Twitch said on Tuesday that this week it would formally launch its new discovery feed, which is akin to TikTok, to all users.
Launching as a tab within the iOS and Android applications, the new feed lets users browse through little pieces of video to find new broadcasters. Twitch previously conducted broadcast testing in August 2023, and this is the formal debut.
Following the success of TikTok, a number of well-known apps—including Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Uber Eats, and LinkedIn—have introduced their own short-form video streams. With this debut, Twitch joins them.
The discovery feed is finally here: the quickest way to find content you love on Twitch. Preview dozens of live streams & clips without pre-roll ads to find something to watch in minutes.
— Twitch (@Twitch) April 30, 2024
Update your Twitch mobile app to see the new Feed tab, rolling out to everyone this… pic.twitter.com/bI704lgYAB
A clip feed and a live feed. The “live” feed features livestreams from streamers Twitch believes viewers will enjoy, along with those they currently follow. The “clips” feed highlights top app moments, enabling users to discover content from broadcasters even when they’re not online.
Though Twitch is usually visited by those with adequate time to watch a broadcast, the new clip feed is intended for times when users are pressed for time.
To may indicate what kind of material you want to see more or less of by clicking the thumbs-up or thumbs-down button on a livestream or a clip to better customize what you see in the broadcast.
The new feed arrives at the same time that Twitch broadcasters have long urged the company to provide additional capabilities to assist them in reaching more viewers. Unlike TikTok, which is a totally algorithmic network, platform broadcasters have few other options for gaining new viewers than partnering with other streamers or advertising themselves on other platforms. Small and medium broadcasters may reach new viewers with this new discovery feed.
Twitch automatically qualifies all livestreams and clips to appear in the feed, as long as they comply with the platform’s content policies. Even if broadcasters are unable to submit video directly to the discovery feed, Twitch invites them to create and highlight snippets of their material for consideration.
