TheTwitchstreaming platform is a massively successful one that established a giant element of the game industry. Despite the longstanding comfort that the platform has experienced at the top of the streaming game, new streaming sites are beginning to gain serious traction.
It is true thatTwitchhas faced competition from YouTube for some time, yet new platforms such as Kick and Rumble are beginning to threaten Twitch in a big way. In particular, Kick has felt a massive surge in popularity in recent months, with many believing the site could eventually overtake the Amazon-owned giant. However, as things stand, it is hard to see Kick overtaking Twitch for reasons that may be hard to overcome.
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Kick’s Recent Victories Over Twitch
One of the biggest shows of power by Kick since its October 2022 creation is its consistent attempts to poach high-profile Twitch streamers. At its inception, the platform acquired high-profile butcontroversial Twitch streamers such as Adin Ross, but the profile of its acquired creators has grown exponentially since.
In a landmark move, Kick recently made headlines whenTwitch streamers xQc and Amouranth moved to the platform. It is reported that xQc’s deal with Kick could net the streamer $100 million, indicating the kind of dedicated effort that the platform is making to get one over on Twitch. It appears that Kick is also capitalizing on the recent bad press that Twitch is getting over things like its 50/50 split of subscription revenue for most creators, with Kick offering its streamers a greatly improved 95/5 split in favor of creators.
Besides this, Kick is a lot more lenient with allowing creators to stream on other platforms. xQc is still allowed to make content on Twitch despite his Kick obligations. With some of the biggest names on Twitch making the switch over to Kick, the new platform is making some serious headway over its greatest competition. However, Twitch may prove impossible to overtake as it stands.
Twitch’s Remaining Power Over Kick
Despite theunprecedented growth that Kick has made in the streaming spaceover the past year, Twitch still remains a near impossible opponent to overcome in terms of viewership and influence. This primarily stems from the legacy factor of Twitch; its near-monopoly over the streaming industry, held for many years now, is very important in its Kick rivalry.
Twitch began life as Justin.tv in 2007, which was a pet project of Justin Kan that blew up in popularity, leading it to become one of the first dedicated platforms for people to livestream around the world. The site grew so popular that it created a dedicated gaming branch named Twitch in 2011. Then, in 2014, the company was acquired by Amazon for $970 million.
With Twitch being around in one form of another for almost two decades, it is the single-most recognizable platform for livestreaming. When also considering its spending power and influence with Amazon at the helm, such as with itsAmazon Prime free subscriptions, it is clear why Twitch has been so successful in the space over time.
It is reported that over 7 million people actively stream on the Twitch platform, further exemplifying the sway that the site holds. While it is true that Kick has made significant gains over a short time, it will be almost impossible to overcome Twitch’s status as the face of the streaming industry. It would take serious innovation from Kick to offer a greater overall appeal than Twitch, and even then it will take years for the site to have the same influence and legacy asTwitch.
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