Return auto host to "live" view
Rollback the changes to auto-hosts that make them not appear in the "live" view of the channel page. It effectively removes all usefulness from auto-hosts by forcing users to seek out the creator being auto-hosted rather than seeing it by default.
We and many other creators have already seen how this negatively impacts our viewership and discoverability.
Auto-hosts have the potential to function as a community building tool that leads to a more supportive and less competitive environment. The recent change to auto-hosts completely destroys that potential.
Thanks for kicking off this conversation! Hoping we can provide a bit more context for why we decided to make this change. While manual hosts will still appear in the live view and channel carousel, we made the decision to have auto-hosts appear only in the channel carousel going forward.
As part of our ongoing research and development for the offline channel page, we conducted a number of experiments over the past year to pinpoint what was most effective in streamers using their channels to enable discovery of other streamers. This includes things like auto-hosts, manual hosts, and raids.
Auto-hosts in live view specifically were found to be confusing for new viewers, and did not result in viewers sticking around to watch the channel. We made this change to reflect viewer habits, and ultimately to prioritize manual hosts that see significantly improved discoverability.
We conducted another experiment to compare a personalized auto-host list versus the “random” order auto-host list which resulted in improved watch time on newly discovered channels, and even the ability for streamers to give more discoverability to more streamers. Because of this, we replaced the “random” setting with the new personalized setting. Now, when you select the personalized option, you can have a larger auto-host list without putting newer additions to the list at a disadvantage based on the default order.
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PrettzL commented
Auto-Hosting infrastructure is still on the Dashboard.
If you're going to remover a feature you should probably fully remove it.
In other words bring it back.
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matajavalis1973 commented
Queremos host de volta!!!!!
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LordKarmita commented
Nesecito que vuelvan los host
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olallariega commented
Gracias por esto.
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norkstyle commented
yo ya no puedo vivir sin mi host de mi gente!!! quiero que vuelvan, grande ale! :D
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BlackGirlGamers commented
Autohost helped us to surface our Twitch team members and increase their visibility & diversity on the platform. It really is a shame that this function has been discontinued.
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TheReaper15a commented
This is such a cop out. I know multiple "NEW USERS" who came to Twitch, and they loved being able to goto my channel cause it would show I was live, and watching who I was hosting via Auto Host. It's how they found a lot of the people they follow now.
Between that, and raids **** 90% of my follow list wouldn't even exist right now. The old system was fine, I'm willing to bet, that 90% of the issue was "Oh it doesn't fit withing the new Dashboard UI (most of everything in there doesn't anyways), so lets just get rid of it, and tell them it was for the betterment of new users ...
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MCPLive commented
"Auto-hosts in live view specifically were found to be confusing for new viewers, and did not result in viewers sticking around to watch the channel."
Then address THAT problem specifically. Don't completely negate the usefulness of the feature altogether; certainly your UX guys can come up with ways to make hosted streams less "confusing"
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gaymerherb commented
TOTALLY AGREED with @betweentwogays on the auto-hosting.
the new way is wack.
TWITCH STOP "FIXING" THINGS THAT AREN'T BROKEN, you weirdos :P -
BurstSecret commented
Since the Stream Keys reset, auto host has not worked for anyone in the community, it'd be great if that could be fixed.
Just as important, the old "Auto Hosting You" section was great because it would show who has you on their list & you can reciprocate by doing the same (if you choose to do so). The current "Hosting You" section says "You must go online to see who is currently hosting you" which I understand it's functionality. However, it's possible not all the names would show up because they could be hosting someone else at the moment, PLUS that's not something I'm trying to worry about or work on WHILE Live Streaming.
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BurstSecret commented
Since the Stream Keys reset, auto host has not worked for anyone in the community, it'd be great if that could be fixed.
Just as important, the old "Auto Hosting You" section was great because it would show who has you on their list & you can reciprocate by doing the same (if you choose to do so). The current "Hosting You" section says "You must go online to see who is currently hosting you" which I understand it's functionality. However, it's possible not all the names would show up because they could be hosting someone else at the moment, PLUS that's not something I'm trying to worry about or work on WHILE Live Streaming.
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TheSimArchitect commented
This makes no sense. It was working well before. I'd rather watch friends of friends streams than random people offered on the left (or main page) as my priority, and I would like for my audience to be offered my friend's streams according to my auto host list like before without having to be around to manually host them.
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Ryelis commented
I have come across so many more streams through auto-hosts and raids than anything else on this platform. To disable this and claim it's for the better is incorrect and a disservice to the small streamers. Or is it so that you could push the new feature where streamers can pay to boost their stream?
When I was new to Twitch, auto-hosts weren't confusing. It took me to a page I wanted to see and when I saw they were not live, I followed and then usually checked out the host stream. So no, I didn't stay on the host page, but instead CLICKED THROUGH TO GO TO THE ACTUAL HOSTED STREAM. So duh, no one is staying around to watch the host through the offline stream, they're going to the hosted stream directly!
To modify an appropriate Nick Fury quote:
"I recognize that the Council has made a decision. But given that it’s a stupid-a** decision, I’ve elected to make sure you know it's a stupid-a** decision." -
Phantom_Hugger commented
This is crazy Twitch Mouse, we are all a community of streamers / creators that support one another and this platform. You shutting down this user voice post by BetweenTwoGays is doing a disservice to everybody. At the end of all my streams, I thanked everyone of my supporters that host / auto-host using YOUR "Hosting You" in YOUR Twitch dashboard. Why put that there if we can't use it properly?
Hey Bob,
Can you host me? So I can see you in Twitch's "Hosting You" because Twitch broke the auto-hosting feature that doesn't show you or anybody up in Twitch's " Hosting You "!You are making no sense by not hearing out creators. You are hurting us!
Oh wait this is YOUR platform not ours.... What was I thinking?! @@One more thing from:
https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/how-to-use-host-mode?language=en_USQuote "How Hosting Can Help You Grow
Getting your peers to autohost can pay off big. We expect you to see roughly 10% growth in minutes watched if you get 10 of your peers to autohost you. As you would expect, each additional channel auto hosting you helps, and bigger channels help more than smaller channels.
When you are hosted by someone else you will see a notification in your chat and on your dashboard telling you who just started hosting you and how many viewers they connected you to. "
So I guess 10% is now 0%?
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DJNixInTheMix commented
I had 35+ streamers auto-hosting me which drove a lot of new viewers my way..... now that's done as well as the 2 teams on on where we can't have our own suggested streamers AND our teammates auto-hosted. What a sham. All in the efforts to make it harder for Affiliates to become Partners. Not to mention that Twitch can't count.... where I have double the viewers on my chat list than the number they show..... EVERY stream.
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BetweenTwoGays commented
How dare you delete our user voice which while related to this issue is a different request. How dare you stifle free speech of disenfranchised creators while letting racism and bigotry run rampant on your platform.
Twitch is a morally bankrupt company with no interest in the people who make their platform viable. Shame on Twitch. Shame on the employees who blindly go along with their ********.
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JustKally commented
I spent a good portion of time picking the people on my host list to reflect the like minded/marginalised streamers that I know my viewers would vibe with while I'm offline. What's the point if the auto host feature doesn't properly work and those people get nothing from it. Come on, Twitch - please help us out here!
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SporeRose commented
This change pretty much rendered most Twitch teams where none of the members interact with each other literally worthless.
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BetweenTwoGays commented
Twitch nerfed auto hosts so that they no longer function or count as hosts. Now they are testing a paid discoverability option by monetizing stream boosts.
We demand that Twitch return auto hosts to a functional state so that content creators have access to a free discoverability tool.
Auto hosts are crucial to smaller and mid sized creators by helping boost viewer numbers at the start of a stream which can change the trajectory of the entire stream. Twitch has removed one of the only tools for discoverability on their platform, albeit an imperfect one. If Twitch expects creators and viewers to pay for stream boosts they need to provide functional and free discoverability tools based on camaraderie and community building like Auto-Hosts.
Fix Auto Hosts now, support creators of all sizes.
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WildAnnie commented
A necessity passed off as an improvement. Auto hosting no longer fitted into the new landing page of each channel and so it was moved from 'live' to the carousel. I dislike the way that this has been 'spun' above as being for the benefit of streamers. It clearly isn't. Auto hosts on the carousel are very easily missed and not helpful for promotion of neither the host or the hosted. They are also not shown in the 'hosting' list as they are no longer 'true' hosts (made more clear by the fact that exisiting notification systems no longer pick up autohosts as hosts). This also weakens connections between streamers in different timezones who wish to support each other. I wonder how long it will be before the manual hosting is also moved to the carousel? Team hosting was also fully removed and this was never explained why - However, this is because of continued issues with it working correctly and rather than fixing, removal was the easier option? The development of the offline channel page thus far has taken huge steps backwards.
This issue should be reopened and re-addressed.