Twitch opted to temporarily discontinue an experimental test that displayed data on audience evolution directly within channels. This feature was initially launched for a restricted group of users but quickly drew criticism from both content creators and viewers.
The test included markers indicating the recent performance of certain streams. For example, messages such as "viewership surging" were used for channels whose audience was growing, and "keeping viewers" for those who managed to retain their viewer base.
According to Twitch itself, the purpose of this experiment was to help viewers discover new communities where they could engage. However, the way this information was presented was not well received by a segment of the community.
Some users questioned the actual utility of these labels, while others expressed concern that the system might inadvertently benefit channels that already demonstrated established audience growth.
In response to the negative feedback, Twitch admitted that the terminology used in the experiment did not accurately reflect the original intent of the feature. The platform communicated through its support channel: "We are taking the community feedback back to our teams and plan to remove these two labels while we work to improve the experience."
Although some creators praised the removal of the markers, it reignited an old debate within the platform about how content discovery should occur on Twitch. Among the objections, users argued that the platform should focus on developing tools that increase the visibility of smaller channels, rather than highlighting streams that already performed well or had high audience retention.
Currently, the two markers have been removed. Twitch has not yet provided information on the possibility of resuming the experiment with a revised methodology or on the return date of a modified version of the feature to the platform.
