A popular streaming service, Twitch, has changed the way it functions by introducing a new feature. Now, the users of the platform, including the top streamers having thousands of fans, may no longer have access to multiple games.
Twitch has recently introduced the feature “sub only,” which poses a serious threat to the users. The feature appears to violate the terms of the majority of games that are on the platform. The “Subscriber Stream” feature was announced at the end of June with a thorough explanation of what it means exactly. It makes it impossible for streamers to broadcast to anyone; the only viewers who can access the broadcasting are those that have a paid subscription to a streamer’s channel.
Twitch “Sub Only” – Reaction of the Media
The reaction to the news has been pretty negative, yet from the sides of both viewers and creators. People have been expressing their thoughts on the new feature on social media, appealing to the platform’s representatives and streamers directly. The requests addressed to the latter imply streaming without the payment consideration, or not making the paywall a priority, and provide viewers with the ability to continue following the streams. Also, poor access to the games is likely to make a negative impact on CSGO bet activities. The streamers, in turn, have expressed the same amount of confusion on the new feature, since they don’t know how it will affect their accounts yet.
However, the new feature does not seem to be that drastic for both streamers and viewers because of the regulations of the games in the first place. The majority of the games streamed on the platform appear to have the policy that does not allow players to use the feature, which makes the situation better. That is, the games can’t be played if they are only streamed to viewers that have a paid subscription to streamers’ accounts. It is true that the broadcast content can be monetized on streaming services, such as on Twitch or even YouTube.
But players are only allowed to make a living on streaming through partnership programs of various kinds. At the same time, they are prohibited from actually forcing their viewers to pay for the ability to watch the stream. And it is exactly what the new feature on Twitch requires them to do.
For example, Gross Gore, a popular MOBA of Riot states that players can stream League of Legends to those viewers who have a paid subscription to the streamers’ accounts. However, they are only allowed to do so as long as other viewers, those who are not subscribed to their accounts and, therefore, do not pay for the subscription, can watch the broadcasting as well. And the new feature introduced on Twitch violates the rule, disabling the streaming of League of Legends entirely.
The case is similar to Valve’s Dota 2 and CS:GO: viewers can’t be charged to access the streaming of these games. In addition, the list of major games streamed on Twitch and sharing the same policies include LoL Teamfight Tactics, Dota Underlords, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, StarCraft, The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077, which is soon to be released. Since the situation is complex and ambiguous, the feature might be reconsidered from the Twitch’s end soon and potentially even removed.
