Twitch users may start receiving some potentially annoying push notifications from their Twitch subscriptions. Streamers on the streaming mobile app now have access to the Twitch Stories feature, letting creators share short content and promote their channels much like they can on Snapchat and Instagram.
Twitch’s senior product manager Eduardo Fenili wrote in a Monday blog that the Stories tab works similarly to how it does on rival apps. The latest update to the streaming platform will start showing a new “Stories” shelf on their “Following” page. There, users will see a stream of content from the creators they follow that includes pictures, text and some clips from their streams. Creators can also add custom backgrounds to their Stories with pre-made canvases.
Eligible creators will see the new “Stories” option when they hit the plus button on their Twitch account. Users will now receive push notifications every time a subscribed creator publishes a new story. Twitch streamers will be able to see how many people looked at or reacted to their posts.
All in all, the feature is essentially the same as it is on Instagram. Each message expires after 48 hours, and users can react to Stories with emotes. The main difference is who are allowed to create them. The company said it was limiting those who can create Stories to streamers who have had at least one stream in the last 30 days. Only creators with at least 30 subscribers have the option of creating sub-only Stories exclusive to their paying audience, including gift subs. The company is implying this adds even more incentive for users to subscribe since that’s the only way to access sub-only story content.
The feature should be rolling out to all users gradually through the end of the week and in the future, based on user eligibility. The company did mention its planning on allowing creators to make Stories through video captured on their phones. Twitch is still working on other features like in-message polls and mentions.
Twitch first mentioned it was working on a Stories format back in August for creating ephemeral content. Fenili says this new feature is good for creators when they need to make a public announcement in case their stream is running late or they simply want to share something about whatever’s happening in their lives.
The company claimed all new Stories content will still have to abide by the company’s community guidelines. Users can report them like they can a regular stream.
Instagram ripped off the idea of Stories from Snapchat seven years ago. Since then, the Meta-owned Instagram has had to add a chronological feed for Stories to abide by EU regulations. Twitch’s new feature is currently restricted to content creators users follow, but there could come a time when Twitch sets up a full algorithmic “for you”-type Stories feed for creators the company thinks you may be interested in.
