Twitch is currently experiencing issues across several different site features, but the most noticeable is that Twitch chat is no longer working properly. The broadcast platform has been the most popular gaming streaming service across its entire existence, but one of its most divisive elements has always been its chat function, which can play host to some truly vitriolic or disgusting takes from mostly anonymous users.
Twitch is no stranger to controversy, whether it be comments made by viewers in a streamer’s chat or from the streamers themselves – it was only a year ago that Dr. Disrespect hosted a stream in an E3 bathroom, violating privacy laws. In fact, one of Twitch’s consistent pulls for some has been the platform’s inability to maintain tight control over what’s being broadcast on its website. There are entire sections of the internet dedicated to “stream fails,” which, more often than not, involve some sort of Terms of Service breach. Even well-known streamers like Alinity have made headlines repeatedly for breaching these rules without receiving strict or long-lasting punishment. Today, though, streamers are able to continue as normal – it’s just fans in chat who are struggling.
Twitch announced via its Twitter today that the platform is currently experiencing some issues with site functionality. Among features affected, the friends function is currently not working, and recommended channels also aren’t appearing as they would normally. The biggest change, however, has been Twitch chat’s inability to load. The result has been a ghost town across all the streams (which are working fine, so at least creators haven’t been disrupted as much) – and it’s been interesting timing, too, with the Fortnite event occurring today and many viewers tuning in to popular streamers to watch it with them.
With that said, however, it appears the issues are inconsistent at best. Streamers have been able to interact with their chats via overlay, even if the chat isn’t loading for users on the actual Twitch page itself. That seems to indicate the problem is regional rather than site-wide, though Twitch has yet to confirm the exact nature of these problems.
Ultimately, this issue isn’t likely to last long, as Twitch is usually quite good at fixing broken elements – especially ones as “vital” to its community as Twitch chat. With that said, though, it’s been an interesting little experiment with regards to how content creators can continue to produce quality entertainment without input from their fans – and, realistically, very little of value has been lost in the trade-off thus far.
