Twitch lowers subscription prices in the UK, will also let banned streamers know why they’ve been suspended

UPDATE (August 11th 2021): In a separate announcement, Twitch has announced it will let banned streamers know the reasoning behind their ban, the content involved and the date of the incident.

Original article (August 5th):

Twitch today announced a 20% price drop for subscriptions in the UK, from £4.99 to £3.99.

In a blog announcing the rollout of localised subscription prices globally, Twitch explained why the price change will aim to ‘increase affordability for the community and increase revenue for partners and affiliates’.

Users will start to see the price change on the service within a week.

The thinking behind the price drop is to make it more affordable to viewers and an economy of scale. By making it cheaper for someone to subscribe to a Twitch viewer, the idea is that it will encourage more people to subscribe and pay.

“We’ve heard from fans everywhere that it’s not equally affordable around the world to show support, access custom emotes, and enjoy all the other benefits that come with being a subscriber,” Twitch said. “That’s because the price of a Tier 1 subscription on the web is roughly the equivalent of $4.99 USD in every country. This price makes it difficult for many viewers to support their favorite creators, and likewise, prevents creators from being able to grow their communities, make more content, and welcome new fans. 

“This isn’t just anecdotal; it’s reflected clearly in the numbers. The percentage of active users in Europe or Asia who support creators with a subscription is roughly 50% lower relative to North America. In Latin America, it’s nearly 80% lower. It’s time for subscription pricing that’s adjusted for where viewers live. Prices that make it so more people than ever can feel comfortable showing their support and enjoying the benefits of a subscription.”

Twitch carried out tests and saw that lower sub prices boosted overall monthly subs and sub revenue for creators. 

To help creators adapt to the new pricing model with ‘no impact to their short-term subscription revenue’, Twitch launched a 12-month program that guarantees a certain level of revenue for eligible creators. There’s more details on the Twitch creator revenue adjustment incentive program here.

The announcement also includes details on a global program Twitch has designed to cover any shortfall in streamer revenues.

Twitch first announced that subscription prices would be set to change in the UK and around the world back in May.

In any given month, over 850,000 people are now earning revenue from commerce or ads on Twitch, with the total amount of revenue paid out to creators doubling between 2019 and 2020.

The Twitch community watched over one trillion minutes of live content last year, with 13m people streaming for the first time. In terms of the number of viewers, Twitch now has more than 30m average daily visitors.

Dom Sacco

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.

As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.