Korean streamers concerned with Twitch shutdown
Twitch will not be in South Korea in 2024.
Twitch CEO Dan Clancy recently announced that the streaming platform will no longer be operating in Korea starting on February 27, 2024, due to high costs. This decision was made after the company spent “several years” figuring out how to make it more financially viable.
Apparently, the network fees in Korea are “10 times higher” than they are in many other countries.
Where will Korean streamers go?
Clancy stated that he wanted the streaming transition to be smooth for Korean streamers, explaining that Korean streamers will be able to use the notification feature on Twitch to post links to wherever they choose to stream next.
“In addition, we plan to discuss with the relevant companies to see if there is anything we can do to help with transferring the community to other services,” Clancy added.
It’s too early to know where Korean streamers will end up livestreaming next, but Kick is already welcoming the country with open arms. In response to Twitch’s announcement, the controversial crypto-funded streaming platform stated that Korean streamers “have a home on Kick.”
Meanwhile, Korean streamers are worried about the future of their content creation career. Some have expressed that they have “lost their job.”
Stated Clancy: “I want to reiterate that this was a very difficult decision and one we are very disappointed we had to make. Korea has always and will continue to play a special role in the international esports community and we are incredibly grateful for the communities they built on Twitch.”
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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