So much to unpack!

Many are fuming over this, calling it “pay to win”. It’s not though. Buying VIEWERS would be pay to win because viewership = growth/success. You can buy Affiliate status and still be a 0-viewer Andy.

HOWEVER... (a short thread) https://twitter.com/monstercat/status/1328744709481644033

While this isn’t an issue imo, Affiliates themselves are overwhelmingly hurt for the loss in -perceived- value on what they’ve accomplished so far.

And that is @Twitch’s own fault for marketing Affiliate as a milestone. Twitch founded the program as an achievement you EARN.

Some claim they had to grind for ages to make Affiliate. And @Twitch itself has always treated it as such.

So Twitch can’t have their cake and eat it too - is Affiliate an achievement that one must work to earn? Or is it EZclap status that just unlocks tools and nothing more?

We could deep dive on grind-culture, ethics in gamification, etc. But overall, @Twitch’s monetisation approach lately has been incredibly hit or miss to an ALIENATING level. Careful, Twitch. You’re under increasingly severe scrutiny - watch your next steps. For all our sake.