Twitch lets anyone stream on its platforms and apply for partnership. But it seems that some people, even big streamers, can are watched very closely.
Former Overwatch pro now variety streamer Félix “xQc” Lengyel said that Twitch classifies certain streamers as “brand risks,” and that the company told him that he’s one of them.
The issue came up on his stream when he spoke about Silker, another streamer that has a big audience on the platform but still hasn’t received a partnership offer from Twitch. Partnership allows a Twitch streamer to run ads on his channel and thereby earn more money.
“The real reason, my guess on it, is that he hangs out with a lot of people that are not ‘brand-friendly’ and are considered a ‘brand risk,’” xQc said about Silker. “If he sat down and then do collabs for a little bit of time, and do nothing at all with others that are brand risks, he would get it instantly. I’m a brand risk, they already told me.”
XQc’s “brand risk” status doesn’t change anything for him. He’s already partnered.
Any platforms that run ads will worry about those ads running next to controversial or sensitive subject matter. It’s easy enough for an advertiser to simply pull the ads, after all. That’s why giving partnership to some of these streamers is a risk to Twitch’s business and brand.
Silker’s partnership case isn’t clear yet, and this is just xQc’s take on it. But his explanation gives some insight on how Twitch operates when analyzing partnership applications and managing streamers who are already associated with the platform.
