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DD only wants to go to college part-time, so she can stream on Twitch!?

11 replies

Artord · 20/08/2018 07:41

Really need some advice please. DD(16) is very into a game and has been playing the game for around 5 years now. She is very good at it from what she tells me, etc.

She started doing videos and streams (all new to me!) last year and she does get some money for it, sometimes is sent a few free items to giveaway, etc.

She isn't hugely successful, to the point she never has to work, is a celebrity, etc. GrinGrin

She can spend an extra year on a course at college to do it less days a week.

Would you allow this?

OP posts:
AnchorDownDeepBreath · 20/08/2018 07:42

How much do

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 20/08/2018 07:43

Dammit. How much does she make? Four or five figures a month, maybe. Anything less and it'd need to be in her spare time.

Shoxfordian · 20/08/2018 07:46

How old is she? Yeah I'd allow it.
Never even heard of twitch though and I thought I was quite down with the kids Blush

SugarNyx · 20/08/2018 07:48

There is a lot of money to be made in esports and if she is good, she could 100% make a career out of it. Either way, she’ll find her own path eventually.

IVEgotthePOWER · 20/08/2018 07:49

At 16 i would let her choose

OliviaBenson · 20/08/2018 07:49

No way, I don't think it is in anyway healthy to delay education so she can game.

FuckPants · 20/08/2018 07:50

How many average viewers is she getting?

1099 · 20/08/2018 07:54

I don't know, but I wouldn't dismiss it, there is good money to be made at it, my DS follows particular people on games and I didn't really understand how big a deal it was until he and his mate were discussing so and so and the moves he did in this level and so on, and then I saw an article about it on CLICK on BBC breakfast and they have events similar to concerts where people go to watch players play live games. Nobody starts at the top but if she is getting some income from it and being seen by prospective sponsors then she must have some potential.

TwittleBee · 20/08/2018 07:56

Twitch can be a great money spinner and if it's something she is good at and enjoys then she should be allowed to pursue it. Now days it is seen similar to sports, with the whole Esport movement. I used to make £600 a month doing it casually around my full time job.

But the reason I know longer do this was because it can take over your life a bit - look up gaming addiction (many friends from twitch community suffer with this and I believe it's been made worse by the ability to also make money whislt succumbing to the addiction of gaming). So ensure she has some clear boundaries.

Remind her if she wants to be successful on Twitch and get partnered she only need to actually stream 3 days a week (at the same time for roughly the same length) so if she makes herself a schedule and sticks to that and continues to focus on study on the other days then she should be fine. People will prefer to watch her knowing exactly when shes online (as then they can do their own things when she isn't steaming. Bit like how everyone has a fav tv show they'll tune in at, no one would like it if they didn't know exactly when it would be on as they'll miss parts) and creating herself a strong brand is good too helps.

HappyStripper · 20/08/2018 07:59

It can honestly be very lucrative, especially if supported by a big social media presence. The only thing I’d mention is that for girls it’s normally accompanied by a pretty sexual overlay with a lot of cam models doing it etc. So keeping her away from the sexual side of it before she turns 18 is important as there are all sorts of concerns that could escalate all the way to child porn etc.

Sorry if that sounds excessive but gaming is a sexist industry and most female players get views because they fulfil the “gamer girl” fantasy for men.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 20/08/2018 08:18

The reality of streaming is a constant uphill struggle. You have to excel not at the game but at being a broadcaster- there are so very many all vying for the same audience. I have spent a lot of time on Twitch, streamed for a long time before a move forced me to stop. Good friends with lots of streamers and the behind the scenes reality is harsh. It's seeing others doing the same thing but a lucky break making them incredibly popular, it's counting viewer and sub numbers knowing at any point it can drop below the needed income.

I've seen popular partnered streamers miss trends, fall behind and have to get real jobs. Is she a partner? There is no way at all of making a living at streaming without being a partner on Twitch or the equivalent on other platforms such as Mixer. Youtube income is very hit and miss, so many rules to follow and many Youtubers suffering with demonitisation and just really poor management.

She also needs to be prepared for the utter nonsense female streamers have to deal with. I've never streamed with a cam, so no one sees me just the game and me talking, yet I still had to deal with misogynistic and sexual comments and messages. Obviously anyone on the internet is open to that but in streaming it seems a lot worse. I moderate plenty of streamers on Twitch (basically stay in chat and delete certain messages, time-out and ban viewers according to the rules of Twitch and the streamer) and I've seen all kinds of vile things. Most streamers are used to it, brush it off, carry on but behind the scenes even the most experienced streamers can find it very tough. Constantly being told you are playing wrong, bad at certain things, picked the wrong weapon.... it does get to you. As long as she is aware of that aspect and feels like she can handle it.

I have a friend on Twitch who is a full time streamer and last year bought a house from his income. It is possible to 'make it'. But as a mod I've seen him struggle with numbers, sub counts, toxic chat, worry about changing game, worry about who to play with for the best stream and the best exposure. He routinely streams 11-12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, and suffers a lot of sub drop-off if he even misses a few days. A short trip to visit family means no stream, no visibility, no new subs and loss of income. I've also seen relationships fall apart due to the amount of time spent building the stream and the brand.

It's tough, it's public, and it definitely isn't not working- it's very hard work! You are selling yourself just as much as a TV presenter or actor but all the work is your own, sorting self-employment, organising brand deals and sponsorships, even the amount of work put into the look of the stream, the emotes, alerts and the music you play. I'd highly recommend she goes into as many streams as possible, in lots of directories too, see how people have set them up from the info under the stream to the chatbots used. Think about what happens when this game isn't the hot new thing and audiences move on, follow lots of streamers on Twitter to see how they conduct themselves and sell themselves.

There is a lot of fun to be had but it is a tough business!

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