Twitch Makes Updates to its Simulcasting Policy

Twitch

Twitch recently hosted TwitchCon, its annual conference for streamers. During the event, it announced several updates, including significant changes to its simulcasting policy.

Streamers can now simulcast on any live streaming platform as long as they don't have an exclusivity agreement with Twitch. Previously, Twitch allowed streamers to simulcast on Instagram and TikTok but prohibited simulcasting on web-based experiences like YouTube and Facebook. With the latest change, streamers can now simulcast across these platforms, as well as others like upstart platform Kick.

Twitch does have guidelines in place to 'ensure the Twitch user experience is not compromised.' These guidelines include streamers not directing their communities to leave Twitch to view their simulcast on other platforms and not using third-party services to merge activities, such as chats, from other platforms.

Why It Matters: The ability for creators to simulcast is pivotal, as it has been a point of tension between Twitch and its creators. This policy change not only strengthens Twitch's relationship with its creators but also aligns with the broader landscape, where creators must adopt multi-channel strategies for long-term success.

With this newfound flexibility, streamers can harness the advantages of various platforms for their live content. They can tap into TikTok's aggressive expansion into gaming, benefit from YouTube's ongoing enhancements to its live streaming capabilities, and explore Kick's potential for new monetization avenues.

By granting creators the freedom to build, grow, and monetize across multiple platforms, it benefits both the creators and the platforms themselves. This approach fosters healthy competition between platforms, motivating them to improve and become more appealing to creators, all without the need for restrictive guidelines that force creators to make difficult choices about where to invest their time.