Twitch faces backlash as strict guidelines on branding and creator ads cause concerns

In a move that has stirred up the streaming community, Twitch is set to implement stringent new guidelines on branding and creator ads starting July 2023. The guidelines, recently published on Twitch's support website on June 6, have sparked a wave of concern among creators and partners regarding the future of their presence on the platform.

Under the new rules, user-created ads within streams will be strictly prohibited, and on-stream logos will be limited to a maximum of 3% of the screen size. Furthermore, burned-in video, display, and audio ads will no longer be allowed. These restrictions have elicited outcry within the Twitch community, particularly among gaming event channels that will now have to revamp their entire appearance to comply with the new regulations. The news has been poorly received by the creative community on Twitch in general, with concerns raised about the potential impact on livestream efforts, as it is perceived as a change that would essentially kill any sponsorships on live events. As a result, popular streamers and streaming groups are beginning to explore other popular alternatives due to the perceived severity of the impact these changes would have on their business and operations, such as YouTube (although technically YouTube has some similar rules to what Twitch is trying to implement) or the more recent Kick, which has gained a lot of attention recently thanks to big streamers like Adin Ross and Hikaru Nakamura who hopped on board.

As the implementation date approaches, the fate of Twitch's new guidelines remains uncertain. With the alarmed response from the creative community, the purple platform issued a statement on Twitter following the backlash and concerns expressed by the community, the platform has acknowledged the shortcomings of its policy and plans to rewrite it with clearer language. Twitch has clarified that it does not intend to restrict streamers' ability to form direct sponsor relationships, recognizing the importance of such partnerships for streamers' revenue. Nonetheless, as July draws near, the Twitch community eagerly anticipates Twitch's response and hopes for a resolution that addresses both the platform's concerns and the needs of its content creators. It remains to be seen whether the company will maintain its stance or if they will actually make a drastic change from what was previously announced.