A new co-streaming feature on Twitch aims to simplify collaborative broadcasts and could influence how esports events are covered on the platform.
Twitch is preparing to roll out a new co-streaming feature that could change how esports broadcasts are measured. While the update won’t directly affect the viewing experience, it could reshape the business side of streaming. Here’s why that matters and what it could mean for creators, organizers, and sponsors.
The New Co-Streaming Feature Explained
Co-streaming on Twitch is currently quite fragmented. When you tune in to watch an esports event, there is usually one official broadcast and then dozens of other streams, some from creators even larger than the main channel. Most viewers prefer to follow their favorite streamer’s commentary rather than the official feed. As a result, the audience for a single event is often divided across multiple channels. You might have around 10,000 people watching in total, but only 2,000 of them counted on the main broadcast.
Twitch now wants to change that. The platform plans to aggregate viewership numbers so that audiences from co-streams also contribute to the main broadcaster’s total. For the average viewer this might sound like a small technical adjustment, but for the esports industry it could become a real game changer.
Why This Could Matter For Esports
The main impact of the feature would be felt behind the scenes. For event organizers and sponsors, aggregated viewership numbers could change how esports events are evaluated and sold. Instead of estimating total audiences across dozens of streams, they would finally have one consolidated metric to point to.
For Twitch, this approach could help strengthen its position within the esports ecosystem. By consolidating audience data, the platform gains a clearer understanding of what drives engagement and which events attract the most attention. It also allows Twitch to present itself as a more reliable partner for publishers and advertisers, offering verified audience numbers rather than scattered estimates.
For creators, however, the benefits are less direct. Most streamers will continue to host their own commentary and communities, and their audiences will still tune in for personality rather than production value. By being included in the official view count, co-streamers may indirectly contribute to a stronger overall ecosystem, one that could over time bring more sponsorships and larger events to Twitch. Twitch has also announced that the feature will come with a set of guidelines for both main broadcasters and co-streamers, ensuring that participation remains fair and consistent across the platform.
Big Impact for Small Esports
The feature appears to be aimed at major broadcasts, where dozens of creators cover the same tournament and audience numbers can easily become fragmented. However, the same system could be just as valuable for smaller competitive scenes that are more community-driven and spread across multiple channels. Games like fighting titles or newer franchises such as Marvel Rivals often rely on a network of mid-sized creators rather than one central broadcast. Aggregating their audiences could give these scenes a clearer picture of their actual reach and make them more attractive to potential sponsors. If Twitch eventually extends the feature beyond the biggest tournaments, it could help unite and professionalize these fragmented esports communities.
A Quiet Change That Could Mean a Lot
If Twitch can make the system work as intended, it could bring more consistency and recognition to a side of esports that often flies under the radar. Clearer audience numbers would not just benefit organisers and sponsors but could also give smaller competitive scenes the visibility they need to grow. It is still early to tell how widely the feature will be rolled out, yet even in its current form it points toward a more connected and measurable future for esports on Twitch.
What do you think? Do you like this change? Let us know in the comments!
