Twitch Launches Communities to Allow Gamers Discover Great Broadcasts Faster Than Ever

Twitch has launched a new “Communities” section on its site to broaden the scope of its video game streaming site and cater to users’ unique interests.

Initially, Communities section will contain several categories and dedicated sections devoted to topics like drawing, cosplay, painting, music, food, comedy and more. Users will also be able to set up their own communities, according to Twitch.

“Discovering new streams is a part of what makes exploring Twitch so fun and rewarding. And now we’re making it even easier for viewers and streamers to connect to the content that most interests them,” Twitch said in a blog post.

“Communities are a new discovery tool to help streamers connect to the most relevant audiences and help viewers discover streams that fit their interests easier and faster than ever. Using self-organizing, public groups centered around specific activities (e.g. a type of gameplay like speedrunning, or an activity such as painting) Communities puts more power to discover, share, and connect with new content, friends, and followers in your hands.”

“Each viewer or streamer has their own unique interests, whether it’s fighting games or plein air painting. Sharing interests already happens between streamers who create Teams, viewers who share what they’re watching with Friends, and chats between viewers and streamers. These connections are part of what makes Twitch so unique, and strengthening them with Communities leads to a more rewarding experience for everyone.”

“Beginning today, you can find a Communities directory alongside the Games directory. When you open this directory, you’ll be able to view the most popular Communities. If you can’t find a Community that matches your interests, just create one!”

Twitch revealed that “Communities” section is currently in beta, and new features will be added in coming weeks and months after reviewing feedback of the users.

“We’ve heard from our streamers and viewers that they want the freedom to form specific groups, organizing around topics such as speedrunning, esports, cosplay, and painting,” said Sheila Raju, Product Marketing Manager at Twitch, in a statement.

“With Communities, we are giving our users the power to create groups of their choosing, while providing creators with another tool to expand their audiences. If you have an interest that’s shared among others, Communities is where that collective can live.”