After receiving an immense amount of backlash following the implementation of random midroll ads, Twitch has concluded the testing period and removed "new ad experience." Twitch implemented these ads as a test and presented them as positive for creators, but the community quickly showed that they were not in favor of this greedy malpractice.
Twitch posted an official help blog and on Twitter on September 14 announcing the implementation of random midroll ads. These ads would play for select viewers who had not experienced an ad break for an extended period of time. These ads did not affect the entire stream, only target viewers. Twitch attempted to sugarcoat the experience by highlighting the fact that the ads would directly support the streamer. Regardless, many people in the community, including some of Twitch's largest streamers, voiced their disgust with the new ad testing.
Three days into the new ad experience and Twitch has already announced that the testing phase is over and that it has been listening to the community. Twitch responded to Twitter user and Twitch partner Bryonato stating that viewers would no longer see midroll ads and that it had gone through the feedback of the original tweet, UserVoice, and other avenues of criticism. The host of Twitch News Live, Zach Busey, pointed out in his own series of tweets that Twitch's attention to feedback proves that it is listening to the community's feedback. He also stated that the "remove midroll ads" is the highest voted suggestion on Twitch's UserVoice.
As Bussey stated, three days is a rather short time for a testing period, and it proves that Twitch is listening to its community. Clips of streamers having their viewing experience ruined by the automated ads started to surface, and the community's voice could be heard on many different platforms. With this much noise coming from the internet it would be impossible not to hear it. However, Twitch is notorious for making simple-minded mistakes, so this likely won't be the last fans hear from Twitch's disappointed user base.
The Twitch midroll ads should have been an idea that died at the drawing board. Of course, Amazon being the mega-corporation that it is couldn't pass up on a chance to make an extra buck. It won't be too long until Twitch implements another cash-grab tactic that upsets its streamers, but hopefully, it won't interrupt a user's viewing experience.
Sources: Twitch, Zach Bussey