Sunday, July 2, 2017

New Twitch app auto follows streamers

Did you know the new Twitch app for ios and android auto follows channels based on which 3 games they have to pick in the start screen?



So this is something new that I haven't seen happen on Twitch before via their app.  I loaded up the new Twitch Andriod app on bluestacks to test it out to verify. Bluestacks is a android emulator, which is very handy for testing apps.

After you login (I used a freshly created Twitch account, this may make a difference), you have to pick 3 games to follow. For my test I picked EVE Online, Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous.

Here are the listed streamers that the app automatically followed for each game:

Elite Dangerous Auto Follow Streamers:

Star Citizen Auto Follow Streamers:

EVE Online Auto Follow Streamers:


Twitch Support tweeted out the following:

Interesting keywords here is "new-user onboarding flow" which I believe for the app is to get users to quickly see the benefits of following games and streamers.

At first glance it seems to pick channels with the most viewers most followers that are currently online for the game.

Update 7/7/2017 - Its picking the top three streamers in the game directory now, not most followers.

Update 7/25/2017 - You need at least 10 Viewers to be included in the top 3 of the game. If the top channels are all under 10 viewers, no one will be auto followed.

Tip:
Knowing the above fact makes this exploitable via the vodcasting feature. If your channel has generally more viewers (total followers) then others who are currently streaming the game you will benefit from the twitch app auto follow system.

Update 7/25/2017 - The tip above is no longer available, Twitch removed Vodcast streams from follower onboarding.

Twitch Support tweeted out the following (7/24/2017):
Mobile App Vodcasting avoidance


How do you feel about the Twitch app basically follow botting certain channels? Leave a comment below, thanks!
2 comments:
  1. As a stream viewer this auto follow system is highly disruptive for both the streamers and viewers. It is also artificially generating followers that are not truly viewing the streamers they are "following". This is a very bad thing for broadcasters and viewers alike in various ways. The only entity benefitting appears to be twitch which is the evil nature of corporate greed. This practice should be halted at once but won't be I am sure.

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  2. I have been working my butt off for years to try and make my channel flourish, while gaming for kids with disease and streaming from smartphone, i have no other choice but to start following more content creators, as I have met the ratio spectrum for followers to being followed ratio. The only other way is to reach out and keep trying to gel with people of like minds. The follow app would be great if you could structure or filter your potential follows.

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