Adult site Chaturbate is looking to capitalise on Twitch’s mixed messaging by enabling their models to stream a selection of pre-approved video games.
The last year has been a difficult one for Twitch, caught between conflicting objectives and a desire to be everything to everyone. The streaming platform has frustrated many of their most popular content creators with poorly communicated rules and bans for breaking them. Now, adult streaming site Chaturbate is looking to take advantage of the situation.
Sex sells and everyone knows it. Many of Twitch’s most popular streamers have used their sex appeal to cultivate fervent followings, in much the same way that Hollywood actors and musicians use what god gave them to sell whatever it is they are promoting.
The problem for Twitch has been defining what is acceptable on a video game streaming platform that is frequented by users as young as 13. The platform’s own hesitancy has led to a lack of transparency around issues including what is appropriate to wear on a Twitch stream, what can be defined as “sexually suggestive”, and whether Twitch should be policing women’s bodies at all.
Chaturbate has no such moral dilemma; they know what they are and they know what their people want. What they haven’t had, however, is the blessing of most video game developers.
Broadcasters can now officially play video games on Chaturbate! Head to the broadcast page and add any approved game to your broadcast to begin playing. If you are a game developer, add your game to the approved list here: https://t.co/ArJ0WOmena pic.twitter.com/7Ld4uLriaC
— Chaturbate Updates (@cbupdatenews) September 28, 2021
Associations are important and many game developers/publishers are worried at the thought of being lumped in with areas as controversial as pornography and sex work. Chaturbate understands this, and have so far respected this stance by not allowing video games to be streamed on their platform. The threat of legal repercussions undoubtedly has also played a role.
However, wherever there is money to be made there is always the possibility of compromise. Chaturbate have since managed to get approval for their models to stream a number of different video game titles (mostly adult-orientated titles), and are hoping that more developers will jump on board in the future.
This development will no doubt strike a bit of fear into the hearts of the bigwigs at Twitch, although currently the risk of losing a significant portion of their userbase seems negligible. I wouldn’t be surprised to see select streamers create new accounts on Chaturbate, but a full-on migration would pose too great a risk to most creators’ bottom line.
And let’s be honest, no matter how horny you are, adult video games are pretty lame when compared to the majority of other titles on the market – even the most provocative Twitch streamers still want to play something decent.
