Online entertainment has come a long way, and the digital space is reshaping itself every day. One such platform is Twitch. When dozens of people were stuck inside their houses during the pandemic, Twitch became one of the liked live streaming platforms. On this platform, people can broadcast themselves doing activities like cooking or playing video games. From gaining millions of users since then, the secret behind the catchy name is deeper. So what exactly does ‘TV’ in Twitch.tv stand for?
To gain knowledge about the platform, let us rewind a bit and learn more about where it came from. Keep reading to know more.
Table of Contents
The history behind the name
Twitch is a platform that hosts millions of people doing activities on a daily basis. It was initially referred to as Justine.tv and was launched in 2007 by Justin Kam and Emmett Shear. Nearly seven years later, it was bought by Amazon for $970 million and renamed Twitch Interactive.
The platform focused mainly on the gaming section of entertainment, but now it has evolved. You can chat with other people or even see them vlogging live. People might be making music, cooking, gambling, or creating art; you can witness it all.
Meaning of ‘TV‘ in Twitch.tv
The suffix TV in Twitch.tv stands for television. However, unlike a traditional TV, in Twitch.tv, the viewer and the broadcaster can interact from both sides. Typically, the streamer can capture the video of the game itself and the streamer as well. On Twitch, you can connect with the world anytime you feel like, and that too from your home. You aren’t just viewing the game, but the player as well.
The best thing about the platform is that both the viewer and the streamer can interact with each other in a friendly manner. With almost 2.2 million broadcasters every month and almost 15 million users daily, it has become one of the top live-streaming platforms.
Platform access
You can go to www.twitch.tv on any internet-connected device and have the full experience of streaming a video game. If you want to broadcast your gaming skills, you’ll need to sign up and become a member. To do this, you have to sign up, and you will get your personal space called a channel.
Each channel comes with a profile picture, username, and channel name. Whenever the broadcaster is not streaming anything, you’ll see the offline status. On your channel, you can also see the number of people watching your live broadcast at present.
How to subscribe
Primarily, the steps to subscribe to a channel on a mobile and browser are same:
Step 1: Launch the Twitch app on your smartphone and login to your Twitch account.
Step 2: Use the search function or browse through categories to find a channel that you wish to subscribe to.
Step 3: When you are on the channel, tap on a purple button to subscribe to it.
Step 4: Select the payment method and provide your details to complete the process.
Features of Twitch
Twitch is easy to use, and some of the features are:
For streamer:
Live streaming
You can live stream and broadcast your content all around the globe. At its most basic, you can send a video stream request to Twitch, and the Twitch ingest subsystem authenticates it. From there, it is beamed all over the world, and millions of people are watching you together at one time.
Twitch dashboard
Twitch gives you access to the Twitch dashboard, where you can manage your streams with the help of multiple settings. It also provides you with settings for analytics, channel customization, and chat mode.
Extensions
You can add extensions for your subscribers so that they can enjoy the experience with you. It can also help you distract your enemy in the game.
Channel customization
You may easily customize the layouts, panels, and overlays of your channel. The channel customization options let you add some personal touches to your channel. It will let you do overall branding and you can give yourself a unique identity.
Chat interaction
Creators who have the desire to engage the viewers can use this chat feature. It is always available on every stream for you, and you can easily start a Q&A round with your viewers to interact with them.
Monetization tools
There are many options for you to earn money while you are on this platform. For instance, subscriptions, bits, ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing can all help you earn some good money.
Twitch analytics
You can also use your account’s insights and statistics to learn more about your target audience. This will let you track your performance during the gaming session you’re broadcasting and make changes as needed. This implies that by reviewing your account’s metrics, you may improve your content and increase engagement.
For viewers:
Subscriptions
As you keep on crossing some levels, you can charge your followers—a subscription fee with a starting price of $4.99 at the minimum.
Live chat
If you are a viewer on the Twitch platform, then you can use this feature to have a conversation with streamers and with other viewers as well. It is fascinating that you can build a larger community this way and know more about other broadcasters.
Clips & highlights
You can also create short clips or highlights of your favorite moments from different streams. After that, you can use them to promote specific content. This will benefit your favorite streamer and enlarge the community.
Notifications & follow option
The platform will notify you the moment your favorite streamer uploads something new or goes live on their channel. You just have to follow their channels in advance to miss out on anything new.
Emotes and chat badges
You can get different sets of emoticons and badges to express yourself more creatively in your chats. These emotes allow you to present yourself uniquely in the chatroom.
Parting thoughts!
Now you know that TV in Twitch.tv simply represents a shift in the dynamics of passive television viewing to an interactive platform. You are familiar with the features or benefits of a streamer and viewer. With just one platform, an entire community can be made by the possibility of interaction from both sides in real time. In simple words, it is a space where broadcasters can stream their content on a global platform, interact with viewers, and build communities out of common interests.
