Twitch Now Lets Partners Stream On Rival Platforms

Twitch is updating its approach to its Partner Program, as the exclusivity agreement is being changed to allow its content creators to stream on other platforms. The partner program had previously denied users the option to stream on other platforms as part of an exclusivity deal, but Twitch has lifted this restriction.

“Starting today, you are now allowed to create live content on other platforms,” Twitch explained in a new letter to its userbase (via Dexerto). This means that platforms such as YouTube and Facebook Live can be used by Twitch partners, with the caveat that they don’t livestream simultaneously on its site and another “Twitch-like” platform for “extended periods of time,” according to the company.

Twitch says that multiple live broadcasts will lead to a “sub-optimal experience” for a streamer’s community, although that clause won’t apply to mobile services such as TikTok and Instagram Live. It’s a new strategy for Twitch as some of its highest-profile partners have begun exiting the brand for lucrative deals–Dr Lupo and TimTheTatMan are two examples–and so that they can have the freedom to stream on multiple platforms.

“We still believe that Twitch is the best place for creators to build and engage with their community,” the Twitch FAQ added. “We also recognize that the digital landscape has changed since we first introduced the Partner Program and that many of you engage with your communities in many different places. So, we are updating our policy.”

The move also comes in the wake of Twitch streamers demanding a fairer split in revenue from paid subscriptions, which has led to the company reducing the monthly payout threshold globally.