for mobile-first services like TikTok.

This change in policy is not just a major win for Ninja (opens in a new tab), but it could also be a game-changer for smaller streamers. Multistreaming can be a powerful tool for those looking to establish an audience. By broadcasting on multiple platforms at once, streamers have the opportunity to reach a broader audience, increasing their visibility and potentially accelerating their growth.

This shift in Twitch’s policy comes amid the rise of rival platforms. Kick, the latest entrant in the market, has been signing contracts with high-profile Twitch streamers such as xQc and Amouranth. Instead of tightening its policies to retain its audience, Twitch seems to be considering a more liberal approach, potentially granting more freedom to its users in the future.

However, Clancy made it clear that the company is still figuring out the best way to handle multistreaming permissions (opens in a new tab). This indicates that the policy change is still a work in progress and we can expect more developments in the future.

View-Botting: Twitch’s Hidden Embed Problem

The issue of inflated viewer counts through hidden embeds on websites has been a hot topic in the streaming community (opens in a new tab) over the past week. This practice, often referred to as view-botting, can artificially boost the perceived popularity of a stream and mislead sponsors about the actual reach of their advertisements.

Hidden embeds work by incorporating livestreams into other websites. When users visit these sites, they are counted as viewers, even if they don’t engage with the stream, thereby inflating viewer counts. Often, these embeds are hidden and muted from the user browsing the website, meaning they may not even be aware they’re contributing to a stream’s viewer count.

This practice has far-reaching implications for the live-streaming ecosystem:

  • It pushes genuine streamers further down in discovery algorithms, making it harder for them to grow their audience.
  • It misleads sponsors into believing they’re reaching a larger audience than they actually are, leading to potential misallocation of advertising budgets.
  • If sponsors see no return on their investment, they may pull back on marketing spend on streamers, impacting the entire community.

Currently, Twitch counts views (opens in a new tab) from embeds as real views, a practice that contributes to viewer number inflation. While this may boost the platform’s popularity and attract advertisers, it also encourages view-botting.

It’s unlikely that Twitch will stop counting views from embeds as these changes could impact Twitch’s reported user numbers and, in turn, its bottom line. This controversy underscores the need for transparency and accuracy in reporting viewer numbers, for the integrity of the platform, its streamers, and the advertisers who support them.

Many top streamers have also shared their views on the topic (opens in a new tab).

Record-Breaking 8 Million Tune in Live for India’s Moon Landing

The Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing livestream (opens in a new tab) has set a new record with over 8 million viewers tuning in live, surpassing the previous record of 6.5 million viewers set by CazéTV’s World Cup stream last year (opens in a new tab). This historic event, which was globally accessible, allowed millions to witness India’s third lunar exploration mission in real time.

The livestream’s success is a testament to the power of livestreaming and its role in bringing landmark events to a global audience. The VOD of the livestream (opens in a new tab) has further demonstrated its reach, garnering over 75 million views at the time of writing.

The record-breaking viewership is significant, given that India boasts the largest YouTube user base in the world (opens in a new tab). This event not only marked a milestone in space exploration but also in digital broadcasting, highlighting the potential of livestreaming to reach vast audiences.

This record-breaking event signifies a shift in the livestreaming landscape, demonstrating the medium’s ability to bring together diverse audiences to share significant moments of human achievement.

News Highlights

Read next