Abstract

Twitch, a live-streaming social platform, has emerged as a powerful place for building communities and supporting professional careers. Though toxicity and harassment are evident on the platform, moderation on Twitch is continuously improving and growing through community building. We will explore the positive impacts of Twitch, focusing on its role in creating digital communities and career opportunities. We will discuss how Twitch provides a platform for content creators to build and engage with a community, develop new skills, and create content. Twitch has rapidly grown its user base in recent years, especially during the initial outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic (Clement, 2024). It is continuously growing with the number of streamers and viewers increasing since the pandemic. We will examine how Twitch has contributed to the growth of new career paths within the streaming industry. To maximise the benefits of Twitch, it is necessary to improve it while addressing the issues of compensation and responsible use. Through this research, we aim to shed light on the potential of platforms like Twitch in shaping online communities and empowering individuals to pursue their passions and achieve success in the digital world.

Introduction

Platforms like Twitch have become popular for building communities and careers in today’s digital landscape where connectivity knows no boundaries. Founded in 2011, Twitch empowers gamers and influencers to express their passions and create community connections through live streaming to a global audience. Beyond its original focus on gaming, Twitch has evolved into a prominent social platform, offering a diverse array of content for creators and viewers worldwide. From gaming streams to art shows, cooking tutorials, and music, Twitch provides an all-around experience that extends beyond entertainment. Exploring the influence of Twitch and delving into how its community fosters the formation of social groups and creates new career pathways. We will delve into how Twitch simplifies the development of close-knit communities centred around common interests as we navigate the intricacies of the digital world. This study aims to discuss the possibilities of online platforms in reshaping social interactions and business prospects through an in-depth examination of user engagement, content patterns, and journeys within Twitch’s community.

Community Building

Twitch has become a platform for building communities through shared interests and passions, bringing people together around the world. These communities are virtual meeting places where people from different backgrounds come together, breaking distance to create bonds based on common hobbies and interests. There are often supportive networks and friendships in these communities, which give participants a sense of belonging and friendship. These online interactions can benefit individuals’ well-being as the internet provides sources of social support for users wherever they may be, which helps to maintain geographically dispersed networks by preventing communities and friends from becoming overly divided (Pendry & Salvatore, 2015, p. 211). Engaging with fellow Twitch users allows for creating meaningful connections with like-minded individuals who share similar interests and values. Whether it’s providing words of encouragement, offering valuable advice, or simply offering emotional support, the Twitch community thrives on active engagement through livestreams. More over, charity streams organized by Twitch streamers provide a significant platform to raise awareness and financial support for many causes. Mittal and Wohn have found that “Many broadcasters on Twitch host streams where they decide to raise money for charities.  Broadcasters will play games or do other activities and encourage friends, family, and random viewers to donate money to charity.” This can result in the expansion of the platform to assist different charities through livestreaming. Furthermore, the platform is used by creators to support other streamers. These examples demonstrate Twitch’s dual function as a platform for entertainment and social impact.

Connection and interaction

Twitch stands out as a leading platform in the base of online content creation, thanks to its chat feature that enables real-time communication between streamers and viewers. Unlike traditional media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, Twitch offers an environment where the audience actively engages with the content creator. Continuing participation and sharing experiences can help develop an affinity with viewers and create a sense of connection within their channel (Hilvert-Bruce et al., 2018). This suggests that users watching streams are leaning towards channels that are constantly engaging with their viewers. By enabling streaming and raiding (when a creator can send viewers to another channel after their stream), can be a great way to make connections and networks with other streamers by sharing audiences and growing their communities (Twitch.tv). Twitch has evolved into more than just a live streaming platform. It has created a sense of community and belonging by providing a virtual space where individuals can connect and share experiences. In a digital era where social interactions have become mainly online, Twitch has become a powerful tool for creating connections and building friendships among its diverse user base. Twitch streamer Pokimane, says “I love being able to share my experience of how I got to where I am today in hopes that it will help others who are on their way” (Pokimane’s Twitch Stream), connoting that she enjoys streaming to viewers to share her journey and lending a hand to those who are inspired by her work. Thus, Twitch has become more than just a streaming platform; rather, it has become a community that influences creativity and a sense of belonging by enabling real-time engagement and collaboration and cultivating a sense of connectivity.

Economic Opportunities

Twitch presents itself as a platform that provides career opportunities to streamers in the fast-evolving world of digital content creation. Streamers have the chance to get income through subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. Viewers can show their support for preferred streamers by subscribing to different levels, creating a reliable income stream. Additionally, streamers can rely on brand partnerships to monetize their content through campaigns and product placements, leading to increased revenue. Based on Ottelin’s (2015) results from his research, “streaming is made available for more gamers than ever thanks to the console integration by Twitch and the gameplay streaming will only become even more popular.” This suggests that Twitch can provide anyone with the will to start a career by streaming gameplay and can grow their audience over time. The expansion of Twitch’s influence has given rise to job opportunities within its ecosystem. To support the operation of streaming channels, roles such as moderators, content creators, and promoters have emerged. These moderators, also referred to as mods, play a crucial role in ensuring that chat interactions align with the broadcaster’s conduct and content standards by removing offensive posts and spam that disrupt conversations (as outlined in Twitch FAQs). Twitch offers users the opportunity to turn their passion for streaming into careers and provides streamers with various ways to make money. Johnson and Woodcock (2018) have said, “The growth of Twitch as a platform has had an empowering effect on individuals and their relationships with other powerful actors in the games ecosystem”, suggesting that Twitch can have a positive impact on streamers as they can generate relationships with other streamers. The growth of Twitch can also generate more viewers to look into building a long term career as a live streamer. The platform is expected to continue evolving, serving as a light of hope for content creators looking to establish themselves in the digital era. Many journeys exist of individuals who have turned their interest in streaming into lasting careers. These journeys highlight Twitch’s potential as a platform for aspiring content creators. These individuals began as beginners and leveraged their platforms to achieve financial stability and professional fulfilment.

Tenz: Twitch Streamer/Professional Gamer

Tyson Ngo also known as ‘Tenz’ is well-known, especially for his remarkable abilities in first-person shooter games like Valorant. Tenz has gained a great deal of respect and recognition for his remarkable skill and performance at the greatest levels of professional play. Tenz first started playing CSGO when he was starting high school and decided to start streaming on Twitch in 2015. He has worked his way up and gained some popularity in 2017. Soon enough, he joined a professional gaming team called ‘Cloud 9’ to play CSGO professionally. Fast forward to 2020 and he has become a professional player for the game ‘Valorant’ and soon decided to join a new team ‘Sentinels’ in 2021 (Reames 2021). Tenz stated “I think having big players stream is a benefit to the scene. Because some people might watch you for who you are as a person while someone else might watch you because you are their favourite pro player.”. Tenz highlights the diverse impact of gamers streaming on Twitch. By stating, “I think having big players stream is a benefit to the scene,” Tenz acknowledges the positive influence that players can have on the gaming community as a whole. Tenz highlights the importance of the rise of players in the gaming community which generates community engagement and increases the visibility of esports as a form of entertainment. These players not only entertain and inspire but also contribute to the overall growth and development of the gaming community through streaming. Tenz’s commitment to his career has now landed him the most professional gamer and streamer with many dedicated fans around the world. His engagement with the gaming community has built his career and has become one of the biggest esports players, to this day. Tenz’s commitment to his craft and his genuine interactions with his followers are a lasting testament to his impact on the gaming community.

Conclusion

A closer look at Twitch as a social and community platform reveals a great place with significant financial opportunities for content creators and streamers. By providing a unique space for individuals to share their passions through live streaming, Twitch has created a strong community that fosters engagement. The platform’s impact is evident in the journey of streamers who have turned their hobbies into full careers. Twitch has numerous positive impacts towards both creators and viewers enabling a sense of connection within the Twitch community. The social platform provides many career opportunities for those who are looking to kick-start their hobby and emerge as a full-time streamer, sharing their interests, and inspiring viewers to engage within the stream. Streamer Tenz provides insight into the importance of gamers’ live-streaming to grow the gaming community and shape the social media landscape. Reflecting on the importance of platforms like Twitch, it is crucial to acknowledge the need for ongoing support and enhancement. This includes bringing up issues such as ensuring respect for creators, fair communities and making sure that there is responsible platform usage. By engaging with these challenges and advocating for positive change, we can maximize the benefits of online platforms like Twitch. As people in the digital world, it is our job to contribute to the development of these platforms, ensuring their value for everyone. By coming together with a shared dedication to innovate, we can unlock the full potential of platforms like Twitch.

Reference List

Clement, J. (2024, January 10). Topic: Twitch. Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/7946/twitch/#topicOverview  

Hilvert-Bruce, Z., Neill, J. T., Sjöblom, M., & Hamari, J. (2018). Social motivations of live-streaming viewer engagement on twitch. Computers in Human Behavior, 84, 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.013  

Johnson, M. R., & Woodcock, J. (2018). The impacts of live streaming and Twitch.tv on the video game industry. Media, Culture & Society, 41(5), 670–688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443718818363  

Reames, M. (2021, July 10). How TenZ became the biggest star in Valorant. Nerd Street. https://nerdstreet.com/news/2021/7/tenz-valorant-esports-biggest-star-sentinels-cloud9  

Tenz – Twitch Streamer Profile & Bio. TopTwitchStreamers. (2021, July 14). https://toptwitchstreamers.com/streamer/tenz/  

Twitch help portal. (n.d.-a). https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/guide-to-building-a-moderation-team?language=en_US#:~:text=Moderators%20(also%20known%20as%20mods,spam%20that%20detracts%20from%20conversations  

Twitch. Twitch help portal. (n.d.-b). https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/how-to-use-raids?language=en_US