I have been streaming since 2016. At 45 years old I didn't even know if I would be laughed off the platform (and trust me, it was brutal those first few years, but I stayed strong). 7,000 Followers later (which ik is still a small streamer) I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish and all of the viewers that come back and tell me that I was there to help them through tough times. This was all my son's idea when he was 14 and he's off to college soon!
But to the point, years later and countless hours I finally had to hang it up because I lost my career in printing and I simply can NOT justify streaming with all of the financial hardships our household is under right now. Twitch (Amazon) still finds a way to justify taking 50% from a streamer at my level? I can't stream for 4 hours and worry if my small amount of viewers (12-15 avg.) are constantly able to fill the void left by a multi billion dollar company (let's not even address Jeff's net worth). Could you pay Streamers a flat rate based on a metric? Low key urging viewers for support has just become vile - I can't do it anymore. I don't do that per se, but they know that you know that they know you need revenue. Could we audition like actors? Earn based on talent, not just 'hours streamed' and viewers on any given stream? Can we get an agents split? An agent takes what 10-15%? 80 - 20 is more then fair. Work with us please. I feel like Twitch is slowly dying for smaller streamers that are not flush with outside income and what's left will simply be the XQC's and the like or the 1% who can afford to stream as often as they like without a financial worry to be found. This at least need to be a discussion. Things need to change. We don't need a streamers union (wait, do we?) just a fair agreement going forward.