Kick’s New Updates: Level Up Badges, Hide Your Viewers & Smarter Discovery

Kick has been rolling out several meaningful updates in late May and early June 2026. These changes focus on improving the experience for both viewers and streamers while taking stronger action against viewbotting and inflated numbers. Here’s a clear breakdown of the biggest recent updates.

1. Level Up Badge – A New Way for Viewers to Engage

On June 2, 2026, Kick officially launched the Level Up Badge system. Viewers can now level up a global badge simply by watching streams on the platform.

The longer you watch, the higher your badge level goes. Once leveled up, you can show off your badge in chat as a way to flex your dedication to the platform.

How to access it:
Chat → Settings → Identity → Global Badges

This is a simple but effective way to reward loyal viewers and give them something visual to work toward while watching their favorite streamers.

2. Hide Your Viewers – A Big Step Against Viewbotting

On May 29, 2026, Kick introduced the ability for streamers to hide their viewer count while live. This feature is currently only available on Kick.

This change is part of a larger effort to reduce the impact of viewer inflation and viewbotting on the platform. By allowing streamers to hide their numbers, Kick is making it less rewarding for bad actors to artificially boost viewer counts.

Many in the community see this as a positive move toward more honest and organic growth on the platform.

3. Directory & Discovery Changes

Kick is shifting how discovery works across the platform. Instead of categories being sorted purely by raw viewer count, the platform is putting more emphasis on its recommendation engine.

The goal is to surface streams based on real engagement and community rather than just who has the highest (and sometimes inflated) numbers. This change aims to make discovery fairer and reduce the advantage that viewbotting previously provided.

Additionally, Kick improved the search bar in mid-May 2026, making it faster and smarter at showing relevant channels, categories, and streams even before you finish typing.

What Kick Leadership Is Saying

Eddie (CEO of Kick) has been very vocal about these changes. In a post on May 29, he wrote:

“Something we care deeply about: discovery on Kick should be earned, not gamed. We’re further rolling out tools to combat viewer inflation.”

He specifically highlighted three points:

• Streamers can now hide their viewer count
• Categories will be driven more by the recommendation engine
• Further reductions in KPP (Kick Partner Program) payouts for creators caught viewbotting

Eddie has repeatedly emphasized that he wants great content and real communities to win on Kick, rather than artificial numbers.

The official @kick account has also been actively promoting these updates, particularly the new Level Up Badge system and the ability to hide viewer counts.

What These Changes Mean for Streamers

These updates show that Kick is trying to move in a healthier direction:

• Less incentive to viewbot — Hiding viewer counts and changing how discovery works reduces the benefit of fake viewers.
• More focus on real engagement — The recommendation engine should help smaller and mid-sized streamers get discovered based on actual community interaction.
• New ways to engage viewers — The Level Up Badge gives viewers a reason to stay longer and feel rewarded for their time.

While these changes won’t solve every issue overnight, they signal that Kick’s leadership is aware of problems around viewer inflation and is actively working on solutions.

Final Thoughts

Kick continues to experiment and iterate quickly. The combination of the Level Up Badge, hidden viewer counts, and a stronger recommendation system shows a clear direction: Kick wants to reward authentic growth and engagement over inflated numbers.

It will be interesting to see how these features perform over the next few months and whether they lead to more organic discovery for streamers across all sizes.

What do you think about these changes? Are you planning to hide your viewer count, or are you excited about the new Level Up Badge system? Let me know in the comments.

Reference: Official announcements and statements from @kick, @kicksupport, and @StakeEddie on X (May–June 2026).

Twitch Just Fixed Mobile Streaming: Dual Format & the Biggest Updates from TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026

Picture this: You’re mid-stream, deep into an epic boss fight or chatting with your community, and your viewers are scattered across devices. Some are kicked back on a big monitor or TV. Others are lying in bed, phone in hand, scrolling vertically like they do on TikTok or Instagram.

Until now, one of those groups usually got the short end of the stick: tiny video, black bars, or a layout that just didn’t feel right. Twitch just said “enough of that.”

At TwitchCon Europe in Rotterdam (May 30–31, 2026), CEO Dan Clancy and the team dropped a feature that genuinely feels like a turning point: Dual Format streaming (sometimes called universal dual-format). It lets you broadcast in both horizontal and vertical at the same time from a single stream. Desktop viewers get the classic widescreen experience. Mobile viewers get a beautiful, full-screen vertical layout that actually feels made for phones.

And that was just one of several updates that came out of the keynote. Here’s the full, no-jargon breakdown of what went down and why it matters for regular streamers and viewers.

What Is Dual Format Streaming, Really?

In plain English: You set up your stream once (using tools that support Enhanced Broadcasting, like updated OBS setups or compatible software). Twitch then delivers two optimized versions of that same broadcast.

• On desktop or big screens: Classic horizontal layout you’re used to. Chat on the side, everything spacious.
• On mobile phones (held normally): A clean, full-screen vertical view. No more squinting at a tiny horizontal box with giant black bars on the sides. The video fills the screen properly, and important stuff like chat or alerts can still be accessible.
• On mobile, if you rotate your phone: It smoothly switches to the full horizontal experience.
• Bonus on mobile: You can tap to switch back to a “classic split view” if you want the old-school layout.

It’s like having two perfectly tailored broadcasts without doing twice the work.

Why this is a bigger deal than it sounds

Most people watch streams on their phones these days. Vertical video has trained a whole generation of viewers to expect content that fits how they naturally hold their devices. Traditional horizontal streams on mobile often feel like an afterthought: small video, lots of wasted space, harder to stay immersed.

Dual Format removes that friction. Viewers on mobile can now enjoy streams the same way they enjoy Reels, Shorts, or TikTok - full screen, natural, and engaging. They can still participate fully (Hype Trains, subs, cheering, chat) without the experience feeling broken.

For streamers, it means you no longer have to choose between “desktop audience” and “mobile audience,” or maintain separate vertical streams (which is a huge time sink and splits your energy). One stream. Best experience for everyone.

Technical Side (Made Simple)

This runs on Twitch’s Enhanced Broadcasting tech. Your streaming software encodes multiple versions of the stream on your end, and Twitch handles delivering the right one to each viewer.

The big practical upgrade: When this rolls out more widely in June 2026, Twitch is adding server-side transcoding support for Partners and many Affiliates. That means the platform takes on more of the heavy processing work instead of your PC doing all of it. Early beta users have noted it can be demanding on hardware right now, but this server help should make it much more accessible.

It’s currently in beta (you may need to request access via Twitch’s help pages or dashboard). Wider rollout is happening throughout June.

The 2K (1440p) Upgrade Is Coming Too

Paired with Dual Format, Twitch is opening up 2K streaming (1440p) to all Partners and Affiliates starting in June.

Why care?

• Sharper, more detailed image - especially noticeable in fast-paced games, detailed environments, or anything cinematic.
• Higher bitrate ceilings: up to 9 Mbps for 1440p and 7.5 Mbps for 1080p. That means less compression artifacts and cleaner motion.
• It’s all part of the same Enhanced Broadcasting push, so the quality bump works alongside the new dual-format capabilities.

If you’ve ever felt like your stream looked a little soft or muddy during intense moments, this should help a lot.

Other Standout Updates from the Keynote

Dan Clancy’s keynote leaned hard into community and belonging - the real heart of Twitch. Beyond the big tech upgrades, here are the other highlights that stood out:

Making It Easier for Viewers to Jump In

• Mid-stream summaries: AI-generated quick recaps of what’s been happening. Late to the party? You’ll get the gist without feeling lost.
• Better notifications: Avatars are coming to notifications for a more personal touch. Mid-stream alerts for big moments (game changes, guests, Hype Train records) are also on the way.

Clips & Discovery Get Smarter

• Auto Clips: AI automatically spots high-energy moments using chat spikes, your voice, and on-screen action, then generates captioned clips. Early data shows streamers using this go from ~50% of streams having a clip to share, up to 85%. That’s massive for repurposing content to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, etc.
• Auto-captions for clips are rolling out soon (editable text, timing, style).
• Best clips will surface in stream summaries and Twitch Stories for easier sharing and discovery.

These tools lower the barrier for creators who want to grow but don’t have hours to clip manually every day.

Real Tools to Help Creators Earn More

• Custom Power-Ups: Create your own unique rewards (skins, interactions, fun events) that viewers can trigger with Bits.
• Creator Badge Drops: Custom chat badges tied to watching time or gifting subs. Early tests showed up to 50% more gift sub revenue on event days.
• Mythic Hype Trains: Special trains that reward top contributors with bonus golden emotes usable site-wide for 24 hours - and they earn more.
• GIPHY integration in chat for Tier 2/3 subs (streamer-controlled).
• Bulk gift subs (“Gif ‘Em All”) - surprise your community by gifting to up to 1,000 followers at once.
• Expanded Creator Sponsorships and Bounty Board access, including more opportunities for Affiliates.
• Drops improvements and better visibility.
• For Eurozone streamers: No more currency conversion fees on SEPA payouts starting this summer.

These aren’t just flashy - they’re practical levers to boost engagement and income while keeping things fun.

Community & Mod Love

• New Guilds expanding (Asian, Disability, Indigenous Guilds joining existing ones).
• Mod tools getting smarter AutoMod updates and anniversary recognition in chat.
• Emphasis throughout the weekend on celebrating creators who build real belonging - from massive charity streams to multilingual communities and cultural moments.

TwitchCon 2027 Is Heading to Berlin

One fun closer: TwitchCon Europe is moving to Berlin for 2027 (May 22–23). Rotterdam was a blast (Minecraft everywhere, speedruns, creator energy, packed panels), and the team already has the next one locked in.

What This All Means Going Forward

Dual Format streaming, paired with 2K quality and smarter AI-assisted tools for clips and summaries, feels like Twitch finally acknowledging how people actually watch in 2026. Mobile-first viewing isn’t a niche anymore - it’s the default for a huge chunk of the audience. Giving creators a way to serve both audiences beautifully from one stream removes a long-standing frustration.

At the same time, the monetization and discovery upgrades show Twitch is trying to give creators more levers to grow sustainably without burning out.

Is it perfect on day one? Probably not. Betas have some kinks, and hardware demands will vary. But the direction is clear and creator-friendly: make streaming more accessible, higher quality, and less of a compromise.

If you’re a streamer reading this:

• Check your dashboard or the Twitch help center for Dual Format beta access.
• Start thinking about how your layout works in both orientations (many are already experimenting with OBS plugins like Aitum Vertical).
• The AI clip tools could be a game-changer for your off-platform growth.

If you’re mainly a viewer:

• Expect streams to look and feel a lot better on your phone very soon.

TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 wasn’t just another convention - it was a signal that the platform is investing in the fundamentals: better viewing experiences, stronger creator tools, and keeping that sense of real community alive.

What do you think? Are you most excited about Dual Format, the auto clips, or something else? Drop your thoughts in the comments or come hang out on stream. The future of live streaming just got a little more universal.

Reference: TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 Keynote Recap

Twitch’s AI Auto Clips Are a Game-Changer for Streamers – Here’s Why

One of the most exciting announcements to come out of TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 was the expansion of AI-Powered Auto Clips. For many streamers, clipping their own content has always been one of the most time-consuming parts of the job. Twitch is now using AI to handle a big chunk of that work for you.

What Are Twitch AI Auto Clips?

Auto Clips is an AI feature that automatically detects and creates short, captioned video clips from your stream. Instead of you having to go back through hours of footage to find the best moments, Twitch’s AI watches your stream in real time and pulls out highlights based on several signals:

• Chat activity spikes (when chat goes crazy)
• Your vocal inflection and energy
• On-screen action and important moments

The AI then generates clean, captioned clips that are ready to download and post on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or anywhere else you want to promote your stream.

The Real Impact for Streamers

According to Twitch, only about 50% of streams currently have any clips created from them. For streamers using the Auto Clips feature, that number jumps up to 85%. That’s a massive increase in content being created without extra work from the streamer.

This is especially powerful for mid-sized and smaller streamers who don’t have editors or teams. You no longer have to choose between streaming more or spending hours clipping. The AI does the heavy lifting so you can focus on going live and engaging with your community.

How This Actually Helps Streamers

Here’s what AI Auto Clips can realistically help you achieve:

• Save hours every week — No more manually scrubbing through VODs looking for good moments.
• Increase your content output — More clips = more chances to get discovered on short-form platforms.
• Drive more viewers to your stream — Good clips act as free marketing that funnels people back to your Twitch channel.
• Stay consistent — Even on days when you don’t have time to clip, the AI keeps creating content for you.
• Improve clip quality — The AI is getting better at recognizing genuinely funny, exciting, or emotional moments that perform well.

Auto Clips also adds captions automatically, which is huge for reach. Many people watch short videos with the sound off, so having readable captions makes your clips much more effective.

Part of a Bigger Creator-First Push

Auto Clips isn’t being released in isolation. It’s part of Twitch’s larger effort (highlighted during Dan Clancy’s TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 keynote) to give streamers better tools so they can grow without burning out. Combined with features like Dual Format streaming, better notifications, and improved monetization tools, Twitch is clearly trying to make the creator experience more sustainable.

The goal is simple: help streamers create more content with less effort while improving the experience for viewers at the same time.

What This Means Going Forward

For many streamers, the biggest bottleneck isn’t streaming itself - it’s everything that happens after the stream ends. AI Auto Clips directly attacks one of the most painful parts of that workflow.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re leaving great moments on the table because you don’t have time to clip, this feature is going to feel like a big relief. It won’t replace human creativity or your unique personality, but it removes a lot of the repetitive grunt work.

Early testing has already shown strong results, and Twitch plans to keep improving the AI over time. The more you use it, the better it should get at understanding what moments matter in your specific streams.

Final Thoughts

AI-Powered Auto Clips from TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 represents a meaningful shift. Instead of forcing streamers to do more work, Twitch is using AI to handle the boring parts so creators can focus on what they actually enjoy streaming and connecting with their audience.

If growing your channel through short-form content has felt overwhelming, this is one of the most practical tools Twitch has released in a while. Less time clipping. More time streaming. Better results.

That’s a win for almost every streamer.

What do you think about AI handling clip creation? Are you excited to try Auto Clips when it rolls out more widely, or do you prefer doing it manually? Let me know in the comments!

Reference: TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026 Keynote Recap

Twitch's New War on Viewbotting: CEO Dan Clancy Just Dropped CCV Caps

If you’re a creator grinding it out on Twitch, a dedicated viewer, or just someone who’s watched the platform evolve over the years, you’ve probably felt the frustration around viewbotting. It’s that sneaky issue that inflates numbers, skews discovery, and leaves honest streamers wondering if the game is even fair anymore.

Well, today Twitch Support posted a major update straight from CEO Dan Clancy himself. This isn’t some vague promise, it’s a concrete new enforcement tool rolling out in the coming weeks. I’ve been following Twitch drama (and streaming myself) long enough to know this could be a game-changer… or a whole new headache. Let’s break it down like we always do here: no corporate fluff, just real talk from someone in the trenches.

Here’s the official announcement embedded for you:

A note on our work to combat viewbotting, from CEO Dan Clancy:

There’s been a lot of discussion recently about viewbotting on Twitch, and I wanted to share an update on our enforcement efforts.

Viewbotting is bad for our business. We don't benefit from it, and we believe it harms the creator ecosystem overall. However, effectively combatting viewbotting is challenging. As we deploy updates to our real-time detection algorithms, viewbotting companies quickly respond with updates to avoid detection. Also, our detection systems must be precise to ensure that legitimate viewers are appropriately counted.

Today, we’re introducing a new enforcement type that we plan to roll out over the next few weeks. For channels identified as persistently viewbotting, we will apply a cap to the streamer’s CCV for a fixed period of time, on all of the Twitch surfaces. The cap will be based upon historical data regarding that creator’s non-viewbotted traffic. Repeated violations will result in longer penalties. Streamers will be notified when an enforcement is applied, along with the duration of the penalty, and can appeal through the appeals portal.

While streamers will be notified, we will not make a follow-on announcement when we begin issuing these enforcements, and will not publicly share details about when and where these enforcements are applied. Unfortunately, providing details simply makes it easier for companies to work around our interventions.

We believe this approach will help us make meaningful progress against viewbotting. We will continue refining our systems and expand when we apply these enforcements over time.

- Dan Clancy

(Source: Twitch Support on X, May 7, 2026)

What This Actually Solves

In simple terms: Twitch is done playing cat-and-mouse with bot services that keep evolving faster than their detection tech. Instead of just trying to catch every fake viewer in real time (which has proven nearly impossible without false positives), they’re hitting persistent offenders where it hurts their visible numbers.

If a channel gets flagged for ongoing viewbotting, their displayed CCV gets artificially capped at their historical legitimate viewer baseline for a set period. No more inflated stats on the directory, no more fake hype for sponsors or algorithms. Repeat offenders face longer caps. Streamers get private notifications and an appeal process, but Twitch isn’t shouting “gotcha” publicly that would just hand botters the playbook.

What it solves:

• Fake growth that distorts the entire ecosystem.
• Discovery incentives that reward cheaters (higher CCV = more visibility = more real growth for botters).
• Long-term harm to legit creators who feel like they’re competing against ghosts.

The Pros

From a fellow streamer’s perspective, there’s real upside here:

• Fairer playing field. Honest creators finally get breathing room. No more watching bot-powered channels hog the top spots while you’re fighting for every real viewer.
• Deterrent effect. Knowing your CCV can get hard-capped (and stay that way longer with repeats) makes botting way less appealing. It’s not a ban, but it neuters the main benefit.
• Smarter than blanket crackdowns. Basing the cap on your own past legit data means genuine growth isn’t instantly punished, only the suspicious spikes get reined in.
• Transparency for the affected. Private notices + appeals show Twitch is trying to avoid the “punish first, ask questions later” vibe we’ve seen before.

The Cons & Potential Problems That Could Happen

But let’s be real, the replies to Dan’s post are already lighting up with valid concerns, and I share a lot of them:

• Malicious botting as a weapon. This is the big one everyone’s screaming about. What stops a rival, hater, or even a troll from paying a bot service to spike your stream? Suddenly your CCV gets capped, your momentum tanks, and you’re left appealing for weeks. Twitch says they’ll use detection, but history shows false positives happen.
• Collateral damage to small/medium creators. If the system isn’t razor-sharp, legit growth spurts (raids, viral clips, collabs) could trigger flags. We’ve seen this with past updates, like the lurker counting changes that still sting.
• Doesn’t fix the root causes. Streamers in the replies keep saying it: the discovery algorithm rewards high CCV. Until Twitch fixes that, the incentive to bot remains. This feels like treating the symptom, not the disease.
• No public accountability. Keeping enforcements quiet protects against workarounds… but it also means we might never know if it’s actually working or just PR.

Bottom line: this could accidentally turn viewbots into a harassment tool.

My Overall Viewpoint

Look, I’m cautiously optimistic but I’ve been around long enough not to pop the champagne yet. Twitch finally admitting viewbotting “harms the creator ecosystem” and putting real teeth behind enforcement is refreshing. Dan Clancy sounds genuinely frustrated with the arms race, and capping CCV based on historical legit data is a clever workaround to the detection arms race.

That said, this feels like a solid half-step. It tackles the “persistent” problem without nuking accounts outright, but it opens the door to new abuse vectors that could hurt the very creators it’s trying to protect. If Twitch doesn’t pair this with fixes to discovery algorithms and visibility, we’re just going to cycle through the same complaints in six months.

As someone who writes to help real creators succeed, my advice is simple: keep streaming authentically, document everything (screenshots, analytics, raid logs), and use the appeal portal if you ever get hit. And to Twitch - please listen to the replies. The community isn’t asking for perfection overnight; we just want a platform where effort actually pays off.

What do you think? Is this the start of a cleaner Twitch, or just another band-aid? Drop your thoughts in the comments, I read every one. And if you’re battling viewbot drama on your own channel, hit me up; we’re all in this together.

Stay grinding,
Your friend at the Streaming Handbook