Twitch plans to rope YouTubers with new tip system

Twitch is giving streamers even more ways to make money and key YouTube Gaming streamers and content creators could be pulled over to the platform.

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Since the recent controversy that caused major advertisers to break ties with YouTube, content creators are weighing their options. Amazon's Twitch platform took advantage of the situation by announcing its new revenue sharing system, which allows viewers to tip streamers via "Cheers" that use "bit" emotes. These "bits" are a virtual currency that represent actual cash values that viewers buy; prices range from 100 bits for $1.40 to 10,000 bits for $126, and even a whopping 25,000 bits for $308. Streamers, however, only earn a cent per bit.

Twitch promises that more streamers will get access to its new tipping system next week. Apart from tips, Twitch also allows streamers to sell games on their streams and gives 5% kickback for any games purchased this way. These initiatives make the platform more and more attractive for key content creators and Amazon no-doubt hopes that big-name YouTubers will jump ship and cross over to the service.

In fact, YouTube megastar Pewdiepie has started a Twitch channel called Netglow and is currently experimenting with a show called Best Club.

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out for Twitch and YouTube, and what further initiatives the Amazon-owned streaming giant will roll out in the future.