Mixed Responses as Twitch Finally Introduces 70/30 Revenue Split

Twitch has recently launched the Partner Plus program, which features an increased revenue split. However, due to the strict qualification criteria, the majority of streamers are unlikely to qualify and, therefore, won’t be able to take advantage of the program.

Despite the long-standing requests from streamers for a 70 percent revenue split on subscriptions, which Partner Plus now offers, the overall reaction to this announcement has been predominantly negative, with many notable streamers, such as the likes of Trainwreckstv, accusing Twitch of being greedy and still not doing enough.

to reiterate & paraphrase, gifted subs & prime subs dont count toward streamers qualifying for the program, but gifted subs count when it comes to the 100K threshold that pushes people back down to 50/50 – that's just pure greed & obvious that this is nothing but posturing 😂

— Trainwreck (@Trainwreckstv) June 15, 2023

Twitch’s Partner Plus Program

The top streamers on Twitch must meet specific criteria to qualify, including consistently streaming a certain number of hours and maintaining an average of 75 viewers. Once qualified, Partners enjoy various benefits, such as access to better subscription splits for higher-tier subscribers, additional emote slots, and an increased likelihood of securing sponsorships from companies.

From October 1st, Twitch will introduce the Partner Plus program, which grants qualifying streamers a 70/30 revenue split. To qualify, streamers must maintain a subscription count of at least 350 recurring paid subscriptions for three consecutive months. Once enrolled, Partners will continue to receive the higher revenue split for the following 12 months, even if their subscription numbers drop below the required threshold.

However, there is an essential condition to note: only recurring paid subscriptions will count towards qualification. Gift subscriptions and subscriptions through Prime will not be included. This tweet below best illustrates the majority of the criticism aimed at this recent Twitch update.

I'm sorry but I hate this. How am I going to spend three months trying to encourage my chat NOT to gift subscriptions or use prime? I typically have a 400-500 sub count but I wouldn't be eligible because prime and gifted don't count. This feels impossible and weird. @Twitch https://t.co/l4U98mDcpu

— Meg (@MegMage) June 15, 2023

Not all streamers will be dedicated to following this criterion, and this tweet below also brings the argument forward that such initiatives might not be ideal for streamers with disabilities.

Good start. 70/30 should be for all partners, but I'm glad to see things changing. I think it's going to be difficult for some disabled streamers with chronic illness/pain who may have trouble holding 350 unique subs for three months. Perhaps consider case-by-case exceptions?

— Steven Spohn (Spawn) (@stevenspohn) June 15, 2023

How Streamers Reacted to This News

In recent months, Kick has been making efforts to establish itself as a competitive alternative to Twitch, which has long held a dominant position as the preferred live streaming platform on the internet. With the support of Stake, Kick has successfully attracted a few prominent streamers, luring them away from Twitch. We reported the other day that Ninja was the latest superstar streamer to make the move. This has come on the back of many other major influencers who have made the move such as Adin Ross.

As mentioned earlier, Trainswreckstv, who made a move to Kick, has been very condemning of these updates and accused Twitch of postering. Considering Kick offers their performers a 95/5 split, it is difficult to argue with him that such a subtle change in how Twitch does business is compelling enough for the performers to stick around.

Asmongold recently suggested that he advise newcomers to choose Kick over Twitch. Considering the platform he has created on Twitch, this is quite the statement. Even though it has been acknowledged that this is a step forward for Twitch, significantly more changes will need to be made to satisfy and keep hold of their more prominent names.