The official announcement is finally here – Twitch features are coming to PokerStars client worldwide. The much-awaited and speculated features are coming soon, and we learn from OnlinePokerReport that US players will see the integration.
The Twitch features are bound to work for both parties included, providing sustainable marketing opportunities for the site and the streamers. While everyone is still waiting on the details, read on about what we know about the features so far.
News Highlights
- PokerStars to introduce Twitch features on all clients worldwide.
- The rollout’s implementation should be on all websites by the end of next year.
- This industry-first client-to-Twitch link will include multiple player benefits & incentives.
What Do We Know About The Integration?
According to an official statement made by PokerStars representative Rebecca McAdam, the Twitch features will launch on different dates across sites. The rollout will vary depending on the market and testing results. Full integration should arrive by the end of next year.
For US players that already have access to a PokerStars client in their state, such as New Jersey and most recently Pennsylvania, this launch should arrive by the middle of 2020.
It is essential to point out that players already have the option to link the two, but solely through a separate Twitch subscription for $4.99 a month. Players from states that are yet to legalize online poker in their market have a chance to enjoy PokerStars through the play-money model, just for fun.
Advantages & Benefits to Come
The power of linking a player’s poker account to Twitch is a first for the industry as a whole. Video gamers have already made extensive use of such opportunities as they make a living out of gaming and streaming their action for viewers.
1. Promotional Opportunities
On the one hand, there is the expected free advertising that PokerStars is going to get out of this. After all, people streaming and viewing the gameplay will do so straight from their clients, with the logo front and center.
As for players, they will be able to promote their gameplay through the live stream. In this regard, the video stream will have a short delay due to the open-hands model, to prevent it from having any effect on the outcome of the game.
2. Player Rewards
Some player rewards have already been set up for subscribers in the form of a chest. Similarly to the Stars Rewards, the chest is a monthly bonus, currently intended to compensate players for the fee they pay per monthly subscription.
Aside from small perks, most of the benefits will come to players based on their performance, viewers, and followers. So far, McAdam has avoided being specific on the matter, pointing out that:
When players link their accounts, they’ll have access to our special streaming community promotions, items, and rewards on offer.Rebecca McAdam
Her choice of wording has many believing that the focus will be on getting as many broadcasts as possible.
3. New User Experience
A design touch-up is likely to come players’ way, most likely including additional badges, avatars, or customization features. So far, PokerStars has only tried this with red spade icons singling out the PokerStars Team Pro ambassadors. Still, the inclination to adopt examples from video gaming has players believing that plenty of items and perks will follow.
Aside from this, another parallel can be seen in poker pro Phil Galfond’s new poker site, Run It Once. His site employs an additional rakeback for streamers, although this is highly unlikely to be adopted by PokerStars.
The Effect on Future Poker Events
The lack of details has given rise to more speculations. The 2020 PokerStars Players Championship coming next August in Barcelona takes a central part in these predictions. More specifically, the Platinum Passes worth about $30,000 per pass were announced to be part of the Twitch rewards program, as they grant travel and entry to the PSPC.
As for the US dates, the New Jersey Spring Championship of Online Poker (NJSCOOP) scheduled for May 2020 is a guiding point. Pennsylvania is just as likely to host a similar event for its players, pushing the Twitch features launch date by the end of April.
Will Online Casinos Get In On The Action?
Nothing is certain except for the imminent launch of the features. Still, talk is already stirring about a similar endeavor in the online casino industry. The expected peak in traffic for poker clients is a potent-enough instigator.
Fingers crossed Twitch will expand its reach to online casinos soon. In the meantime, we will sit by patiently and watch as the integrations unfold. However, with things still at standby, a response by the rest of the online gambling industry is currently far-fetched and uncertain.
