Rebekah D. August 19, 2019
Over the past few days, streamers signed up with streaming platform Twitch have been receiving emails inviting them to sign up for early access to a new type of platform currency.
Without an official announcement from Twitch however, many streamers have gathered on social media to share concerns about the legitimacy of the message.
The email itself starts with an introduction to “Channel Points,” a feature that would allow viewers to stream to earn points and use them to gain access to various perks for that channel. The point system sounds very similar to Mixer’s Spark points, which can be earned for every minute of time spent watching. The points can then be used on bonuses within that channel, acting as a loyalty system.
With the increasing popularity of Mixer rising, and with many streamers already implementing a similar system on Twitch with the use of plug-ins, it does seem likely that Twitch would be starting their own system to rival Mixer.
However, with the email being sent as a Google template, and with no official announcement from the company, many are doubting the message’s integrity. It also asks users to sign up with their email and username for a chance for early access to the new system, leaving many to wonder if the email is a phishing scam.
Some users also pointed out on social media that the email address listed in the message used a slightly different format to those usually received from Twitch, further adding to the suspicion surrounding the message. Other users have disputed this however, claiming that the email address is one that they’ve seen in the past.
At the time of writing, Twitch have not commented on the email causing suspicion with their customers. If confirmed, it seems many are eager to try the Channel Points system and would be much more willing to sign up.