Everything from TwitchCon 2024 – Twitch is (Finally) Levelling Up

TwitchCon may have ended, but in its wake we’re greeted with a plethora of changes to the livestreaming space. So, let’s break down the most noteworthy announcements, from updates on broadcasting capabilities and content moderation to collaboration tools and mobile app enhancements.

Enhanced Broadcasting Options

The quality of live streams on Twitch is set to increase from 1080p to 1440p as an ‘enhanced bitrate’ option starts rolling out over the next year or so. Not only will the increase in quality be a welcomed change to both viewers and streamers alike, it could also hint at Twitch finally enabling AV1 encoding, meaning far superior quality with less technical stress on the live streamers behalf, and less fees for Twitch.

Furthermore, Twitch also announced the arrival of vertical video streaming. Fans are a split by this decision, despite the huge audience for vertical livestreams on TikTok, and now YouTube. While this may not appeal to gaming creators, IRL, fitness & cooking creators will certainly be able to make use of this update.

Shared Chat for Collaborative Streams

Twitch is reinforcing its commitment to fostering collaboration within its community. One of the most exciting updates is the ‘Shared Chat’ feature for collaborative streams. Currently, when streamers co-host content, each has their own separate chat, which can dilute community interaction. With this new feature, streamers will be able to merge their communities into a single chatroom. This shared space not only enhances viewer engagement by reducing chat fragmentation, but also makes collaborative streams feel more inclusive.

A concept image of Twitch's shared chat feature, graphic, showcasing two community chatrooms combines into one — Shared chat concept – via Twitch

Strike System Transparency

Twitch’s moderation policies have been a frequent topic of debate, particularly regarding the enforcement of community guidelines. Dr. Disrespect’s recent controversy is a prime example of this, with both his audience and Twitch’s general audience gossiping and speculating on the reason for his ban, rather than being given cold hard facts.

To address situations like this going forward, Twitch unveiled a new approach that focuses on transparency and clearer communication surrounding account strikes. The platform is implementing a more straightforward temporary strike system, where creators will now be informed in greater detail about the nature of the strike and the reason for enforcement.

This includes not only the explanation of the specific violation but also more clarity around the duration of bans and/or restrictions. For creators, this update is significant because it provides them with better guidance on how to avoid future infractions, and viewers will be more aware of the enforcement process.

Mobile App Upgrades for Enhanced Discoverability

With a significant chunk of Twitch traffic coming from mobile users, the platform is putting more emphasis on mobile app optimization. One of the biggest complaints from creators has been the difficulty of discoverability on the mobile app compared to the desktop experience.

To address this, Twitch is rolling out several mobile upgrades. These enhancements include a ‘following’ tab, similar to YouTube’s ‘Subscriptions” page, showcasing everyone you’re fond of. There’s also changes to the auto-play function, PIP size adjustments, remembering VOD timestamps, thumbnails for videos on followed channels and more and a reworked ‘Clip Carousel’ to help discover new streamers.

With these upgrades, Twitch hopes to bring more viewers to emerging streamers, especially those whose content may be overshadowed by top creators in the current algorithm.

Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch, sat in a purple DXR Racer gaming chair, in a small office, posing for camera — Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch – via Twitch

Creator Clubs and Guilds Improvements

The next four creator clubs coming to the platform are Artists/Makers, Music, VTubers & Coworking/Coding.

Another significant improvement unveiled at TwitchCon was the update to Creator Clubs and Guilds. Although these are recently added features, they certainly seem to be a hit with streamers.

Conclusion

TwitchCon 2024 in San Diego was packed with forward-thinking announcements that will shape the future of the platform. From enhanced broadcasting features and shared chat features to a more transparent strike system and an upgraded mobile experience, Twitch is striving to stay at the forefront of live-streaming innovation. Despite its constant battle to become profitable, it seems the team running Twitch is optimistic about its future.

The question is, how well are they going to compete with YouTube, which has already had many of these features available for a long time now. Will the Twitch community be enough, or will they eventually subside?

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