X enters the streaming wars with new affiliate program to compete with Twitch & Kick

Social media platform X is competing with the likes of Twitch and YouTube after officially launching an Affiliate program to sign content creators with non-exclusive contracts.

Ever since Kick broke onto the scene in 2023, competition has been steadily rising in the broadcasting space.

More recently, creators have been debating the idea of multi-streaming to several platforms at once… and now, X is entering the fray as a serious contender.

On September 12, 2024, news broke that X, formerly Twitter, is starting to collaborate with broadcasters like Esfand, who streamed OTK’s Top Streamer event on the social platform.

A quick look at X Gaming’s profile shows a number of broadcasters under its banner, including chess GM Hikaru Nakamura, Esfand, 100 Thieves’ Castro, and Fortnite pro MrSavage, among others.

In total, there are 31 streamers under X’s Affiliate program thus far. Streamers affiliated with X boast a red badge by their handles, which includes an image of a gaming controller.

XGaming

Thus far, little is known about X’s affiliate program or how streamers can qualify for it. While this is far from the first time broadcasters have expanded their content to the platform, it marks a major development in the streaming landscape.

In fact, mere days prior to this news, internet personality Dr Disrespect revealed that he’d be broadcasting on X. He claimed he “didn’t have a subscribe button” on the site at the time of the announcement… and as of September 12, it looks like he hasn’t been given a shiny red button to join the platform’s other Affiliates.

X’s Affiliate program follows the induction of Kick’s Creator program in 2023, which allows streamers who meet certain requirements to make money on the platform, similar to Twitch.

While many live streaming services offer their own version of this model, it’s unclear what the specifics are of X’s own endeavor — or how other streamers can get in on it.