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Twitch has rolled out several major updates in mid-2025, focusing on improving the viewer and streamer experience through new tools, features, and platform enhancements.[1][2][4]

Platform Upgrades:

  • 2K Streaming: Twitch now allows select Partners and Affiliates to stream at 1440p resolution with higher bitrates and new HEVC coding, enhancing stream quality and stability. This feature moves out of closed beta and is now in wider open beta.[1][4]
  • Rewind Streams: A new rewind option lets viewers go back in a live broadcast and catch up without missing action, with broader testing scheduled for summer 2025.[1]
  • Dual Format & Vertical Streaming: Twitch is piloting dual-format streams, automatically switching from landscape to vertical view on mobile devices, tailored for mobile and tablet audiences.[1][4]
  • Clipping Tools: Upcoming enhancements include intelligent clip suggestions, less disruptive viewer clipping, clip reactions, and a Clip Leaderboard allowing for exclusive channel badges and rewards.[1]
  • Watch Streaks Expansion: Viewers will soon be able to maintain Watch Streaks on a channel by engaging with clips or VODs, not only live broadcasts.[1]
  • Button and Font Refresh: Twitch has updated the platform UI with rounded buttons and a new font for usernames, refreshing the look and feel.[6]

Monetization & Community:

  • Picture-in-Picture Ads: Twitch now tests non-intrusive picture-in-picture ads, allowing streams to remain visible during ad breaks, reducing viewer disruption.[2]
  • Treasure Train Subscription Discount: The new “Treasure Train” feature offers up to 35% off Tier 1 subscription bundles, making it more affordable for viewers to support streamers.[2]
  • 100-Hour Storage Limit: Highlights and uploads now have a 100-hour limit, impacting how long creators can store these on their channel.[2]
  • Customizable Sub Gift Promotions and Combos: Streamers can offer personalized subscription gift bundles and use new interactive features to boost channel activity and engagement.[4]

Events & Community News:

  • Summer Drops Fest 2025: The annual event runs through July, granting viewers free in-game cosmetics and items for watching streams across top games like Delta Force, Street Fighter 6, and Pokemon. Sub Drop campaigns require new or gifted subscriptions (not Prime subs).[3][5]
  • IShowSpeed’s Return: Popular IRL streamer IShowSpeed returned to Twitch in July 2025, quickly reaching 1 million followers, highlighting a trend of creators returning or multi-streaming after exclusive contracts on other platforms expire.[7]

Twitch’s Market Position: The platform maintains over 60% market share in gaming livestreaming, with 46 million hours of daily viewership and growing popularity in regions like MENA, where 209+ million hours were watched in 2024.[4]

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