Lilypichu gets it.
This Just In: Twitch gives Affiliates the Sub Button, Emoticons, etc! Yes, The Bottom Tier now has a sub button. Go mash that shit for us. Be a pal. Not only that, but they get all three subscription options! 4.99, 9.99, and 24.99 subscription options!
Whether you’ve been grinding on Twitch for years [Bottom Tier has been going for about two years, for example, with almost hitting 1300 follows only recently], or are just starting out and quickly made “Affiliate”, which is a pretty new thing also, I’m glad to see that all of us can have that handy sub button. Does that mean Affiliates everywhere are about to start making crazy bank? Of course not. This version of the sub button is a bit stripped down from the Partner one. An example being that the affiliate covers the cost of the money transfer, whereas Twitch does for Partners. This is the official statement from Twitch:
“Affiliates will have access to all subscription options: $4.99, $9.99 and $24.99/month, as well as the Twitch Prime free subscription. They’ll have one sub emote for all subscribers, and two additional slots for $9.99 and $24.99 subs. And just like Partners, Affiliates will be able to offer sub-only chat.
“Many Twitch Partners can remember with crystal clarity the first time someone subscribed to them. They talk about how humbled they were that someone was willing to step up and offer ongoing support. Today we congratulate all the Twitch Affiliates who will now have the opportunity to forge those lasting connections with their new subscribers.”
Awwww yeah.
It’s a nice step for people who have been grinding for a while, who want to make livestreaming a part of their lives, and want to monetize their content. And of course, there’s a bit of a gripe here. Some long-time partners, people who are making pretty big bank from tips, donations, and subscriptions, have ranted against this because it’s not fair that they had to work “so damn hard” and these “new Affiliates are going to take away my subs” … Really? If you’re worried about someone who has 500 followers, that they’re going to take all your subs away, the problem is not in the system, but probably in your content. If you’re going to lose money to someone who has a smaller following, it’s more than likely something on your end. Maybe they want it more, produce more quality content. Maybe you’re getting boring. Look, I’m not here to take potshots at people, but it’s funny to me. The people that bayed “Twitch is a family! I’m here to help everyone grow! I want everyone to succeed and do well!” are the ones that the most upset. Sure, they didn’t “have to work as hard for Partnership”, but the partner requirements were goddamn ludicrous. They’re even vaguer now, but slightly easier to manage. Would I rather our stream be a Partnered stream? Of course! We’re partnered with HiRez [sort of], in that people can buy their gems/crystals through our stream and they share the revenue with us. I [we] love streaming, and would love to be able to do it for a living. I understand why some folks might be upset, I do. But it’s above your station, it’s not your call to make. This lets Twitch maintain their integrity with the Partner Applications but also lets them do battle with Gamewisp, Patreon, and other sites. It also puts money in their pockets at the same time, which I can’t really fault. I found the above image on Twitter, courtesy of Lilypichu [who is a terrific artist, go follow her!] and it accurately depicts how I feel, and how I wish more people feel.
