What is Twitch’s new Discovery Feed? How to use, new features, more

Eleni Thomas
Twitch Discovery Feed logo

Twitch has implemented a new discovery feed feature to encourage a more personalized experience for users. Here is everything you need to know about what it is, how it works and more.

Streaming platform Twitch has unveiled their brand new discovery feed feature. This new tool intends “to help viewers find content to enjoy quickly and help streamers get discovered, even when they’re not live.”

New thumbs up and down buttons have been introduced as well as a whole new way to engage with content on the platform.

For those eager to test out Twitch’s discovery feed, here is a full breakdown of how to use it, what it does, and how it will impact Twitch as a whole.

How does the Twitch Discovery Feed work?

First and foremost, the new Discovery Feed can be used on both live stream content or when catching up on VODs.

The feed shows users a mix of personalized content from streamers they already engage with, as well as recommending communities and content creators based on previous search and watch history.

There are two tabs included with the discovery feed: One for live feeds and one for clip feeds. As stated in the blog post, navigating between the two is a simple process.

“Scroll vertically through preroll-free previews of live streams in the feed and tap the streamer’s avatar to enter theater mode and join the live stream. We’re working on making it possible to enter a live stream just by tapping the screen in the near future.”

The blog also explains, “The clips feed lets you browse top moments from across Twitch, so you can discover content from streamers even when they’re not live. See someone you want to come back to later? You can follow streamers directly from the feed and sign up to be notified next time they go live. If they happen to be live while you’re scrolling, you can click on their avatar to enter their stream.”

To further encourage users to use their Discovery Feed, Twitch has implemented new thumbs up and thumbs down buttons to “let viewers signal what type of content they want to see more or less of in their personal feed.”

Does the Twitch Discovery Feed include ads?

One notable aspect of the new feature that has already been garnering attention is the existence of ads when scrolling through the feed.

Twitch confirmed that while ads will appear when scrolling, “the discovery feed lets you preview dozens of live streams without having to watch pre-roll ads before you even know if the stream is the right fit for you.

You will see ads between content in the feed as you scroll, but these ads are scrollable just like any other content in the feed, to ensure a non-intrusive experience.”

Twitch added that they may “continue to experiment with exactly how ads show up in the feed over time.”

If you’re looking to discover new streamers to watch, you can check out the most popular Twitch streamers here.

About The Author

Eleni is a Melbourne-based journalist. Having completed her Bachelor's in communication (Journalism) at RMIT University, Eleni is now a Senior Writer for the Dexerto Australia team. A big Nintendo fan (with a Triforce tattoo to prove it) and a lover of the zombie genre, Eleni covers gaming, entertainment as well as TV and movies for the site. She is also passionate about covering Queer and female representation. Contact Eleni at eleni.thomas@dexerto.com