Twitch partner requirements now officially count a previously overlooked viewership figure toward a streamer’s consideration for partnership status, with viewers acquired through raids now being counted in the figures.
Twitch raids are a tool through which streamers can send viewers to another channel after their own stream ends. In doing so, creators can share viewers with other users, helping all parties connect and grow their audience. Until now, Twitch hasn’t counted raids toward a user’s viewership figures when considering them for partner status, but that’s about to change.
Twitch Global Partner Operations Team member Angela revealed raids now count towards a streamer’s viewership when replying to an X user informing people of Twitch’s partner requirements.
Eligibility to apply for Twitch’s partnership program requires users to meet the 3 requirements from the Path to Partner achievement within the same 30-day period: stream for 25 hours, stream on 12 different days, and have a concurrent viewership average of 75 viewers. Additionally, Twitch wants would-be partners to have “8 individual streams that meet the minimum requirement of 75 average viewers per 30-day period” over the two consecutive months before a user’s application. When X user @MakiIsStreaming noted that Twitch doesn’t include viewers gained through raids, Angela wrote, “We actually include raids now! We don’t want to punish the idea of networking and communities.”
As an often-requested change, the Twitch community has largely celebrated news of raids counting towards a user’s partner status. Popular Twitch streamer Chica — real name Maria Lopez — marked the occasion by offering to help smaller streamers through raids. “RAID VIEWERSHIP NOW COUNTS TOWARDS GETTING PARTNERED ON @Twitch !!!!” Chica wrote on X. “Comment your twitch [sic] channel below if you’re tryna catch a raid! I’ll be raiding small streamers after every stream. Let’s help each other out.”
Raids can be an effective tool for smaller channels aspiring to achieve partner status. Perhaps with these changes, the popular streamers will be more inclined to raid smaller channels now that they know it will make a difference. Even without such a boost from popular creators, the fact that raids count toward a streamer’s viewership may bring smaller creators one step closer to making a living off their content.