Twitch's Unexpected Journey: From Gaming-Only to IRL Streaming

Twitch's Transformation: From Pixels to IRL. Twitch, a dominant live-streaming platform, initially enforced a strict 'video games only' policy. Streamers creatively circumvented this by broadcasting activities like playing Pokemon Go, blurring the lines of what constituted a 'game'. This contrasts sharply with Twitch's current landscape, where a wide range of content thrives. The platform's evolution is particularly interesting considering its origins. 'It was initially made to follow around one of the founders, Justin Kan, and livestream his life,' explains LukasG, a Twitch streamer. This seemingly contradictory start highlights the platform's adaptability and growth. The early restrictions, while seemingly arbitrary in hindsight, reflect a different era of online streaming. Today, Twitch's diverse content reflects the changing media landscape and the evolving preferences of its users.