The subscription bells may toll a tad less frequently, now that Twitch has updated its rules of conduct to bring the focus back on gaming by disallowing guys and gals from parading around streams in shirtless circuses.
Viewers are still free to show up to streams with or without clothing, but the video streaming site is holding to higher standards the individuals who star in the webcasts.
"Nerds are sexy, and you're all magnificent, beautiful creatures, but let's try and keep this about the games, shall we," states Twitch in its guidelines. "Wearing no clothing or sexually suggestive clothing - including lingerie, swimsuits, pasties, and undergarments - is prohibited, as well as any full nude torsos*, which applies to both male and female broadcasters. You may have a great six-pack, but that's better shared on the beach during a 2-on-2 volleyball game blasting 'Playing with the Boys'."
While Twitch has stated it wants to keep the focus of streaming on gaming, some commentators have attempted to draw ties with the rule change to the ongoing Gamergate war that has been rocking the world of video games.
Twitch hosts channels on which gamers broadcast streams of live gameplay and users can interact with streamers via chat. Users can also subscribe to their favorite hosts, submitting donations that make it possible for many Twitch streamers who stream video games to have a reliable source of income.
To keep those subscriptions dollars coming in, Twitch streamers have often promoted their personalities and lifestyles to separate themselves from others broadcasting the same games. But now Twitch is taking a hard-line approach to hold the sexy back, even if the roof is metaphorically on fire.
"If it's unbearably hot where you are, and you happen to have your shirt off (guys) or a bikini top (girls), then just crop the webcam to your face. Problem solved. We sell T-shirts, and those are always acceptable," states Twitch.
While Twitch attempts to keep the stream free of risque content, the company behind an adult website is looking to gaming as a way to promote its brand. YouPorn is sponsoring an e-sports team to promote the adult website, but its marketing director, Braden Burns, says the effort comes from a love of gaming and says its team will don apparel appropriate for each venue.
"We'll still be taking the approach of branding any players or teams we sponsor as members of Team YP," Burns stated. "We're quite cognizant of the varied audiences that not only play these games, but watch streams, YouTube videos, and the e-sports matches, so we've tailored the brand in a way we feel is appropriate to the space."
Amazon bought Twitch in August for nearly $1 billion after Goggle's plans to purchase Twitch fell through because of antitrust concerns since it already owns YouTube.
