What is Twitch Streaming? Becoming a Twitch Affiliate and Getting a Prime Gaming Subscription Explained

Twitch is one of the world’s most popular streaming platforms. But, what exactly does streaming on Twitch mean? How can you get a Twitch Prime gaming subscription and also become a Twitch Affiliate? Here’s everything you need to know.

It’s hard to imagine the internet without Twitch. Having unexpectedly thrived following its conception, the platform has gone on to build its very own culture spawning a whole new career form and inspiring a new way to create content.

The platform now boasts an average of 2.67 million viewers and 95.5k concurrent channels, as of writing. This includes some of the most popular names in the streaming community, such as xQc, Ibai, and Amouranth.

But, where did it all begin? What is Twitch streaming and how can you become a Twitch affiliate and get your hands on a Twitch Prime gaming subscription?

Twitch star Ninja
Before he was beaten by now-YouTuber Ludwig in 2021, Twitch veteran Ninja held the record for most Twitch subs with 269,000.

What is Twitch? A brief history

Founded in 2011, Twitch’s humble beginnings started as a sub-category for live video broadcasting website Justin.tv.

Originally, Twitch was set up for users to create content specifically centered around video games. However, by October 2013, Twitch had eclipsed its general counterpart pulling in 45 million viewers which eventually led to Twitch and Justin.tv’s parent company being rebranded as Twitch Interactive in 2014.

After the official closure of Justin.tv, things only continued to skyrocket for Twitch when the platform was purchased by Amazon for a whopping $970 million in August that year.

Eight years, thousands of creators, and countless livestreams later, Twitch still leads the field as the leading western live video game streaming platform, as reported in 2021. As a result, beating out heavy competition from its competitors YouTube Gaming and Facebook.

Content creators who are hoping to make some money through Twitch directly can get the ball rolling by becoming a Twitch Affiliate.

How to become a Twitch Affiliate

Up-and-coming streamers on Twitch can earn a handsome living earning money through ads, subs, and donations. However, if you’re looking to earn money directly from Twitch, you can become a Twitch Affiliate. But, you’ll need to meet some requirements first.

The requirements to become a Twitch Affiliate are:

  • 50 followers minimum.
  • At least 500 total minutes were broadcast in the last 30 days.
  • An average of 3 concurrent viewers or more over the last 30 days.
  • A minimum of 7 unique broadcast days in the last 30 days.

Once you meet all four of these qualifications, Twitch will invite you to become an Affiliate and earn revenue through the platform. For starters, you can be monetizing your channel with Bits–a form of virtual currency where creators can earn a “tip” for viewers who Cheer them in their chat.

Of course, you can still receive money from viewers using Twitch’s three-tier options beginning with Tier One at $4.99, Tier Two at $9.99, and Tier Three at $24.99. However, Twitch Affiliates will be expected to split any ad revenue with Twitch.

Given how Twitch is currently owned by Amazon, users can get their hands on a Prime Gaming subscription with Twitch.

How to get a Twitch Prime Gaming subscription

Twitch and Amazon users can find the perfect way to balance their subscription with gaming thanks to a Prime Gaming subscription, offering a whole host of deals and exclusive offers.

Twitch fans who use Amazon Prime will automatically be offered a subscription for free by linking up their Amazon Prime and Twitch accounts.

However, those who want to get their hands on a Twitch Prime Gaming subscription without an Amazon Prime account will have to pay $15 per month and follow these simple steps:

  1. Visit Twitch.tv, and log in to your account or create a new one if you don’t already.
  2. Click the “Try Prime” button at the top of the screen or the crown icon in the right corner. You’ll receive a message offering you a free trial.
  3. If you still want to go ahead with the full subscription, head to the top of the page and click “Activate Twitch Prime.”
  4. The screen will then take you through a series of instructions telling you how to get your account set up, including your chosen payment method.

Breaking into the Twitch community can seem like a daunting task, at first. However, our helpful guides all about the platform can help you along the way.

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