Support NeoGAF

[Yankee Ruin X]

This is really smart of Twitch if they get their storefront sorted correctly and will be a great money spinner for them. It will be great for streamers too if they can convince people that are already going to buy the game anyway to buy it via their channel they will make a lot of money from this.

Is now a good time to buy shares in Twitch?

 

[Insane Metal]

BRB creating my Twitch acc

 

[JHoNNy1OoO]

Inevitable really. People need to understand streamers are always selling something. It's just gotten a lot more obvious with time. Not saying it's right or wrong, just reality.

 

[pislit]

regional pricing or we riot

 

[Boke1879]

Wet smart and very good honestly

 

[Ricerocket]

Game devs have been passing on early access builds to Twitch streamers for quite awhile to promote their game and this move makes sense. Twitch is doing a lot right while being the main game stream site.

 

[Rektash]

There needs to be a mechanism that encourages transparency in all of this.

I really don't want to live in a future where I can't take anyones opinion serious because I don't know if they are being paid for said opinion.

This is, of course, an issue larger than streaming and has more to do with the new age of advertising.

 

[Lucario]

If they get indie devs and small publishers on board, this is going to be a huge incentive for variety streamers. I've bought so many games after seeing them on Vinesauce.

 

[WillyFive]

+ Great for the industry and consumers.
- Turns streamers into ad men.

 

[WarrenD]

This will probably push me further from Twitch if anything. Personally I want to watch someone play a game. That's it. I'm not the kind of viewer who watches a streamer, I watch certain games. I already stopped watching a few channels due to excessive shit after being partnered (pause game play, use obs to put a silly picture on a green screen, put a voice changer on, some stupid welcome to the Manson child eater clan saying every 5 minutes). Now I wonder about how often we will see actual advertising. This game is great, watch what I did and stuff like that.

At leat speed runs will stay pure as they'll be for older games as usual.

 

[Ragnaroz]

There needs to be a mechanism that encourages transparency in all of this.

I really don't want to live in a future where I can't take anyones opinion serious because I don't know if they are being paid for said opinion.

Twitch is already pretty serious about forcing the streamers to be transparent when it comes to sponsored content. No reason to think this would be any different.

 

[Nzyme32]

How will they be distributed? Still via Steam?

Does steam allow unlimited key generation for titles to sell elsewhere?

Just wondering as I know Apple for example only lets you generate a limited amount.

In theory, Valve let devs generate as many keys as they want at no cost, for which they will get 0% of the sale.

Humble in large part operates via this system to often offer both a Steam Key and access via humble. It's something Twitch could do, but I think it is more likely Amazon will want to have it be focused on their own Twitch / Amazon client. We'll see.

 

[PeterGAF]

You know those two things are at least somewhat incompatible, right? Raising the revshare for a streamer only gives them more incentive to advertise, not less.

For sure! Obviously a bigger cut would give you more of an incentive to try to sell a game. I just think that if you're going to have a system like this it's the streamer who is doing most of the work selling the game so they deserve a bigger cut than 5%.

 

[Randomizer123454444]

+ Great for the industry and consumers.
- Turns streamers into ad men.

While #2 is a concern, isn't that already the case with donations, subscriptions, bits and different kinds of third party partnerships?

I do think there has potential for abuse, but overall this is a good change IMO.

 

[EndersAres]

I think this is fine but I'm not really interested in getting them at that source. Streamers are already ad men. They get betas, early access and so on.

 

[10k]

This is great. Maybe I should start a twitch cha--hahaha

 

[Delstius]

This has great potential. Steam need more solid competition.

 

[Siddiqui]

Could be good, could be bad. Twitch is owned by Amazon. A big corporation getting bigger could bring the opposite of increased competition.

 

[Enclose]

I think this is fine but I'm not really interested in getting them at that source. Streamers are already ad men. They get betas, early access and so on.

true they just getting more and more money hungry ...

 

[Nabbis]

Banks offset losses to the public, video-game companies offset marketing. Good times.

 

[fredrancour]

In hindsight I guess the free prime games being distributed via a twitch launcher should've been a clue that a store was coming.

 

[Memorabilia]

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

It's basically a sure thing. No one is going to bite the hand that feeds. Objectivity is gonna go bye bye.

 

[Damn Silly]

While there is the potential for an increased amount of shilling, I think it's a pretty good move all round. Devs/pubs can sell copies easier still getting the same cut they would directly from Steam, Twitch + streamers can make a bit extra money and fans can support the streamers in another way if they so choose.

My only worry is that it might lead streamers - particularly variety streamers - to just focus on what's new . While watching people play new games is all well and good - and useful for purchasing decisions! - I do also enjoy watching people games from a few years back and more as well and this might mean less of that.

 

[What did he mean by this?]

*make twitch account*
*stream game*
*make dummy account*
*buy game*
*get cash rebate*

checkmate!

 

[Paz]

This has by far the most potential to be a real Steam competitor, Twitch is a massive discovery center for games now.

But it's also really dangerous to create a conflict of interest by making it so partnered broadcasters benefit from game sales, where previously that was limited to endorsement deals and third party links with most being viewed as impartial.

Interesting.

 

[CarbonatedFalcon]

Not interested if the games are just through the Twitch launcher ala the Prime game offerings.

 

[TheMink]

I wonder how this will effect FTP games like Hearthstone?
Will Twitch strike up deals for card packs to be sold via Twitch?

If it meant I would get a better price I would take it.

 

[Diddy Kong]

This makes sense

 

[Darryl M R]

Will console digital games be sold as well?

 

[Diablohead]

it's 5% because it's rivaling G2A and kinguin promotional links that streamers sometimes use, this is just Twitch wanting some of that pie.

*make twitch account*
*stream game*
*make dummy account*
*buy game*
*get cash rebate*

checkmate!

Is this not just for partnered streams? that would kill that loophole.

 

[John Caboose]

It took me a minute but the obvious answer to "how will it be distributed" is "however the game is sold digitally through amazon". It could not be but it seems like a fair guess.

 

[Htown]

How will they be distributed? Still via Steam?

Probably depends on the game. It is worth noting that Twitch does actually have its own basic downloader/launcher program that they use for the games they give out as Twitch Prime perks.

Does steam allow unlimited key generation for titles to sell elsewhere?

Yes, and Valve gets no cut of keys generated in that way.

 

[iddqd]

Yeah, super interesting.
Imagine HUMBLE offering 8% to a streamer that is partnered with Twitch.
Is Twitch going to be pissed? Are they going to be hiding that stream from their listing or not promote it? Loosing out on those 25% is going to hurt.

It could also sway what kind of games get streamed, making 5% of a 10 bucks indie is nothing compared to a AAA.
And what about the retro streamers?
Are FREE TO PLAY streamers not the biggest streams? I would feel left out now.

 

[Mechanized]

Conflict of interest much? Jeeeeez.

 

[Baleoce]

Interesting. More ecosystems just make PC game pricing more competitive and gives the consumer more choice, so I'm not against it per se. I'm going to assume this announcement won't affect current game integration with regards to CS:GO and the likes.

Yeah, super interesting.
Imagine HUMBLE offering 8% to a streamer that is partnered with Twitch.
Is Twitch going to be pissed? Are they going to be hiding that stream from their listing or not promote it? Loosing out on those 25% is going to hurt.

It could also sway what kind of games get streamed, making 5% of a 10 bucks indie is nothing compared to a AAA.
And what about the retro streamers?
Are FREE TO PLAY streamers not the biggest streams? I would feel left out now.

You make some good points. It'll be interesting to see how it's implemented tbh. One thing that does worry me is that there needs to be a competent rival to twitch in order to keep them in check. Otherwise they could do what they want.

 

[Slayer-33]

Conflict of interest much? Jeeeeez.

Wut?

 

[ClosingADoor]

Conflict of interest much? Jeeeeez.

Affiliate sales are everywhere on the internet and not always a conflict of interest. In my opinion it can even be a benefit, since it diversifies the source of income.

 

[Rektash]

Twitch is already pretty serious about forcing the streamers to be transparent when it comes to sponsored content. No reason to think this would be any different.

This isn't enough I feel. There needs to be an automated system that tells viewers if the streamer is getting paid for a sale of the game that is currently being streamed or something like that.

 

[Piccoro]

I assume this is Steam/PC only, right?

No console games? Because there's lots of popular console games on Twitch.

 

[Heigic]

This is good and gives streamers an alternative to g2a. Though I do wonder what will happen to the esports teams sponsored by both.

 

[Quonny]

This is my biggest concern.

Also the streamer should make more than 5%. We can assume that twitch is making about 25% right? So the split should make something closer together IMO like 15%/15%, or at least 10%/20%.

It's over double what third party sites like G2A and such give. And if they give bits when you buy the game that's another potential source of income for the streamer.

 

[Baleoce]

I guess it's somewhat of a natural progression after being purchased by Amazon and then being able to link your amazon prime account in order to benefit from twitch prime. I wonder if any purchases will actually be through amazon by proxy. So in turn covering physical games and console as well as digital. Just a thought. Use a twitch streamer link to a game. Twitch sends info to your amazon account on ordering a game telling it that you ordered it through a certain streamer.

"We see PC gaming as an open ecosystem and want Twitch Games Commerce to operate in that spirit," Fontaine says. "We absolutely believe that our platform is additive to publishers' own distribution methods. We want to partner with them to extend their reach beyond their existing clients to help them more directly reach their audience on Twitch."

This bit seems important, as they are taking the stance of not being competitors. Sounds more like they'll be a key distributor. I have no doubt they'll eventually expand to retail though (via amazon integration).

 

[Auctopus]

"Hey, guys if you could like, follow, subscribe and buy the game from my channel. It really helps me out."

This is a good idea in principle but I can't see this not being abused.

 

[FirmBizBws]

Yea but I'm not downloading your twitch launcher. I don't even download the free games twitch gives me each month. I didn't get a PC so that I have to open several different apps to access my game. Same reason I don't buy from windows or buy Origin games. Give me a steam code or make it DRM free and then ill buy.

 

[Skronk]

This is bad for the viewers as in the quality of entertainment will suffer because they'll be too busy shilling games.

 

[McStickenstein]

This is bad for the viewers as in the quality of entertainment will suffer because they'll be too busy shilling games.

Probably, but there are plenty of shills on Twitch already.

 

[Diablohead]

This is bad for the viewers as in the quality of entertainment will suffer because they'll be too busy shilling games.

I don't think its going to be much different to donations, bits and subs honestly, plus big streamers already do this over external game selling websites.

 

[Lifeline]

More Twitch streamers gonna be shilling.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I can see them selling keys for PC, but how is this gonna work for consoles? It just takes you to the PSN/XL store?

 

[PsychoSoldier]

This seems rife for abuse.