In a packed 2026 for Kick so far, here are the highlights
Livestreaming platform Kick has had a remarkable start to 2026, seemingly releasing major new features on a monthly basis. These are all designed to improve and enhance the user experience, but it also points towards a conscious strategy change.
Kick was initially marketing itself on providing creators with fewer restrictions compared to other platforms and giving viewers a seamless experience. However, the platform is trying to expand, and Kick has made a concerted effort to introduce some headline features in the last six months. Some of the major additions include ads, creator tools, and esports partnerships. This shows that Kick may have started off as simply a rival for Twitch, but it is now evolving towards a profitable model and a recognized platform in its own right.
Kick is prioritizing both creators and users
In 2022, Kick entered the livestreaming industry with a creator-focused model, where streamers were given a 95-5 split. This is a major reason Kick became famous, and several popular streamers made the switch from Twitch and YouTube, including some of the top casino streamers. Kick also provided viewers with a better experience, as the platform had no ads. This combination made it an instant hit among users, and in just three years, Kick has recorded 100 million users.
Image credit: Kick
Kick took to social media this week to highlight the company’s year so far, and these are the notable changes. The biggest ones for creators may be ad monetization and creator analytics. The former opens up another revenue stream for creators, and the latter allows streamers to understand their stream performance and metrics. A common complaint among streamers has been that Kick’s mobile app isn’t great. Kick resolved this issue by releasing the Go Live app, which lets a creator livestream from anywhere using just their mobile phone.
The platform has also introduced additions for viewers, including Badges, Daily Rewards, Drops, Kick Levels, and longer clips. The badges, rewards, drops, and levels are interactive features that allow viewers to get rewards for using or watching streamers on Kick. Longer clips are a must-request feature that allows viewers to share memorable moments from broadcasts.
Although Kick is still catering to its users, there is speculation in the community that the platform may start focusing more on monetization — as seen with the release of ads.
Our view: Kick may be shifting to a revenue-focused model, but it will need to continue to focus on users
Kick has introduced ads, which were largely avoided initially because they may ruin the viewing experience. The platform’s co-founder, Eddie Craven, had talked about ads being inevitable and stated they would be as unintrusive as possible. Despite this, viewers and even creators were outraged when the platform started testing adverts on certain streams.
Kick has also stopped signing larger deals and stopped encouraging gambling content; two things are something Kick has become known for over the years. This shows that Kick is trying to expand, and Eddie Craven stated that big deals removed the incentive for creators to innovate. Riot Games has also recently partnered with Kick, displaying its trust in the platform by allowing it to broadcast official content.
Despite Kick’s success and initial drive to be known as a competitor to Twitch, the platform is starting to come out of the shadow of the more established platform. Given the great changes already seen in the first-half of 2026, it will be interesting to watch the platform’s moves for the rest of the year and beyond.
Image credit: Kick
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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