48 votes

Twitch Prime will no longer provide ad-free viewing

33 comments

  1. [2]
    teaearlgraycold
    Link
    The only interesting part, their justification: Individual streamers always say that ad views give them pretty much no income. So I assume this is BS and Twitch itself wants more money.

    The only interesting part, their justification:

    But…why?

    Advertising is an important source of support for the creators who make Twitch possible. This change will strengthen and expand that advertising opportunity for creators so they can get more support from their viewers for doing what they love. We want Twitch to remain a place where anyone can enjoy one-of-a-kind interactive entertainment, and ads allow us to continue making Twitch the best place for creators to build communities around the things they love and make money doing it.

    Individual streamers always say that ad views give them pretty much no income. So I assume this is BS and Twitch itself wants more money.

    45 votes
    1. Crocodile
      Link Parent
      First Netflix, now Twitch

      First Netflix, now Twitch

      3 votes
  2. [14]
    RapidEyeMovement
    (edited )
    Link
    Basically there are too many prime subscribers already. So they were not making enough money off of them by bundling it with Amazon Prime. Now they need to turn on the add the revenue stream on...

    Basically there are too many prime subscribers already. So they were not making enough money off of them by bundling it with Amazon Prime. Now they need to turn on the add the revenue stream on again.

    To get add free streaming you not need to get Twitch Turbo only $8.99 / Month

    Why do I have prime again?

    20 votes
    1. [3]
      Douglas
      Link Parent
      Spotify has a better music library Netflix has a better video library/exclusives Libby/my library has a better digital library I'm a patient man/don't need 2 day shipping on the stuff I'm...
      • Spotify has a better music library
      • Netflix has a better video library/exclusives
      • Libby/my library has a better digital library
      • I'm a patient man/don't need 2 day shipping on the stuff I'm typically getting through Amazon
      • I don't really like Bezos in general/wish they hadn't bought Washington Post

      ...yeah I might be done with Prime.

      14 votes
      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. Douglas
          Link Parent
          Oh they've been doing great reporting, and it's just a small quibble, I just don't trust them now to be at all impartial to anything that benefits Amazon/will take any negative reporting they do...

          Oh they've been doing great reporting, and it's just a small quibble, I just don't trust them now to be at all impartial to anything that benefits Amazon/will take any negative reporting they do about Amazon with a grain of salt.

          I'm pretty sure it happened with the Kochs and their donations to NPR-- ever listen to the interview Freakenomics did with them? Softball questions all the way that just made me sick. I just can't trust NPR to be impartial to them either.

          1 vote
      2. Krael
        Link Parent
        I haven't had a package arrive within 2 days in months. I don't particularly care about Twitch, but this thread has given me the motivation to cancel Prime.

        I'm a patient man/don't need 2 day shipping on the stuff I'm typically getting through Amazon

        I haven't had a package arrive within 2 days in months. I don't particularly care about Twitch, but this thread has given me the motivation to cancel Prime.

        4 votes
    2. [4]
      EscReality
      Link Parent
      free shipping and streaming?

      free shipping and streaming?

      10 votes
      1. [3]
        Gaywallet
        Link Parent
        People keep complaining that the price of prime keeps going up, but some years I pay for my entire year of prime with a single heavy, large object's shipping cost.

        free shipping

        People keep complaining that the price of prime keeps going up, but some years I pay for my entire year of prime with a single heavy, large object's shipping cost.

        15 votes
        1. [2]
          EscReality
          Link Parent
          I put a lift kit on my Jeep last year and added some heavy steel aftermarket bumpers. I bought every part with prime and literally saved thousands in shipping costs. UPS Literally dropped a pallet...

          I put a lift kit on my Jeep last year and added some heavy steel aftermarket bumpers. I bought every part with prime and literally saved thousands in shipping costs. UPS Literally dropped a pallet off at my house with new bumpers and I didnt pay a penny.

          I also live pretty rurally so I do a lot of my normal shopping on amazon, I save around $100 a month. Not to mention I have a firestick that I use to stream with and watch netflix. People complaining about prime just don't utilize it.

          10 votes
          1. Gaywallet
            Link Parent
            Agreed. Or they don't make the cost/benefit analysis to figure it out. Even if I only bought stuff that I didn't need immediately, and was only counting the gas and time I'd save from a trip to...

            People complaining about prime just don't utilize it.

            Agreed. Or they don't make the cost/benefit analysis to figure it out.

            Even if I only bought stuff that I didn't need immediately, and was only counting the gas and time I'd save from a trip to the store, I'd more than pay for prime over the course of a year.

            9 votes
    3. [6]
      pleure
      Link Parent
      To harm Amazon's profit margin.

      Why do I have prime again?

      To harm Amazon's profit margin.

      4 votes
      1. [6]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. [5]
          pleure
          Link Parent
          Yeah, I'd be interested in a more in-depth economic analysis of how Amazon the store functions. I'm pretty sure they're still losing money on it (hence my first comment), but you're right in that...

          Yeah, I'd be interested in a more in-depth economic analysis of how Amazon the store functions. I'm pretty sure they're still losing money on it (hence my first comment), but you're right in that increasing their market dominance is itself valuable.

          4 votes
          1. [3]
            Gaywallet
            Link Parent
            If you lose money on prime, but attract more business, you make up for it in the profit you make on the items you sell. It's a win-win situation. Either people buy more from you instead of...

            If you lose money on prime, but attract more business, you make up for it in the profit you make on the items you sell.

            It's a win-win situation. Either people buy more from you instead of competitors, or they pay for something they don't use.

            5 votes
            1. [2]
              pleure
              Link Parent
              I think amazon takes a loss on items it sells though, possibly just because of the two-day shipping.

              I think amazon takes a loss on items it sells though, possibly just because of the two-day shipping.

              2 votes
              1. Gaywallet
                Link Parent
                Some, perhaps. Not all.

                Some, perhaps. Not all.

                2 votes
          2. Luna
            Link Parent
            Their customer service has to cost them a fair amount of money. I accidentally ordered over $100 of stuff to my old apartment. They just refunded me the entire amount so I could buy it at my new...

            Their customer service has to cost them a fair amount of money. I accidentally ordered over $100 of stuff to my old apartment. They just refunded me the entire amount so I could buy it at my new address, they didn't even ask me to have the old apartment mark it as return to sender. I was expecting to be SOL, but they bent over backwards for me.

            1 vote
  3. [6]
    frank
    Link
    Not only that, Amazon is no longer giving a discount for new game preorders, just a $10 account credit when pre-ordering certain games. They killed Best Buy's Gamers Club Unlocked, and now I bet...

    Not only that, Amazon is no longer giving a discount for new game preorders, just a $10 account credit when pre-ordering certain games. They killed Best Buy's Gamers Club Unlocked, and now I bet they're going to make sure every game Best Buy offers a credit on, they will.

    End of an era, the day my GCU expires will be a sad day indeed

    16 votes
    1. [2]
      musa_totter
      Link Parent
      I'm still seeing 20% discounts on a number of preorders. Is this only for titles that are just being added?

      Amazon is no longer giving a discount for new game preorders

      I'm still seeing 20% discounts on a number of preorders. Is this only for titles that are just being added?

      5 votes
    2. [2]
      JuniperMonkeys
      Link Parent
      Aw, damn. I had seen that in the email Twitch sent, but thought it might apply to Twitch-only subscribers. I guess that's the end of the road for my Prime subscription, since game discounts were...

      Aw, damn. I had seen that in the email Twitch sent, but thought it might apply to Twitch-only subscribers. I guess that's the end of the road for my Prime subscription, since game discounts were the only benefit I used with any regularity.

      1. frank
        Link Parent
        I like same-day shipping too much to outright cancel my prime, but this is definitely a big blow to its usefulness.

        I like same-day shipping too much to outright cancel my prime, but this is definitely a big blow to its usefulness.

    3. Gaywallet
      Link Parent
      Even though I was primarily a PC gamer, I too am sad to see this go. We are seeing a lot more indie games release at lower price points though, so I'm hoping we'll see pressures to drop prices or...

      Even though I was primarily a PC gamer, I too am sad to see this go. We are seeing a lot more indie games release at lower price points though, so I'm hoping we'll see pressures to drop prices or do sales more often.

  4. DonQuixote
    Link
    Welcome to Cable Version 2.0

    Welcome to Cable Version 2.0

    7 votes
  5. [5]
    starchturrets
    Link
    What is it with "premium" services and reintroducing ads? What's next -- youtube red? Reddit?

    What is it with "premium" services and reintroducing ads? What's next -- youtube red? Reddit?

    6 votes
    1. [2]
      thisonemakesyouthink
      Link Parent
      The worst is the people defending netflix on this. "Oh, it's only their content and only at the end of a show and-"

      The worst is the people defending netflix on this. "Oh, it's only their content and only at the end of a show and-"

      6 votes
      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. thisonemakesyouthink
          Link Parent
          Still annoying and ridiculous in a payed product.

          Still annoying and ridiculous in a payed product.

          9 votes
    2. hightrix
      Link Parent
      I'm assuming you haven't used the redesign? It is entirely about pushing as many ads as possible.

      Reddit

      I'm assuming you haven't used the redesign? It is entirely about pushing as many ads as possible.

      4 votes
    3. StellarV
      Link Parent
      It makes it easier to normalize it if all the major services reintroduce ads at the same time. People won't boycott everything.

      It makes it easier to normalize it if all the major services reintroduce ads at the same time. People won't boycott everything.

      1 vote
  6. Taco
    Link
    The real question is, will streamlink users see ads?

    The real question is, will streamlink users see ads?

    1 vote
  7. [3]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [2]
      musa_totter
      Link Parent
      I believe they change you to a different card whose only difference is that you only get 3% back on Amazon purchases instead of 5%

      I believe they change you to a different card whose only difference is that you only get 3% back on Amazon purchases instead of 5%

      1 vote
      1. Fin
        Link Parent
        amazon's antics have been amping up. Now with twitch prime no longer blocking you from ads? I don't even watch twitch anymore, they drove me away with all the camwhores on IRL. The drama is all...

        amazon's antics have been amping up. Now with twitch prime no longer blocking you from ads? I don't even watch twitch anymore, they drove me away with all the camwhores on IRL. The drama is all prevalent in twich chat so you can only avoid it by going to smaller channels. But if I'm getting ads now? No thanks.

        1 vote
  8. [2]
    Ellimist
    Link
    I'm not a fan of this at all. I don't watch Twitch all that often and honestly, it's primary use has been for downloading add ons to WoW but now I have to wonder how long before they restrict mods...

    I'm not a fan of this at all. I don't watch Twitch all that often and honestly, it's primary use has been for downloading add ons to WoW but now I have to wonder how long before they restrict mods to their own subscription service as opposed to it being just a part of Twitch and freely accessible. I know I can use Curse Forge but I appreciate how seamless Twitch has made it.

    1. hightrix
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Same. I don't use twitch often, but I do use it occasionally. Back before the prime integration, I tried watching a couple of streams only to be interrupted by ads and I stopped using it...

      Same. I don't use twitch often, but I do use it occasionally. Back before the prime integration, I tried watching a couple of streams only to be interrupted by ads and I stopped using it completely. Once prime was included from Amazon prime, I actually would watch streams from time to time.

      This change ensures I won't watch anything on twitch. Oh well, no big lose.

      2 votes