Twitch Streamers Aren’t Happy About New ‘Forced’ Feature

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Twitch Streamers Aren't Happy About New 'Forced' Feature

Highlights

  • Twitch’s new Collaboration feature draws criticism for being forced on all users without the ability to opt-out easily.
  • Many Twitch streamers express frustration over the default settings of the Collaboration feature.
  • Users explore workarounds for the Twitch Collaboration system.

As a long-time Twitch user with countless hours invested in watching and occasionally streaming my favorite games, I must say that the latest update to the platform has left me feeling rather dismayed. The new Collaboration feature, dubbed “knocking,” seems like a great idea on paper – who wouldn’t want quicker access to their favorite creators? However, Twitch’s decision to force this system upon all users without an easy opt-out option has left many of us scratching our heads.

Giant in streaming, Twitch, has unveiled a new Collaboration tool within its system for streamers, however, users have expressed dissatisfaction towards the mandatory nature of the system and its absence of an opt-out option. Despite various platform changes throughout the years, some seen as positive while others not so much, this recent update has left many puzzled and even calling for the immediate removal of the feature.

In recent times, Twitch, a major livestreaming platform, has faced criticism for several reasons such as shutting down operations in South Korea, the controversial ban of Dr Disrespect, and a significant update to its mobile app’s user interface. Despite some users staying faithful, the latest alteration to the streaming site has made many wonder if it’s time to switch platforms altogether.

Twitch unveiled a new Collaboration feature on August 19th, known as “knocking,” which enables users to instantly join another content creator’s live broadcast. This feature is activated by default for all users, and there seems to be no option for a full opt-out. Although users can pause Collaboration requests for either an hour or the duration of a single stream, this setting needs to be reset each time a creator goes live. Several popular Twitch streamers like Zach Bussey have expressed their concerns about this feature, stating that creators should not be compelled to use a function they’d prefer to turn off. Additionally, Twitter user bydand_ disclosed that notifications are linked to Collaborations, causing many to worry about potential harassment and botting issues.

Twitch Receives Backlash Over New Collaborations Feature

Due to the compulsory setup of Twitch Collaboration features, many users are creatively finding workarounds. Some suggest utilizing the Collaboration settings more effectively by limiting knocking requests to a “Favorites List” and not adding anyone to this list. Yet, there’s been a lot of dissatisfaction among users about having to use such convoluted methods to dodge the feature, instead of being given an easy on/off switch to disable Collaborations entirely. Despite positive feedback on Twitch’s recent ban tool update, the mandatory Collaboration settings have some questioning if it’s time to explore alternative platforms.

It’s no wonder that Twitch is continually introducing new apps and features since the streaming market is fiercely competitive. However, some users have criticized these additions because they feel Twitch has made them without sufficient user input, leading to a wide range of responses. As rivals such as YouTube and Kick introduce unique improvements, we’ll have to wait and see if Twitch’s changes will boost or impede its position in the streaming industry.

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2024-08-22 02:05