Could Twitter Become Twitch’s Next Big Rival?
Elon Musk, the owner and former CEO of Twitter, recently livestreamed himself playing Diablo IV on the platform to test its new livestreaming studio feature for Premium users. Musk expressed his excitement about the feature and announced his plan to complete a Tier 100 Nightmare dungeon live on Twitter. Mark Kalman, X Media Engineering Lead, also shared a walkthrough video of how livestreaming through Twitter’s Media Studio works.
How to Access the Media Studio
To access the Media Studio, gamers need to go to studio.x.com, log into their Twitter account, and copy their stream key to their streaming software’s settings. This allows streamers to use OBS (open-source streaming software) and broadcast directly to Twitter. Streamers can also add a chat feature to their broadcasts.
The Availability of Media Studio
The Media Studio feature is now live for paying Twitter Blue users in various regions around the world. However, livestreams done through the Media Studio do not appear on users’ Twitter feeds unless they tweet out the link themselves. The recorded streams remain in users’ private Media Studios until they choose to delete them.
Twitter’s Upgraded Media Capabilities
Twitter has been promising significant upgrades to its media capabilities since Elon Musk took over. Plans have been announced for paying users to upload videos up to two hours in length and for a paywalled video feature. However, pre-recorded videos are still limited to a maximum upload size of 1GB.
Competition with Twitch
In order to compete with streaming platforms like Twitch and Kick, Twitter may need to reconsider its restrictions on video resolution. While Twitch Partners can livestream in unlimited amounts at 1080p resolution, Twitter discourages users from uploading videos in this resolution, stating that it is “rarely needed.” However, higher-resolution streams offer better quality for games with fast movement like shooter games and RPGs.
Streaming Options on Twitter
Live streaming on Twitter is not limited to video games. Users can stream anything that OBS can capture to Twitter via the Media Studio, including full-screen webcam footage or computer screen captures. However, both Twitter and Twitch have similar rules regarding content restrictions, such as prohibiting excessively gory or violent content and copyright infringement.
Hot Take: The Potential of Twitter’s Livestreaming Feature
Twitter’s new livestreaming feature has the potential to become a major rival to platforms like Twitch. With its upgraded media capabilities and the ability to stream various types of content, Twitter could attract a wider range of creators and viewers. However, it will need to address its limitations on video resolution and ensure that its content restrictions align with user expectations. Overall, this move demonstrates Twitter’s commitment to expanding its platform beyond traditional social media and embracing the growing popularity of livestreaming.
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