3 ms·

For companies like Twitch or Kick, how much do layoffs like these affect the actual streamers? (Like are the layoffs usually accompanied by them reducing the s

For companies like Twitch or Kick, how much do layoffs like these affect the actual streamers? (Like are the layoffs usually accompanied by them reducing the streamer's revenue share, or things like that?)

wilde 3y ago
Right before this they chose to exit Korea. https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/12/05/an-update-on-twitch-in-korea/ https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/12/05/an-update-on-twitch-in-...
- cloogshicer 3y ago
  Interesting. Is it true what they claim? Why is it so much more costly for them to operate in Korea?
  - dmoy 3y ago
    Korea changed the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays". For something like OGN that has a literal TV channel it's less of an issue, but for something like twitch that is only Internet, and tons of video, it's more difficult.
    - s1artibartfast 3y ago
      >Korea changed the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays". the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays by volume" and "receiving party pays flat rate".
- fivre 3y ago
  that has nothing to do with staffing. Korea has a uniquely hostile ISP market where service providers want to charge foreign services ridiculous amounts (versus peering agreements in most markets) for access to Korean consumer networks
  - seoulmetro 3y ago
    Korea has a philosophy of local conglomerates first and foreign companies only existing if they prop the local conglomerate up. It's a very good strategy as the Korean market is lucrative and the Korean companies have opportunities to spread worldwide. (they just suck at it) Twitch got sent a foreigner-tax and didn't pay it, that's all. Korea already has a thriving version of Twitch called AfreecaTV. (edit: Oh it's not that thriving on their international site, maybe Korean site is better.)
    - johannes1234321 3y ago
      > (they just suck at it) That's the counter-argument. As they don't have competition from global products, they can deliver worse products and don't have the need to improve. This can be seen in many markets with import restrictions/tarifs.
      - seoulmetro 3y ago
        No, they really just suck at it as a culture. Tech in Korea is terrible and startups are even worse. The culture may be set by this big players though, that's for sure. It's not about competition leading to this. This is just a "grab" based on the great success of international market trade from Korean companies like Samsung, LG, etc. The same way Facebook and others call Chinese tech terrorism, they earned the privilege locally to hinder competition.
    - TMWNN 3y ago
      >Korea has a philosophy of local conglomerates first and foreign companies only existing if they prop the local conglomerate up. I don't doubt that there is some degree of domestic favoratism—it would be surprising if there weren't any—but Korea was for years the last bastion of Internet Explorer because of government requirements, as opposed to Chrome, Firefox, or some special Korea-reskinned Chromium. iPhone has lots of market share despite Samsung.[1] Relevant to this discussion, Korean players going back to Starcraft a quarter century ago were and are well known for competing in and livestreaming mostly non Korean-developed videogames. [1] Yes, I know about Apple being a Samsung customer
Angostura 3y ago
It can affect it quite a lot, I think if things like Twitch Rivals, competitions etc etc are dropped or downsized.

wilde 3y ago

Right before this they chose to exit Korea. https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/12/05/an-update-on-twitch-in-korea/ https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/12/05/an-update-on-twitch-in-...

cloogshicer 3y ago
Interesting. Is it true what they claim? Why is it so much more costly for them to operate in Korea?
- dmoy 3y ago
  Korea changed the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays". For something like OGN that has a literal TV channel it's less of an issue, but for something like twitch that is only Internet, and tons of video, it's more difficult.
  - s1artibartfast 3y ago
    >Korea changed the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays". the pricing model for network traffic to be "sending party pays by volume" and "receiving party pays flat rate".
fivre 3y ago
that has nothing to do with staffing. Korea has a uniquely hostile ISP market where service providers want to charge foreign services ridiculous amounts (versus peering agreements in most markets) for access to Korean consumer networks
- seoulmetro 3y ago
  Korea has a philosophy of local conglomerates first and foreign companies only existing if they prop the local conglomerate up. It's a very good strategy as the Korean market is lucrative and the Korean companies have opportunities to spread worldwide. (they just suck at it) Twitch got sent a foreigner-tax and didn't pay it, that's all. Korea already has a thriving version of Twitch called AfreecaTV. (edit: Oh it's not that thriving on their international site, maybe Korean site is better.)
  - johannes1234321 3y ago
    > (they just suck at it) That's the counter-argument. As they don't have competition from global products, they can deliver worse products and don't have the need to improve. This can be seen in many markets with import restrictions/tarifs.
    - seoulmetro 3y ago
      No, they really just suck at it as a culture. Tech in Korea is terrible and startups are even worse. The culture may be set by this big players though, that's for sure. It's not about competition leading to this. This is just a "grab" based on the great success of international market trade from Korean companies like Samsung, LG, etc. The same way Facebook and others call Chinese tech terrorism, they earned the privilege locally to hinder competition.
  - TMWNN 3y ago
    >Korea has a philosophy of local conglomerates first and foreign companies only existing if they prop the local conglomerate up. I don't doubt that there is some degree of domestic favoratism—it would be surprising if there weren't any—but Korea was for years the last bastion of Internet Explorer because of government requirements, as opposed to Chrome, Firefox, or some special Korea-reskinned Chromium. iPhone has lots of market share despite Samsung.[1] Relevant to this discussion, Korean players going back to Starcraft a quarter century ago were and are well known for competing in and livestreaming mostly non Korean-developed videogames. [1] Yes, I know about Apple being a Samsung customer

Angostura 3y ago

It can affect it quite a lot, I think if things like Twitch Rivals, competitions etc etc are dropped or downsized.