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Twitch’s existing $4.99 subscription is to be supplemented by two higher subscription tiers.
The streaming service will offer $9.99 and $24.99 subscriptions, which are being pitched as a way to support streamers you love". In return subscribers will get stuff like exclusive emotes.
As we build this program, our goal is to provide partnered streamers with a better way to earn a steady income and to give viewers more options to support streamers on Twitch," the company said.
This includes long-requested features like the ability for a user to gift a channel subscription to another non-subbed user, which will be coming to Twitch later this year. We’re already working on it, and expect to start testing this within the next few months."
A beta is expected to launch shortly, with universal availability rolling out in the next few weeks. The $4.99 tier will remain available. Twitch Prime members will not be affected by the changes.
At launch, subscriptions will only be available to partner channels, but will be entirely optional. Existing APIs have already been updated to include subscriber level info.
Twitch has also announced a new UI for its League of Legends directory which is designed to help sort and navigate the high number of streamers playing Riot’s game. This is expected to launch alongside two new future champions.
Based on minutes watched, League of Legends is the most popular game on Twitch, and has been since we launched," Twitch’s director of Integration Success JT Gleason said.
Given how passionate the Twitch community is about League of Legends, it was important to provide new ways to filter content related to the game that were unique to our platform. It made sense to work with Riot Games to unveil our new metadata features alongside the release of their two new champions."
