I've wanted to write this for a while and for whatever reason it always got pushed back but now seems like a better time than any.
I've been an active viewer and support of Twitch ever since I worked on my old gaming website (in a former life). This was several years before Twitch really was a thing and while I'm a nobody in those parts just a viewer, I've observed how the medium has grown. The channels I've watched have evolved seeing where live gaming interaction and community has unfolded. When we look at gaming it has always been a fantastic voyage of creative and interactive entertainment, with community and transformative media being the next level. Twitch being a billion dollar investment on Amazon's part has generated millions in profits ever since. As much of a leap as this has been, the live streaming gig still has yet to be a widely adopted by the gaming masses.
What I'm saying is, despite all this, it's still a niche form of entertainment.
Even in this bubble which has been for many a journey of a hobby transmuted into job creation, it has invited an inevitable level of entrepreneurship. The live streaming gig is broadening more and more. I'm surprised to see all forms of mediums that have transpired; creative, art, coding, crafts, music and now IRL (in real life). I can see (projecting) IRL transforming or rather extending into real live debate on real and fringe topics (not entertainment) some of which Youtube has mostly had the advantage on. While Youtube initially started this medium it failed to captivate the live aspect. To this day continuing to fail where others have innovated, cultivating genuine warming community.
So let's get to the point.
Over this time many have transcended a hobby into a lifestyle that provides income, varying from basic to substantial levels. Whether some like to admit it or not, it's a business. A micro or small business at best for the large majority of content creators who live stream today. My focus is and always has been toward the smaller content creator. If you're like me and have observed this develop, you'll know that behind the scenes the struggle is real. If donations are low or subscriptions are not at sufficient and consistent numbers one is led to extremes into what are known as subathons and 24 hour + marathons. The other side of that is to take a part-time job to supplement.
I admire this bravery to break the norms and define the new but with that said there's still a mental block that truly prevents one from excelling to above and beyond levels. The first step was initially taken but the step proceeding was not met. It's often said that "subs don't matter" and that "donations are never expected but always appreciated". The reality is bills will always need to be paid. As a content creator and small business owner myself, I get these things. I really do. It requires additional levels of self-governance and determination to think outside of the box to stay afloat. The alternative is to quit and go back inside the box. The "grind" (a gaming reference for crawling/filler/levelling up) becomes a meta-game in itself. "Get the sponsorships, work the social media, do the networking" blah blah. Do not get me wrong, those things are an essential part of any business but there are other options and one many are not seeing or worse, refusing to see.
While I've been wanting to write this for ages and never did, I will be as of now writing a series of these types of post to encourage live streamers and those I support to take the time to look beyond the box, taking advantage of the many things the "new" internet is offering.
Why?
Cause Steemit needs growth and diversity. With that, there's more a legit reason to visit Planet Steemit as THE social media and content platform.
So where are you going with all this?
As I continue to observe and learn (specifically as I'm writing this) I've been pleasantly surprised to see many streamers take advantage of cryptocurrencies. While some were initially passionate about it, I slowly saw that diminish to non-existence over time. Now and again it will be mentioned but never in a way that is embracing or encouraging to both their own self-esteem and their audiences.
I'd like to see that excitement spark back.
Twitch has for a long time, if not always accepted Bitcoin and Coinbase payments for subscriptions. Something I've used many times. However, it's never been widely adopted by the majority. How do I know this? Through observation. Many streamers are dumbfounded to know this option at the checkout even exists and viewers in chat are none the wiser. In addition, I'm more surprised and stunned as to why this was never an implemented feature in streaming alert programs and services.
Surely it's a no-brainer? It's not like any of those types of services are in any form of lack to research and develop this. They have literally made millions in their time of operation. Taking donations in fiat is one thing, it's another to accept cryptocurrencies. Even adding a public wallet address in the channel description can go a long way. I've seen the odd few viewers mention they would have donated bitcoin had there been an option. They just never brought it up with the streamer cause it's never been a point of discussion.
Let's take a look at the advantages of this. I feel this has been massively under-viewed and ignored.
Here's a fantastic example by Julian Assange...
"My deepest thanks to the US government, Senator McCain and Senator Lieberman for pushing Visa, MasterCard, Payal, AmEx, Mooneybookers, et al, into erecting an illegal banking blockade against @WikiLeaks starting in 2010. It caused us to invest in Bitcoin -- with > 50000% return."
https://twitter.com/JulianAssange/status/919247873648283653/photo/1
- JulianAssange
If you're new to all this you'll be thinking, "I have bills to pay". Of course. We all do and if you're strategizing things right, you can certainly hodl (hold) long enough to make a bit of return and cash out the rest for your living expenses. Over time that money would have increased dramatically for you. A way more advantageous effort than holding fiat USD and GBP. There's a myriad of other currencies a content creator can accept for the purpose of tipping. With that said this is just one aspect. Looking at this on the surface it's simply about making money but beyond that, it invites one to step into a greater power of their being. Self-governance. Cryptocurrency makes an individual a bank, not reliant on any external or centralised service or body.
Looking into Discord channels created by Twitch streamers I'm pleasantly surprised to see such growing interest, with activity and knowledge way beyond what I know. I'm even seeing on the Twitter more dialogue. But this is few and far between, specifically not in a way that is reflective of the marketing and business side of the content creator.
Where can this go?
The bigger picture I see for live stream gaming and creative communities are for them to step into a larger more pro-active role, taking their exist sharing economy community to the next level. If you don't understand what I just said, I'd encourage you to spend time on Twitch and see how small to medium streaming communities spread the love. From donation to gifting, it is very much a sharing economy to some degree.
I'm not the best writer by any means but this is my voice, my expression, and wanted to start this type dialogue, leaving the intention out there.
I will be writing more posts around this to create stimulation and hopefully invite live streamers to adopt cryptocurrency and more specifically Planet Steemit. No doubt even at this stage in both the cryptocurrency and live streaming world we are in the early adopter stages, just as those who got in during the JustinTV days were early (early) adopters.