Ad-Free Viewing changes on Twitch
Amazon's game streaming service Twitch announced changes to the ad-free viewing benefit on the site for Twitch Prime customers.
Amazon Prime customers or Amazon Prime Video customers can link the account to a Twitch account to get Twitch Prime benefits. These benefits include access to free games and in-game content, channel subscriptions, more chat options, and longer broadcast storage.
Benefits included ad-free viewing on Twitch as well but that is going to change according to a new blog post on the official site.
The company plans to end universal ad-free viewing on Twitch for new Amazon Prime customers on September 14. The ad-free viewing perk ends for existing Twitch Prime customers on October 15, 2018 or until the next renewal data.
Ad-free viewing is not going away completely though. Twitch Prime subscribers may use their subscription token on a channel that offers ad-free viewing to subscribers. The only other option to get an ad-free experience on Twitch is to subscribe to the new Twitch Turbo subscription plan.
Twitch Turbo is available for $8.99 per month. Subscribers get similar benefits as Twitch Prime customers get plus ad-free viewing and priority customer support.
| Twitch Prime | Twitch Turbo | |
| Ad-free viewing | NO | YES |
| Expanded Emoticon Set | YES | YES |
| Custom Chat Username Colors | YES | YES |
| Exclusive badge | YES | YES |
| Extended Broadcast Storage | 60 days | 60 days |
| Game Content | YES | NO |
| Priority customer support | NO | YES |
| Price | $119 with Amazon Prime | $8.99 |
Twitch Turbo appears to be a separate offer which means that you don't need to be a Twitch Prime subscriber to sign-up for Twitch Turbo. Some benefits are identical or nearly identical, some are exclusive. If you are interested in free game content you need to be a Twitch Prime subscriber. If you want to access an ad-free Twitch or want priority customer support, Twitch Turbo is the option that you may want to consider.
Twitch revealed why it made the decision to make the change:
Advertising is an important source of support for the creators who make Twitch possible. This change will strengthen and expand that advertising opportunity for creators so they can get more support from their viewers for doing what they love.
In other words: the number of Twitch Prime subscribers affected the revenue of content creators and Twitch so that the company needed to do something about it.
Closing Words
It remains to be seen how successful Twitch Turbo will become and how enabling ads for all but Twitch Turbo subscribers will impact user retention and numbers.
Now You: Do you use Twitch?
TBH, add free viewing in Twitch was the main reason I was still hanging on to my Amazon Prime subscription. I don’t watch anything on Amazon video or use their music services. I have never purchased a game from them either.
I will really have to think about it. At the moment I think I would rather cancel Amazon Prime and get Twitch Turbo instead since I spend many hours on there each week. Will have to decide when my renewal comes up. They keep jacking the price anyway.