Twitch was founded in June of 2011. The community grew and grew quickly. Last year alone there was a one hundred percent increase since 2012. With the way Twitch continues to grow I see no stopping any time soon. With the growth of live streaming comes the formation of individual stream communities that often tend to blend with bigger stream communities. In summation Twitch is practically a family that only grows bigger by the day.
That being said there are streamers that would love to voice their opinions of what the community of Twitch means to them. KierzofWar, AvengersStark, and CaptainQuack101 have been streaming for a good time now. Building their own communities, each getting to know their viewers, and forming bonds and friendships from all over. While each had similar answers to what their communities meant to them they did have a small amount of differences, which goes to prove that no two streamers are the same. Each is great in their ways. From the way they interact with their viewers in chat and out, to the way they balance their game play and conversations. They are each on a positive incline with their communities.
What does the Twitch Community mean to you?
KierzofWar: “I am extremely proud of the Twitch community that my channel has. I’ve watched it grow from just a couple of people, to what it is today, and knowing that there are a load of people who come to my streams to converse with not only me, but with each other really motivates me to continue working on my channel to expand it even more. It’s not just my Twitch channel community that I’m grateful for either; throughout my streaming journey so far, I’ve come across other Twitch streamers, such as myself, who have a community just like mine. They’ve welcomed me into their family like their own, and I’m so grateful and honored to be a part of it.”
AvengersStark: “Although the Twitch community can be hostile at times, for me it is an escape from the hassles of everyday life. It doesn’t matter if I’m streaming or watching someone else’s stream, there is a feeling of togetherness among those watching even if they don’t know one another. To this day, the watch community still amazes me how everyone looks out for each other (most of the time) and for those movements we spend in chat. The community is like one big happy family.”
CaptainQuack101: “It means a great deal if after you have a bad day you can come to twitch to stream and entertain people.”
Would you agree the Twitch community is a second family? Why Or Why not?
AvengersStark: “Yes and no. I’d say there are members that are like my family, those people that come to streams regularly or who chill with off stream through third party apps like Discord. These guys are like family to me, I feel like I can turn to them for help. They support me and in return I support them.”
CaptainQuack101: “Not yet, I feel I am not as far into my career with twitch streaming but I imagine if it was to grow more it would become a great part to my life.”
KierzofWar: “I would absolutely agree that the Twitch community is a second family. At the end of the day, Twitch is a gateway for gamers like us to make friends, have fun, and even help each other through difficult times. For some people, Twitch is the only thing that allows people who are struggling in life to escape for hours on end. At the end of the day, we are gamers, we are family, because we have that base interest: Video Games!”
Why did you start streaming?
CaptainQuack101: “I wanted to start streaming as I felt it was a better way to socialize and connect with your viewers rather than through something like YouTube that at the time only provided comments.”
KierzofWar: “I started streaming just on a whim. I remember years ago that I wanted to start up YouTube and make videos of my gaming. So I bought myself an Elgato HD Game Capture, The Last of Us on PS3 (It had just come out back then) and just recorded a few sessions of me playing with commentary. After watching back the footage, I criticized myself so much that I gave up, because I felt I wasn’t entertaining enough and wouldn’t amount to anything. Fast-forward a few years, imagine an image of myself playing GTA V on PS4 with some friends; I randomly pressed the share button on my controller, and discovered the Broadcast button. I honestly had no idea it was even integrated on the PS4. So I pressed it and saw that Twitch was one of the features on there. I thought to myself “Ah what the hell!” So I began streaming, without any knowledge of what or where people could watch my broadcast. After an hour or so of streaming, I had my first ever viewer…They said “Hi” so I replied back with my voice, and we just ended up talking. A few hours later, I still had that one & only viewer, just talking to me. Eventually I ended the stream and decided to check out Twitch on my computer. I found an incredible directory of gamers streaming their gameplay. This re-sparked my interest to share my gaming with the Internet. Since then, I streamed more or less every single day, and I’ve managed to build an incredible community of friends who push me to continue streaming as they find it interesting, and a way to escape their troubles. The journey I’ve had on Twitch so far has shown me that I can make a name for myself in gaming. I will always remember my first ever stream, and I’ll always remember that moment of doubt from a few years ago, because it goes to show you that if you really commit to something you love, things WILL work out one way or another.”
AvengersStark: “I started streaming cause my friend (Louise) basically told me to, so I gave it a shot. The reason I keep streaming is, well, it’s fun but also the people as mentioned in my previous answers. It’s that small group of people there every day that makes streaming worthwhile. The growth of the community and the friendships that are being made, and that’s why I’d say starting Twitch was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
These three streamers stand out when it comes to interacting with their communities. Although a troll or two may pop in from time to time, the streamers, along with their communities who stand with them, tend to handle it very well. As you can see, they take pride in their work, and that means taking pride in their communities. Each builds an empire that eventually joins with the next. That is why Twitch stands firm with not only the viewer, but the creator as well. It brings people from all over the world together, one stream at a time.
