Patreon is getting livestreaming

Patreon is taking on Twitch with a new feature that lets creators offer live video streams directly on the platform. The feature will be available “starting this week” to “select creators” in an early access test, and the company plans to roll it out more widely this summer, according to a press release. In the release, Patreon mentioned some features that “creators can expect as we continue to refine the product.” Creators who want to go live will be able to do so from Patreon’s mobile app or on desktop, and they’ll be able to choose if streams are available for free or only for paid subscribers. Patreon will also offer live chat and moderation tools, and the platform will support third-party integration with popular streaming tools like OBS and Streamlabs. Creators will also be able to share recordings of their broadcasts (VODS) or sell them as a one-time purchase. “We’re testing all of these features between now and our wider rollout of live video, which is slated for this summer,” Patreon spokesperson Adiya Taylor tells The Verge. “The features will be available in tests, but we’ll continue to refine based on feedback from creators.” Taylor says that “thousands of creators” will have access to the livestreaming test. “We’re working with a diverse group of creators who have frequently used our existing community chat and video tools, as well as those who have used off-platform live video and were interested in unlocking new ways to bring it to their Patreon communities,” she adds. Patreon isn’t the only company moving into Twitch’s turf. Substack introduced live video last September and rolled it out widely in January. Patreon also already lets creators upload videos directly to the platform.