As I delve into Natalia’s journey from being a budding streamer to a seasoned professional, I can’t help but feel a sense of admiration and camaraderie. Her story is one that mirrors many aspiring creators who have struggled to make ends meet on larger platforms like Twitch.
It’s undeniable that Kick carries a specific reputation. Often portrayed as the ‘edgier’ streaming option, it has found itself in numerous negative headlines over various issues such as promoting toxicity, supporting controversial figures, and so on. However, conversations with those running the platform reveal a genuine desire among its workers to bring about constructive change within the industry.
In the year 2022, Kick made a powerful entrance, more like an explosion rather than a quiet appearance. By offering relaxed moderation policies and lucrative revenue-sharing deals compared to competitors such as Twitch, it immediately caught attention, drawing millions of viewers within mere months.
‘Could this upstart be the next big thing?’ many pondered. Well, not without some hardships first.
Originating from the founders of the digital casino platform Stake and aggressively endorsed by the well-known gambling live streamer Trainwreck, Kick stirred up much debate. This platform attracted several contentious personalities, including some who were banned from Twitch, such as Adin Ross. As a result, Kick frequently found itself in the midst of drama.
The experiences of some live streaming platforms have not always received favorable media attention. This can range from pranks going awry, individuals committing crimes on live broadcast, or disruptive behaviors during events. Unfortunately, these incidents have tarnished the image of this emerging business. Consequently, many popular internet personalities have decided against associating with Kick due to its ongoing challenges and controversial reputation.
Gradually taking control of the situation, the Kick team has been actively implementing new moderation tools, creating fresh categories, and speaking up strongly against the disruptive behavior of a small, vocal group. Rapid updates, comments, and adjustments are being made to reduce the influence of troublemakers on the platform.
After speaking with various members of staff directly, including eight employees in Melbourne from different teams like Engineering and even the Co-founder and CEO, Ed Craven, it’s evident that everyone involved with Kick, regardless of their specific roles, are united by a single objective.
Although it can be challenging to clearly see its path due to competition, Kick aspires to offer a generous and beneficial option within the streaming realm, fostering chances for smaller and medium-sized content creators in their struggle against Twitch’s dominance.
Learning from an imperfect start
The CEO of Kick openly admits their mistakes. Despite being a young, multi-billionaire in his late twenties, Craven exudes enthusiasm for his cherished venture, yet he’s not hesitant to confess the project’s flaws that have become apparent over time.
Initially, we entered the streaming business with the assumption that it would be straightforward – all we needed to do was set up streams, attract creators, and audiences would naturally follow. However, we soon discovered that it’s much more complex than we initially thought.
As a dedicated Runescape gamer throughout much of his youth, Craven has had a long-standing connection with the gaming and entertainment industry. Having achieved significant triumph with Stake, an internet-based gambling platform not based in his home nation, he decided to explore another arena for rivalry.
As more than just a spectator, but an actively involved figure in the field, having broadcast himself for well over a decade, Craven frequently pondered over Twitch’s decisions, wondering “What reasoning could be behind these choices?
To challenge an existing powerhouse supported by Amazon, Kick aimed to capture a portion of the market. Initially, it achieved this by highlighting its moderation and revenue advantages; however, it didn’t go as smoothly as expected at the beginning, he emphasized.
Initially, when we ventured into livestreaming, our emphasis was on minimal moderation, which proved attractive to many. However, we soon discovered that this approach requires adjustment. Indeed, our initial vision is clearly evolving now.
It’s turned out to be tougher than we initially thought, but that’s great because it’s really added excitement to the project.
Craven acknowledges that he now comprehends the reasoning behind Twitch’s methods, which seemed puzzling to him as an outside observer. In his own words, “Now it all becomes clear, doesn’t it?” He chuckled as he pondered on this realization.
Just now, Kick unveiled innovative AI moderation features aimed at enhancing the chat environment for streamers who prefer a less explicit audience interaction on their platform.
Community first
As a devoted admirer, what resonated profoundly throughout my chats with Kick’s team was their unwavering focus on fostering and uplifting the community. Beyond the catchy soundbite of distributing over “100 million” in subscription payouts, barely two years into the platform’s existence (as Craven shared), it’s clear that there’s a multitude of hidden efforts to empower creators.
On a regular basis, our engineers collaborate closely with streamers, as they work on creating innovative new features. Interestingly, several of these ideas originate directly from users who are actively participating on the platform itself. This way, the platform can continually evolve to meet its audience’s needs and preferences.
One streamer asks for quicker payouts, Craven praises the idea, passes it through the right channels, and in a matter of days Kick has fundamentally changed its payout process. That’s just one example of recent efforts brought to life on the platform in short order.
As Head of Operations Ryan Webb stated, “It’s not empty talk.” Instead, Ed represents our customer, streamer, and viewer. He’s highly engaged and attentive.
Regardless of whether it’s the head of a company or a smaller streamer, if someone has an idea they shared by Monday, we’ll discuss it and make it happen starting from next week.
You asked.
We listened.#PickKick
— Kick.com (@KickStreaming) September 25, 2024
Pushing past the stigma
Lately, Kick has faced criticism due to its connections with disturbing incidents that occurred during TwitchCon in the U.S. A previously banned streamer on Kick was found to be harassing Twitch influencers at the gathering.
Craven addressed the issue, stating, “The behavior of some users does not represent our overall platform. We’ve suspended several accounts due to breaches of our real-life streaming guidelines.
We’re consistently striving to improve our policies, with a particular focus on significant gatherings like TwitchCon, DreamHack, and more, heartfully ❤️.
— Eddie (@StakeEddie) September 24, 2024
Even today, it’s undeniable that a significant amount of work is required to differentiate legitimate users like Kick from those who misuse the platform temporarily. This was one of the reasons Australian streamer ‘heyimnatalia’ initially felt quite reluctant to explore Kick, due to similar experiences and the negative reputation associated with it.
After resuming work on content creation following motherhood, Natalia felt unsure about finding the right platform to establish herself. Although Twitch had been familiar territory in the past, she hadn’t built a large enough audience there to make a transition to full-time possible.
Looking at Kick’s enhanced revenue sharing, I gradually decided to make the switch with the hope of supporting my family from home. I started streaming for three hours on Twitch initially, but later moved to Kick. In the first month itself, I found that I could “quite comfortably” go full-time thanks to this new platform – something I hadn’t been able to achieve over a decade of trying before.
“It really opened up exactly what I needed at that time.”
Not having a clear understanding of what being a streamer on Twitch entailed, and not knowing what the experience was like, prevented me from diving in. Looking back now, I’m genuinely grateful for taking that step and wish I had done it earlier because I would have felt more at ease much sooner.
Is everything perfect on Kick? No, Natalia has some complaints and believes that changes could have been implemented earlier, but despite Kick’s tarnished reputation, she expanded to a different platform, distancing herself from the negative figures associated with it, and swiftly built a successful career there.
As a struggling gamer on Twitch, I’m no exception to the reality faced by many fellow streamers like me – striving but failing to earn a sustainable income. Natalia’s tale echoes my own experiences, and that of countless other gamers trying to make ends meet in this competitive streaming landscape.
She pointed out that, in comparison, you’re more prominent in a less competitive environment than if you were in a larger, more challenging one. It turned out to be an excellent decision for me.
Currently, Natalia is increasingly supportive of the platform due to frequent interactions with team members, including the CEO. She encourages others to emulate her approach and see past the common perceptions associated with being a Twitch streamer.
I am confident that we’ll see improvements towards safety and inclusivity. I truly wish that everyone will feel comfortable coming here freely, with no hesitations.
In his statement, Ryan Webb, the Head of Operations, emphasized that their primary concern at present is ensuring trust and safety.
Things are picking up pace around here. Keep your eyes open, there’ll be developments popping up from all directions. Rest assured, there’s a flurry of activity happening behind the scenes.
“There can only be one winner”
As it nears its two-year mark, Kick continues to be in its early stages. However, it’s already leaving a stronger cultural imprint than some previous challengers to Twitch, such as the brief-lived Mixer and the problematic Facebook Gaming.
Even though Twitch and YouTube control approximately 80% of the entire market, Kick has been consistently expanding. With hundreds of millions of watch hours each month and numerous new streamers joining, everything seems to be progressing positively according to Craven, who expressed confidence that his platform is gearing up for a prolonged competition.
“Companies are out to make as much as possible. That’s what happens when a monopoly occurs. Our goal is… We can’t let that happen. We’ve got to compete.
In case Kick doesn’t thrive, there might be a point in time when folks reminisce about the periods when they received 50% profit shares, considering those times as better ones.
As a dedicated gamer, I know how it’s been for years – Twitch is the king of streaming platforms, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change any time soon. I’ve tried other platforms like Mixer and Facebook Gaming, but honestly, they just didn’t make the cut. It’s tough for a newcomer to compete with a giant like Twitch, and it shows in their struggle to stay afloat.
From our perspective, it seems that there will be just one dominant platform in this field. At the moment, we’re striving to challenge Twitch, but realistically, only one player can emerge victorious. I don’t believe the long-term scenario allows for two main streaming platforms to coexist.
As the days go by, it’s clear that Kick is likely to surpass its competitor. This has been our expectation from the start, and I firmly stand by that belief.
“It’s up to us to challenge the competition, it’s what’s best for livestreaming in general.”
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2024-10-03 06:49