For the longest time, if you wanted to set up some sort of co-streaming, you had to pretty much wing it. Mostly by using 3rd party services, that didn’t always work how you intended them to. Eventually Microsoft’s streaming platform, Mixer was able to bring this to the forefront. However, those who stream on Twitch didn’t have an official solution for co-streaming. That is, until now – Squad Stream. Which was recently announced during the opening keynote at TwitchCon 2018 and their own answer to co-streaming.
Squad Stream will allow up to four streamers to co-stream at the same time and on the same channel. The chat for the stream will be selectable by the viewers as well. So if all four the streamers are your favorite, you can simply go to any chat that you please. This new feature will also be available on browsers and mobile apps for Twitch.
Twitch states that this new feature will be available later in 2019. With select streamers getting the chance to check it out ahead of time.
Go live on Twitch with up to three other streamers, all in a single view.
Squad Stream rolls out in 2019. pic.twitter.com/UIkbSmNIBI
— Twitch (@Twitch) October 26, 2018
In addition to Squad Stream Twitch also plans to roll out a highlight editor. This will let streamers create their own highlights made up of their streams. This will be live in Jan. 2019. Followed up by new sections of the Twitch homepage that will be used to highlight up and coming streamer – something this sorely needed right now. As well as highlighting new affiliate and partnered streamers. All of which sounds like Twitch is starting to ramp up their streaming game.
Should Mixer and YouTube be worried right about now?
Source: Twitch blog