Twitch CEO Dan Clancy released an open letter Thursday outlining the platform’s plans for 2025, including upcoming features, updates to the mobile experience, and significant changes to monetization policies.
Notably, Clancy revealed that Twitch is opening up “bits” and subscriptions, virtual items that viewers buy to support streamers, to “most” creators, regardless of the number of followers they have.
This change aims to democratize the monetization process on Twitch and allow a wider range of creators to earn money while engaging with their viewers. Previously, only Twitch affiliates and partners had access to subscriptions and Bits, and they had to meet certain criteria to qualify. This includes having at least 50 followers, maintaining an average of 3 concurrent viewers per stream, and achieving at least 8 hours of cumulative streaming time per week.
The company is also introducing a new option that will allow “all streamers to use their earnings to make purchases within Twitch,” Clancy added, without providing specific details.
In addition to this major change to monetization policy, Clancy detailed further initiatives for Twitch in 2025. One is to create additional revenue-generating opportunities for streamers to collaborate.
A new feature called “Shared Hype Train” brings together streamers who are part of Stream Together or a shared chat into a hype train, allowing members to rally to support their favorite streamers. Creators can also start and manage shared chat sessions directly from the mobile app.
Image credit: Twitch
Another way Twitch plans to expand revenue opportunities for streamers is by introducing an easy way for creators to express interest in collaborating with brands. Additionally, the platform will launch new tools that will allow brands to discover new channels to partner with.
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The company also plans to expand its promotional offerings and explore options for streamers to offer discounts and promotions during special events.
When it comes to mobile viewing experiences, Twitch will soon offer both landscape and portrait video options. The company is also introducing a new feature that allows viewers to use Bits to react to specific moments in a stream.
Image credit: Twitch
Additionally, the ability to create custom power-ups is in the works. Power-ups are effects you can use during your stream, like adding a colorful border around your message or sending a larger version of an emote.
The company is also introducing updates to Clips that aim to make the editing process smoother and offer new features that highlight moments in real-time. There will also be more automated ways to identify the best moments in your stream.
These updates follow Twitch’s recent announcement regarding significant changes to its content storage policies. Starting April 19, the platform will impose a 100-hour cap on the storage of highlights and uploaded content, limiting the amount of content users can maintain on their channels.
