Amazon Reportedly Planning To Slash Twitch Revenue Split
It sounds like Twitch streamers will soon have to find an extra source of income to line their pockets, which might explain why Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa has already started taking to selling her farts in a jar to make some money. The latest reports claim that Amazon is planning to slash Twitch's revenue split.
Picture the scene where you sit your grandma down and explain you make your living from people watching you play games, waffle about life, or splash about in a hot tub. Still, as the likes of Amouranth, Felix "xQc" Lengyel, and Nick "NICKMERCS" Kolcheff have proved, there's plenty of money to be made as viewers tune into your streams every day. At least, there was.
Is Twitch Slashing Its Revenue Split?
According to Bloomberg, sources at Amazon claim that Twitch is about to slice another 20% off the top of its revenue for Twitch Partners. The site explains how Amazon wants to find a long-term plan for financial stability from Twitch - which will likely come at a cost for content creators as well as casual users.
The biggest change would undoubtedly be a revenue cut from channel subscriptions from 70% down to $50. Given that subscriptions range from $5 to $25, it could cost Twitch Partners (who are the platform's biggest names) dearly. If this wasn't enough, there are whispers of new tiers for the partner program.
On the plus side, there could be a loosening of the rules of where you're allowed to stream from if you're a Twitch Partner. Before you think "oh great, here comes the hot tub meta all over again," it's specifically aimed at allowing Partners to stream on YouTube and Facebook.
What Else Is Changing At Twitch?
There's been a lot of talk recently about increasing ads as a way to boost revenue. We've seen Netflix toy with the idea (to its own detriment), while the likes of Sony and Microsoft have also teased the same for their free-to-play games. On the whole, it sounds like these giant companies are getting a little scared right about now. Bloomberg suggests that there will be benefits for Partners who run Twitch ads more often and for longer, but as we know, it'll likely put viewers off.
It's a pretty grim picture of where Twitch is heading - teasing an ad-filled future where Partners scramble to make bank - however, we're told none of the above has been formally agreed on. Then again, there are reports of Twitch Partners who've simply accepted this is their future. Still, with those at the top making literally millions, we wouldn't imagine they're crying into their gold plated toilets right now. As ad blockers struggle to counteract Twitch's marketing assault, get ready to see that dreaded purple screen of death a lot more.