Twitch is considering making some heavy changes to its partners program, according to a report from Bloomberg. The updates are under consideration for as early as Summer 2022 but are by no means a certainty.
The biggest change under consideration is a cut back in the revenue split for subscriptions to top streamers. As of now, many of Twitch’s biggest partners receive 70% of all subscription revenue and Twitch receives the remaining 30%. If the reported changes go through, that may change to a 50/50 division, which is the status quo for smaller partners and affiliates. An alternative to that proposed model is a tier-based system where streamers can qualify if they meet certain thresholds.
According to Bloomberg, Twitch may also offer partners a way out of their exclusivity clause in exchange for the reduced revenue split. As of now, most Twitch partners are not allowed to stream content on other platforms or, at the very least, cannot dual-stream their content on another platform at the same time. If Twitch walks back this exclusivity, it would give partners more freedom to livestream on platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
Another element of the proposed changes is an increase in advertising incentives for streamers. Twitch is considering a revenue-sharing arrangement for ads rather than the flat sum model that the company introduced this year.
Twitch partners
Twitch is a live-streaming platform owned by Amazon.com, Inc. While the website spun up around broadcasting gaming content, it has since diversified to support other content niches like music and arts, “Just Chatting” and more.
Streamers on Twitch can monetize their content through subscriptions and advertisements if they become either an affiliate or a partner on the platform. Both statuses require meeting certain criteria, though the requirements for being a partner are the more stringent of the two. Partners receive a host of different perks and become verified on Twitch.
Subscriptions on Twitch work through a tiered model where viewers can pay $5, $10 or $25 a month to their favorite streamer in exchange for special perks on their channel. Most streamers receive half of that revenue, but many top partners currently receive a more generous split.
