Twitch introduces Pulse, a microblogging platform for streamers and their fans

Users can share videos, text updates, pictures and other kinds of content on Pulse, to increase interaction with their fans even when not streaming.

Tech2 News Staff|Mar 07, 2017, 09:09:49 IST

Twitch is a livestreaming site, which has become an attractive option for those who like to stream games, and fans who like to watch people play. Twitch has started rolling out Pulse, a microblogging platform similar to Twitter. Users can share videos, text updates, pictures and other kinds of content on Pulse, to increase interaction with their fans even when not streaming. Pulse is initially being rolled out on the web, with a mobile application on the way.

Introducing Pulse from Twitch on Vimeo.Pulse is available for both streamers and fans. The service has been envisioned to allow for streamers to post updates, announce schedules, post highlights from streams, and otherwise drive engagement from their fans. In many ways, the service is similar to Twitter, but users do not have to navigate to a third party site for the microblogging. Users of Pulse can follow accounts that they are interested in. Followers can comment and discuss among themselves. Streamers have the option to restrict who gets to post reactions, but anyone on the site can react with an emote.

At this point in time, Pulse is showing the most recently posted updates first. Going forward, they will evaluate if an algorithmic approach to surface more popular and relevant Pulse updates (Pulses?) works better for the audience and the platform. Pulse status posts can be cross-posted to Twitter, with a Tweet checkbox appearing over the compose window. The live streams themselves cannot be embedded in the Pulse posts at this point of time. More information on how to use the service is available on the Twitch help portal.Recently, Twitch has tried to move beyond gaming with an update that introduced a communities directory.