Twitch to end big streamer deals after unsustainable “bidding war” with Kick & YouTube

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy says the platform is phasing out lucrative streamer deals after getting into a “bidding war” with rivals Kick and YouTube.

Streamers hoping to cash in on a big contract from Twitch could soon be out of luck with YouTube also reportedly moving in a similar direction as the Amazon-owned platform.

After years of Twitch dominance as the top streaming platform, Kick and YouTube made waves by signing some of the site’s biggest names to both exclusive and non-exclusive deals, leading to bidding wars for talent.

As YouTube scooped up huge names like TimTheTatman and Ludwig, Kick made blockbuster deals with xQc, Amouranth, and others, but according to Twitch’s new CEO, the strategy is unsustainable.

Twitch & YouTube reportedly ending ‘unsustainable’ streamer deals

In an interview with Bloomberg, Twitch Chief Executive Officer Dan Clancy said the platform will be avoiding huge streamer contracts after years of offering reported seven and eight-figure deals.

Clancy explained that this strategy came with some drawbacks. “[It] created this bidding war, and I don’t think that’s a sustainable business,” he said at the 2023 TwitchCon event.

That’s not all. According to the report, two individuals familiar with YouTube’s strategy said the company will follow Twitch in moving away from signing talent to big deals.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t appear that Kick will take the same approach, having just recently announced that NICKMERCS and rapper Tyga have joined the site.

Kick may be dialing back on multi-million dollar signings slightly, however, as the Stake-backed platform implied that Dr Disrespect’s $50M contract demand was too rich and negotiations broke down.

As Twitch moves away from deals, the site announced it was removing multi-stream rules and streamers can now simulcast on any streaming platform, meaning creators can broadcast on Kick and YouTube at the same time.

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