Twitch is launching Hype Chat, allowing users to pin a comment to the top of a stream’s chat window. — AFP Relaxnews
Attention streamers! You can now make money thanks to a new feature on Twitch. The video game streaming platform is launching Hype Chat, a new tool allowing viewers to pay to pin their comments to the top of a chat. And the good news is that streamers will get a share of the revenue.
Twitch is only too aware that livestreams have become an integral part of the social networking experience. A real business for creators, they boost engagement and time spent on the platform.
Livestreams also enable creators to earn money, thanks to monetisation functions already in place, such as Bits, the virtual currency that enables viewers to support creators.
Now, streamers will be able to earn money through the chat function too. Twitch has launched Hype Chat, a service that lets users pay to pin their comments to the top of the chat window.
During streams, viewers can post comments in the chat window. But the more popular a creator is, the more comments come in one after another and get lost in the stream.
With Hype Chat, Twitch hopes to tempt users wishing to get noticed by the creator to pay for the privilege. For this reason, Hype Chat is reserved for Twitch partner creators for the time being.
When it comes to money, the user is in control – more or less – since they can choose the amount they wish to pay, from US$1 to US$500. However, streamers can set a minimum amount, up to US$100, for pinning a comment.
The amount selected will determine several factors, such as the length of time the comment will be pinned to the top of the chat, the number of characters allowed, and distinctive nature of the message’s appearance.
The revenue generated will be split two ways, between streamers, who will receive 70% of payments, and Twitch, which will get 30%.
Still, money doesn’t buy users everything, as comments will still have to comply with stream moderation. Each comment will be analysed by Twitch’s AutoMod moderation tool, and the chat moderators. – AFP Relaxnews
