Amazon Launches Twitch Prime
Ever since e-market goliath Amazon.com bought the game-streaming website Twitch, people have been wondering how the acquisition would affect the smaller site. We got a loud answer today when the curtain was pulled back and Twitch Prime was revealed.
Is Amazon going to make people pay for Twitch services that used to be free? Not at all. All the bonuses Twitch Prime offers are additional and optional, and the subscription is part of Amazon Prime (so if you already have Prime, you’re a member here too). Twitch representative Robin Fontaine explained the benefits in a new blog post:
As a Twitch Prime member, you get free game loot every month, like instant access to the newest Hearthstone hero, Tyrande Whisperwind, or the new indie game, Streamline. You also receive discounts on new-release box games sold by Amazon during the pre-order period and for the first two weeks after launch. And on Twitch, once you link your Amazon Prime account to your Twitch account, you get an ad-free viewing experience, exclusive emotes and chat badge, and one free channel subscription every 30 days. When Twitch Prime members use their free channel subscription every month, the streamer gets paid just like any other subscription, so this introduces a new way to help support the streamers you love, even if you’ve never subscribed before.
Most of these features are identical to an already-existing premium subscription program on Twitch called “Turbo.” Amazon confirmed what everybody was thinking and said Twitch Prime would eventually be replacing Turbo, but not immediately. They will continue the Turbo program for an unspecified period of time, but are recommending everyone switch over to Twitch Prime voluntarily for now.