Streaming platform Twitch has announced a major update to its broadcast technology. Content creators can now stream in both landscape and portrait formats simultaneously, while partners and affiliates can stream in 1440p (2K) resolution with an increased bitrate.
Streaming platform Twitch has announced a major update to its broadcast technology. Content creators can now stream in both landscape and portrait formats simultaneously, while partners and affiliates can stream in 1440p (2K) resolution with an increased bitrate.
The company announced this in a blog post. The innovations are designed to improve the experience of users who increasingly consume content on mobile devices, and to provide creators with more flexibility without the need for complex hardware reconfiguration.
According to Twitch, mobile devices are currently the main gateway to the platform, accounting for about 70% of new viewers. The dual format feature allows you to broadcast a single stream in two layouts. Viewers on smartphones will see a full-screen vertical video when holding their phone vertically, while PC users will see the classic horizontal version. Clips and video-on-demand (VOD) will also be automatically saved in both versions, making it easier to further distribute content on other social networks.
This technology is implemented using the Enhanced Broadcasting feature. It encodes multiple stream options on the user side. To reduce the load on streamers' hardware, the developers have integrated server-side transcoding for partners and affiliates.
In addition, the platform officially opens access to broadcasts in 2K (1440p). At the same time, the developers have increased the bitrate limits: up to 9 Mbps for 1440p resolution and up to 7.5 Mbps for 1080p. This should ensure high image clarity even in dynamic games. At the same time, the system will automatically reduce the quality for viewers with a weak Internet connection to avoid delays.
Twitch has previously experimented with vertical content integration, adding a separate TikTok-style feed for quickly finding new creators. The current update solidifies the company’s course to adapt classic streaming to the mobile format amid competition for viewer attention from YouTube and TikTok.
