TwitchCon Paris: A Recap of New Tools for Content Creators
Over the weekend, Paris played host to TwitchCon, marking its debut in the city and its third occurrence in Europe. The event features live performances, interactive workshops, meet and greet sessions, Twitch Rivals competitions, and previews of new products launching this year. Here are some key takeaways:
- Clip Editor Improvements: Twitch announced enhancements to the Clip Editor, which allows streamers to provide a snapshot of their content to new viewers. The platform will soon support direct exports to TikTok and will introduce more features, including trimming functionality and access granting to video editors. The Clip Editor will also be accessible on mobile.
- Discovery Feed: To help streamers grow even when they’re not live, Twitch is introducing the Discovery Feed. This feature will present viewers with a personalized mix of clips from various streamers, regardless of whether they’re live or not. The Discovery Feed will be launched later this fall.
- Featured Clips Management: From August, streamers can mark Clips as featured in their Creator Dashboard. These Clips will be prioritized in discovery surfaces, including the new Discovery Feed.
- Twitch Stories: Drawing from the popular ‘Stories’ format, Twitch will introduce ephemeral clips, pictures, text updates, and polls to help streamers stay connected with their community when they’re not live. This feature will launch in October.
- Guest Star Updates: Twitch is enhancing its Guest Star feature, which helps streamers create community-based content. The update allows streamers to be live on their channel while their guest is live on theirs, providing more opportunities for growth.
- Shared Mod Comments: To help moderators protect their communities, Twitch is introducing Shared Mod Comments. This feature allows streamers to share information with other streamers about why they’ve banned people in their channel.
- Alerts Updates: Twitch announced updates to Alerts, which lets streamers give viewers recognition for their support. New features include full Alerts support for Channel Point unlocks, an Alert randomizer, emote customization options, and Alerts integration into Shield Mode.
- Stream Events: Stream Events will now support streamers’ IRL birthdays and first-time-streamed anniversaries, making community celebrations easier.
- Ad Breaks Control: To give streamers more control over ad breaks, Twitch is introducing a chat countdown timer. This will show streamers when an ad is coming up, with options to snooze or pull ahead.
The End of an Era: GoXLR Faces Uncertain Future
The popular audio mixer, GoXLR, and its associated products have hit a significant roadblock with the recent shutdown of maker TC-Helicon’s Canada offices and significant staff layoffs. The layoffs predominantly affect the team responsible for software, firmware, and driver support, casting uncertainty on the future of the devices beyond a final beta update.
The news was shared by a moderator on the GoXLR Discord server, and while no official end-of-life status has been announced for the products, the situation looks bleak. However, TC-Helicon Gaming, in a series of tweets, reassured customers that warranty cover continues under parent company Music Tribe, and their gaming products will continue to be sold. The Discord server will also remain open.
Unfortunately, this situation raises concerns for current GoXLR and GoXLR Mini owners, as these devices rely heavily on software and cannot function without their respective apps running in the background. Any bugs and security issues will now go unchecked until Music Tribe decides on a course of action.
In a glimmer of hope, a third-party developer is working on an open-source app called GoXLR Utility, which promises feature parity across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Reception for the new app has been positive, although it’s worth noting that it’s a volunteer-led effort and could face potential capacity issues.
The demise of GoXLR is not entirely surprising given the struggles of TC-Helicon and MusicTribe to scale as the popularity of GoXLR products surged in the streaming space. With the GoXLR now officially out of the picture, alternatives such as the Elgato Wave XLR and the Rode Rodecaster Pro II are worth considering for livestreamers and content creators.
Exploring Threads: Meta’s Answer to Twitter
Meta Platforms, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, recently introduced a new app named Threads. This newcomer to the social media landscape is seen as a competitor to Twitter and has quickly gained a significant user base, amassing over 100 million sign-ups within the first five days of its launch.
Threads’ functionality and design closely resemble Twitter’s and many users find this familiarity appealing, making the transition to the new platform smoother. Users can also easily share their posts to Instagram stories, providing a seamless way to cross-promote content and reach a broader audience across both platforms.
Additionally, Threads’ rapid user growth presents a large potential audience for content creators, making it an attractive platform for community building and engagement. The involvement of major brands and celebrities also signifies the commercial potential of Threads, creating opportunities for monetization and collaboration.
Some reports have shown Twitter’s traffic has significantly lowered since the launch of Threads, indicating a potential shift in user preference and suggesting that Threads could be emerging as a formidable competitor in the social media landscape.
