Monstercat addresses Twitch affiliate controversy

Olivia Richman Published 30/11/2020

Canadian record label Monstercat recently addressed some confusion surrounding their “Monstercat Gold” program, which appeared to allow subscribers to “fast-track Affiliate status” on Twitch.

To become an Affiliate on Twitch, content creators have to earn the distinction by having at least 50 followers, at least seven unique broadcast days in their last 30 days, and an average of three concurrent viewers or more over the span of a month. The streaming community was confused when Monstercat claimed streamers could purchase Affiliate status instead through a new promotion.

Monstercat and @Twitch are teaming up to bring fast-track Affiliate Status for #MonstercatGold subscribers! Gold provides 1000s of songs to use in your livestreams, and as an Affiliate, Twitch unlocks monetization tools for your channel!

???? https://t.co/BRUVtkNjgN pic.twitter.com/4Gaw3ExHmj
— Monstercat (@Monstercat) November 17, 2020

Two days later, Monstercat sent a follow-up tweet as confusion over the partnership mounted. The company clarified that they didn’t mean to lead streamers to believe that they could guarantee them Affiliate status.

“To clarify our original post,” Monstercat tweeted, “all current Gold subscribers must meet Twitch’s Affiliate criteria. Our goal was never to take away from the achievements that Affiliates worked for in their time streaming on Twitch.”

Monstercat stated that they will be announcing opportunities that “benefit the entire Affiliate and Partner community” in the near future.

Twitch community responds to Monstercat drama

Despite their corrective tweet, the streaming community was still skeptical of the record label. The idea of streamers paying their way to becoming a Twitch partner concerned them. Others noted that the requirements for Affiliate status are pretty low, making the payment alternative at least somewhat innocent.

Either way, people wondered why anyone would need to pay for the “Monstercat Gold” service instead of applying for the status on Twitch for free. The ongoing confusion led some more prominent Twitch community members to call on Monstercat to address the controversy.

Twitch news commentator Zach Bussey accused Monstercat of lying. He explained that Monstercat’s follow-up tweet only further confused him and others since it made it seem like streamers could initially pay to become an Affiliate on Twitch, only to be told in the clarification that this wasn’t guaranteed. So what were people even paying for?

So, Monstercat just sorta… lied?

1st Screenshot from what it used to look like (latest video on my YT channel).

2nd Screenshot from what it looks like now.

Essentially, now the deal is… buy Monstercat, achieve affiliate status, and then you can be an affiliate? Huh? https://t.co/uaR88CyZRO pic.twitter.com/0PZffubCXi
— Zach Bussey (@zachbussey) November 19, 2020

“The only way I can rationalize this is if you can STILL pay for Affiliate, BUT, Twitch is worried about trolls/ISIS/Proud Boys signing up for Monstercat and becoming affiliates… So, they are throwing SOME disclaimers in there if they need to decline people. Maybe?” Bussey said.

After the confusion, Monstercat took down their page outlining what Monstercat Gold entailed. A little while later, the page was replaced with a statement that said the offer had concluded. It also said that unhappy Monstercat Gold buyers could request a refund.

Monstercat Gold

Other Twitter users noted that Monstercat Gold’s deal never really started to begin with, given its original phrasing.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

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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