Twitch is experimenting with a vertical video format. The company has already launched the first alpha tests of the new feature for a limited number of streamers, and the format has the potential to change the way people interact with content on the platform.
Twitch is experimenting with a vertical video format. The company has already launched the first alpha tests of the new feature for a limited number of streamers, and the format has the potential to change the way people interact with content on the platform.
According to TechCrunch, the first mentions of vertical streams on Twitch appeared in app updates analyzed by analytics firm AppSensa. The app code found references to an experimental vertical theater mode feature with separate UI elements, as well as the ability to switch between classic and vertical viewing.
So far, testing is limited to «a few streamers,» whose names are not disclosed. When encountering the new mode for the first time, users will see a training window with a message that vertical video is still an experiment and can be turned off at any time. The code also includes requests for access to the camera and microphone, which indicates that the new broadcast format is primarily aimed at mobile devices.
Twitch representatives did not provide further comment, noting only that testing with a limited number of channels has begun, as announced at TwitchCon in Rotterdam. The feature is planned to be gradually expanded to more users in the future.
Vertical video has long been a trend on social networks. TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are already competing for the attention of mobile audiences. For Twitch, which is traditionally associated with horizontal broadcasts on PCs, this is the first step towards adapting to the habits of new generations of viewers. At the same TwitchCon, the company also announced support for 2K quality and dual-format streams, which indicates serious plans to modernize the platform.
We previously wrote about how, according to the analytical company Streams Charts, in early 2025, the Ukrainian segment of the streaming service Twitch showed the best result ever in terms of the number of hours of viewing in terms of a quarter. In addition, the number of unique authorized viewers on Ukrainian-language channels almost reached the mark of 1.5 million people, which became a new record for the language.
