[Test] Elevated Chat
We know on some streams chat moves fast. So we're experimenting with a feature that allows viewers to Elevate their chat messages. If you're in a country with access to this feature, and on a channel in our experiment, you'll see the entry point to Elevated Chat (it's an arrow!) next to the chat input box.
Since this is an experiment, keep in mind that Elevated Chat may appear differently across channels. The experience will likely change before we fully launch to all streamers. We'd love to hear about your feedback with this feature!

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techygrrrl commented
I enjoyed this experimental feature and am sad to see that it's gone. Can we bring it back? Thanks!
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viciouspress commented
It's certainly a Novel approach? First impressions this needs to be workshopped more as this experiment just turned me off immediately from watching some of my favorite livestreams from the get (example: Guess It Won't Be Thursday yet for me Critical Role, Thanks Twitch. Yuck.) . As popular channels w/ fast moving streams of chat already appear to be affluent or engaged enough w/o adding yet Another layer of revenue just to give the viewer a feeling of connection.
At best this comes of as redundant w/ there already being plenty of already well implemented programs that allow one to get a message across by doing so (cheers, tips, etc) and not all Streamers follow a paint by numbers model when it comes how they monetize their streams w/ their communities. At worst it comes off as an act greed for Twitch the company and an act of vanity for me, the community member. Which like I said puts me off of using the service entirely. -
dee_gg commented
We need to be able to deactivate that FOR SURE. It's has been abused and will be abused again. Plus, it doesn't make sense because I don't monetize my stream that way.
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Abrampav commented
i would rather let streamers have the option to optin or opt out of this feature, i dont like where the icon for it is either because i can accidentally click on elevate chat and not the emotes and making me spend money when i dont want to.
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krux702 commented
There is a bug with it where if you put in six emotes, and then attempt to click back into the text field, to edit or whatever, you can't as the new button is over the top of where the cursor would be.
The cost of the new super chats.. er.. elevated chats seems rather high/inconsistent. I can spend $100 to have the chat elevated for two and half minutes (seems VERY short for that amount of money) But I could also just spend $5 five times for the same effect. A minimum of $5 for 30 seconds also seems expensive. That amount of time I'd expect to cost a dollar.
It'd also be better if the streamer could adjust what they'd like the dollar levels to be, or as an option use channel points.
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CaliforniaBirbs commented
"We know on some streams chat moves fast." -- Sure, but on some streams chat DOES NOT move fast. This feature is unsuitable for my slow-chat wildlife cam stream. I'm disappointed that my stream was chosen for this experiment, and would opt-out of it IMMEDIATELY if I could.
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KnightGuardFury commented
i like this feature since its similar to Super Chats on Youtube, but please lower the prices or increase the times the messages stay up. the perception of spending 5 dollars for 30 seconds of a message staying up is kind of underwhelming if you compare to youtube.
maybe 1-2 minutes for 5 dollars and also adding a 1 and 2 dollar option for lets say 10 and 20 seconds.
another thing is when we send a message, it either appears at the top of chat or below the stream, but if we are in theatre mode, it doesnt appear at all unless we exit theater mode. so your gonna need a way to make it appear over theatre mode or just make it detect when were in theatre mode so it appears at the top of chat or even just above theatre mode etc. -
BreiTling_1992 commented
Is there a way to downvote a feature? The trend to monetise everything on twitch, feels like we are no longer Community-Members, instead it feels like we are walking wallets for you. I can only talk for my self, but after seeing this mistake called "Elevated Chat", i cancelled all my subscriptions and futurely will donate regular to the streamer i want to support. The Streamer share will be better and i can be sure to not support this greedy platform ...
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MadokVaur commented
Already seen this Elevated Chat in use on one stream. Desktop web browser, 1920x1080p monitor. Chat in its default sidebar.
A long, multi-line EC covers the chat stream sidebar if it's quite long, apparently down to one regular chat line left showing at the very bottom. There's a character limit but it's quite large. So an EC with a lot of text and a long timer is going to cover chat (except for one line) until its timer goes off. For viewers, yes, there is a control to collapse the EC upward, but it's not real obvious and the collapsed EC is still multiple lines deep.
I can see this being used to dominate chat until the timer goes off. Sure, mods can (apparently - no one tested this) delete these and the buyer gets no refund, but still, I'm seeing this as a big vector for a lot of abuse.
Problem is, a lot of streamers seem to feel compelled to let people get away with abusive behavior because they've been paid money.
So IMO you're setting up a major problem for channel mods. Betting it's going to drive mods nuts trying to retain control.
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djbystedt commented
As a user, I'd prefer an interface that broke down my contribution to streamer and the price for the feature (/portion to twitch & fees) - just like bits! I'd prefer to decide my contribution to the streamer, and then decide if I'm okay with the price of that separately. As a user, it's a bad experience to spend $50, and have $20 of that actually go to the streamer! Is it $20? Is it less? More? Who knows!?
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ZachBussey commented
Simple bit of feedback: Please cover the fees so that creators aren't left in the dark as to what they actually make from this feature. If it's a 70% cut to creators, a $10 chat should very easily allow the creator to KNOW they are getting $7. That's a fair industry standard that IS creator friendly and reasonable.
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LordSupremeKara commented
Hello, I am in several channels that have this experiment turned on. I have seen a number of people comment around how the time is way too short for the dollar amount spent and especially when you compare it to other live streaming platforms with a simialr feature currently exists. It would be good if this could be controlled and capped (monetary and duration wise) by the streamer themselves to give them the control.
In addition to a number of these experiments currently do not have open/developed APIs/Alerts in a similar way that bits and subs do. Would this be created/shared if it went out of experiment mode into 'live'? There are a lot of creators on this platform that have cool and wacky alerts that is part of the reason why people use those services to support their creators.
The messages when they are in the main chat feed are bland and do not stand out other than having a small box around it. I would recomend making it so that paid message has the same highlight, as they do when they are pinned at the top. - This is what I mean https://i.imgur.com/QquFHX6.png there is nothing standing out from another chat message, but the pinned message at the top makes it more visible.
This also doesn't appear as an icon within the moderator view currently, is this going to be added?
Also I am currently in a region that is not in scope of this experiment, but I can see the icon, I get the count down if there's an active message but all I see "Ineligible for all offers" I would perfer that if I was in a region that was not in scope that I did not see the icon, or the message "Ineligible for all offers" is changed to state that it's not available in your region currently.
Having 'Ineligible' causes confusion and if people go to the Learn more link/Elevated Chat help article it's burried all the way down at the bottom.
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Saysera commented
Could you guys rename it to something like "GIGACHATS" ? not only would it be a much more catchy name, but it would translate to other languages waaaay better.
in french the translation of "elevated chat" "message surélevé" sounds REALLY bad and i assume that it risk being the same in other languages. where "giga" will be a pretty universal word.