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Happy Tuesday Thursday streamers,

While the holiday break was relatively quiet, this past week was filled with some massive headlines.

Twitch stunned creators when they announced they will be shutting down operations in South Korea effective February 2024. Several video game adaptations hit the small screen including teasers for Halo Season 2 and a new Fallout series. The Game Awards will reveal the winners for Game of the Year as it celebrates another year of gaming. Popular streamer Ludwig announced some major news that will affect his content in 2024 and may have implications for other streamers deciding on their preferred platform. Fortnite does the unexpected with their Big Bang event and Chapter 5 reveal.

As always, thanks for taking the time to read this week’s issue. Until next time!

Cheers,
Dim

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🥇This Week’s Top Stories

Did The Big Bang Event Mark The Rebirth Of Fortnite?

Fortnite once again demonstrated its unrivaled prowess in crafting immersive social experiences as it hosted the spectacular "Big Bang" live event featuring none other than the iconic rapper Eminem. The conclusion of Chapter 4 marked a monumental moment for players as they immersed themselves in the live, in-game experience.

Despite some technical glitches due to overwhelming attendance, the event became a spectacle drawing millions of eager viewers. Twitch, in particular, witnessed a staggering peak of 3,291,525 viewers during the live event, solidifying Fortnite's status as a cultural phenomenon.

If you missed the event, here are some notable mentions:

• Players said goodbye to the beloved OG map that was featured for the last month. The Big Bang Event introduced a new map with new gameplay features and modes.

• Family Guy character, Peter Griffin will be featured as an in-game mini boss during the new season and will be a playable skin as well.

• Fortnite introduced a LEGO mode transforming players into blocky versions of their Fortnite skins.

• The interactive Fortnite Festival mode had players spectate a live Eminem concert within the Fortnite metaverse. Players engaged in rhythm-based gameplay reminiscent of Rock Band.

• Fortnite is getting its own built-in racing mode, called Rocket Racing. Developed by Psyonix, the team behind Rocket League, players familiar with Rocket League mechanics will feel right at home.

Why This Matters: Creators online love to publish videos criticizing Fortnite and labeling it a “dead game”, but the team at Epic Games manages to reinvent the formula year after year. Is every season a big hit? Of course not. But I honestly commend the hardworking developers for finding ways to keep Fortnite relevant and more importantly FUN! While many companies have attempted to develop their version of the metaverse, I don’t believe any have come close to what Fortnite has been able to accomplish. As we plunge into Chapter 5, expect Fortnite to deliver more immersive experiences and continue setting the standard for the rest of the gaming industry.

Twitch Ceases Operations in South Korea

In a recent announcement, Twitch revealed the difficult decision to shut down its operations in South Korea, effective February 27, 2024 KST. The streaming platform cited prohibitively expensive operating costs in the country as the primary reason for this move, despite extensive efforts to reduce these costs and maintain a presence in Korea.

First disclosed by Twitter user MonteCristo, Twitch has been actively notifying streamers in South Korea about the impending cessation of operations. Starting from the specified date, streamers will lose the ability to monetize on Twitch, and users won't be able to purchase subscriptions or Bits. Additionally, all active recurring subscriptions will be canceled, with no option for renewal.

For viewers and fans, this development means that Korean streamers may transition to alternative platforms with less visibility and accessibility. The shift to Korean-language streaming sites is anticipated, impacting the global accessibility of content for Western audiences.

The news has been particularly devastating for Korean creators and international esports teams associated with the platform. However, Twitch has assured that it will assist affected streamers in finding new homes on alternative livestreaming services in Korea. The platform is actively reaching out to these services to facilitate a smooth transition for both creators and viewers.

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy announced that the company will host live streams to address further questions and concerns from the community. The focus is on ensuring affected streamers can seamlessly transition to new platforms amid the challenging circumstances.

Despite Twitch's efforts to maintain a presence in South Korea, the persistently high network fees in the country, reportedly ten times more expensive than in most others, posed a formidable challenge. The decision to close operations reflects the economic realities and challenges faced by the platform in the Korean market.

Why This Matters: Twitch is effectively giving South Korea-based streamers only three months to make some pretty significant decisions that will impact their accessibility to their audience, their revenue, and their living situation. This is an incredibly difficult situation that has no easy solution. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy is making some big promises to help affected streamers relocate, but time will tell if he is able to keep those promises within such a tight deadline.

Ludwig’s Big Announcement and The Truth About YouTube

Two years ago, popular streamer Ludwig Ahgren made a notable shift from Twitch to YouTube, citing feelings of greater appreciation and a more enticing financial offer from the latter platform. In his recent Mogul Mail video, Ahgren expressed the reasons behind his move, highlighting his pursuit of maximum viewership over financial gains. Achieving a peak of 303,000 concurrent viewers on YouTube, Ahgren witnessed a surge in VOD viewership from an average of 500,000 views per video to over a million.

While his move to YouTube allowed him to renegotiate his contract, permitting simulcasting of events on both YouTube and Twitch, Ahgren raised concerns about certain issues that remain unaddressed. The primary challenges revolve around time caps imposed by YouTube, restricting livestreams to 12 hours and preventing the editing of VODs over six hours. These limitations pose challenges, especially in handling copyright issues within videos.

Despite his impressive viewership milestones, Ahgren emphasized that YouTube needs to address these issues promptly. He acknowledged that the platform hasn't prioritized livestreaming concerns at a pace satisfactory to creators, attributing this to YouTube's focus on competing with short-form platforms like TikTok.

In a bold move, Ahgren declared his intention to give YouTube one more year to rectify these streaming challenges. If the platform fails to allocate sufficient resources to improve livestreaming features, Ahgren hinted at a potential return to Twitch exclusivity. However, for the time being, he remains committed to YouTube, leveraging his renegotiated contract and increasing viewership.

As Ahgren strives to bring cultural events to a broader audience through simulcasting on both platforms, the next year will be crucial in determining the future of his livestreaming journey and the platforms he chooses to call home. Ahgren's transparency about his concerns sheds light on the evolving landscape of livestreaming platforms and the intricate dynamics between creators and the platforms they choose.

Why It Matters: Ludwig, recognized as one of today's most prominent content creators, has provided a forthright analysis of his exclusive streaming experience on YouTube over the past two years. Given his significant influence in the live streaming space, his perspective carries substantial weight. This announcement seems to serve as a direct challenge to YouTube, urging a reconsideration of its current strategy. The question remains: will YouTube heed this call for reevaluation? Honestly, it is unlikely YouTube will budge considering the impressive performance of YouTube Shorts.

Observing YouTube's recent trajectory, marked by a departure from major creator deals and a pronounced focus on enhancing the Shorts experience, it appears that the platform is prioritizing short-form content over live streaming. In a landscape where live streaming dynamics are exceptionally volatile, Ludwig's stance echoes a broader trend. Except for recent signings by Kick, the industry is witnessing a shift towards multi-streaming, which is increasingly being embraced as the prevailing standard.

Creators are breaking away from exclusive platform commitments and emphasizing outreach across diverse platforms. Instances such as Ninja's ability to attract an audience exceeding 800,000 across TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube underscore the diminishing relevance of exclusivity. In this evolving landscape, creators are advised to prioritize broad user outreach, embracing a platform-agnostic approach as a strategic imperative. The era of exclusivity appears to be waning, marking a pivotal transition in content creation strategies.

📊Weekly Poll📊

A simple question this week! It is once again time for the Game Awards, a time when gamers, creators, and industry professionals gather to celebrate video games. There are many exciting nominees for Game of the Year including Alan Wake II, Spider-Man 2, and Baldur’s Gate 3!

Streamers, will you be watching the event live?

Use the link below to participate in our weekly poll. Leave a comment if you’d like to elaborate on your thoughts!

Sound off in our weekly poll!