Extensions Guidelines

Extensions
1

Hi All,

We wanted to know if its allowed to create a social betting extension where the viewers bet on who wins the game and what will be his next move in the stream.

Second question is if we can give the users to buy more credits, and if so, can we do it with paypal or should we do it with twitch somehow.

Thanks

2

Make sure you review all of the provided extension guidelines and policies.

  • Extensions may not provide differentiated experiences to viewers in exchange for compensation from viewers, except with regard to the use of Twitch/Amazon commerce instruments.
  • Extensions may not transact or encourage the transacting of monetary exchange in relation to any non-Twitch/Amazon commerce instruments.

Monetization for extensions is currently on the roadmap, we should hear more soon.

3

Ok, so from this quote I understand that I can create that extension, but for now I cannot use paypal as a payment method and I should wait with monetization until Twitch will release the option, is that right?

4

I’m a hobbyist (not a lawyer and don’t work for Twitch). To me personally, it sounds like your extension wouldn’t be accepted currenlty; maybe others can chime in. And to clarify in regards to extension monetization, no public promises have been made for functionality or release.

5

Thanks for you advice. Happy if someone from Twitch will give his opinion on this one.

6

No.

You can NEVER charge a viewer money for something

Extensions may not provide differentiated experiences to viewers in exchange for compensation from viewers, except with regard to the use of Twitch/Amazon commerce instruments.

You will/should be able to charge a broadcaster for features on your extension.
But you WILL NOT be able to charge viewers money for fake currency.

Let alone thats pay to win, but thats a different story

7

Hi,

What about donations, subscriptions, is there anything that you can charge from a viewer in an extension?

8

Nope.

I stand to be corrected but an extension isn’t for taking money from viewers

9

Ok. What about advertisements, is it ok to use in an extension, or the only monetization option for extension is charging the streamers?

10

No advertising content (static or dynamic) may be displayed in any extension.

Please go read the Guidelines and policies linked earlier Extensions | Twitch Developers

11

Hi Barry. Is it allowed to do it(in app purchases of virtual money) on a Twitch app that works outside of Twitch but uses Twitch streams?

12

Off-site linking:
Video-overlay extensions may not contain links of any kind.
Panel extensions must submit a whitelist of domains requested for off-site linking.
Off-site links must be related to the extension’s core functionality.
Off-site links may not refer users to sites that deliver functionality effectively similar to that available on Twitch.tv.

Extensions may not encourage or reward users for consuming Twitch content on a site other than Twitch.tv.
Extensions may not encourage or reward users for taking specific actions outside Twitch/Amazon properties.

Probably not no. You would promote people leave Twitch…

Please go read the Guidelines Extensions | Twitch Developers

13

It might also be worth looking into your local laws regarding this too, as gambling virtual currencies with no actual value is usually not an issue, many bots already have a feature like that. But once you start allowing people to purchase a virtual currency with real money that is then gambled with, then that’s where some countries start to have legal rules and regulations that you have to be aware of.

14

Hi ,

Thanks for your answers.

My intension is to do something like Zynga poker or Slotomania in this area, so there is no gambling because users wont be able to cash out the credits they buy.

I understand that with extension it is not right, but my question is if its allowed in an external website, something like: sliver.tv

Thanks

15

So, anyone knows if that allowed according to Twitch?

16

Your extension wouldn’t be allowed to link to your site to allow people to purchase your currency, so no one will ever have any currency to use.

17

Hello. This thread has snaked around all over the place! Let me try and provide what clarity I can. As people are hopefully currently aware, Extensions do not currently support monetisation. We (Twitch) have said publicly that our next update around monetisation will be made at TwitchCon (which is not too far away now). Extensions that attempted off-site monetisation today are rejected.

That being said, our first foray into monetisation is coming, and soon. There was some healthy conversation in this thread in regards to who will be able to pay for what. I am certain that there will be people who will be surprised by our first foray into Extension monetisation (hopefully in a good way).

My two cents, a gambling Extension would more than likely be ruled out by policy. I do not believe that Twitch wants to deal with the legal ramifications of gambling.

2 Likes
18

Hi.

What are the news regarding monetization in twitch extensions, can you please share it here?

Thanks

19

You necro’ed an irrelevant thread…

There are no specific details to share bar a rough timeline (late November)