https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119881694 Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). Social Media + Society October-December 2019: 1–11 © The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/2056305119881694 journals.sagepub.com/home/sms Platformization of Cultural Production - Article Introduction This article presents an overview of economic behavior on dominant market-leading live streaming platform Twitch.tv. Specifically, we are interested in how live streamers profit from their activities—monetization—on the platform, and how they often do so through the implementation of game- like interfaces, competitions, or concepts—gamification— which are highly effective in this space. We begin by reviewing literature on both Twitch and platforms, followed by a description of our data and methodology which draws on interview and ethnographic techniques. The article then addresses seven core monetization methods we identify for live streaming. Subscriptions entail a guarantee to give a monthly amount to a streamer in exchange for the visual dis- tinction of one’s username on Twitch. Donations and “cheer- ing” entail either giving the streamer money directly through PayPal, or donating through Twitch, during which the plat- form takes a cut of the money, but viewers get automatic recognition of their donations. Advertising entails running adverts for corporate products on one’s channel. Sponsorships are secured by many live streamers with games companies or other brands, who offer free products or promotion in exchange for highlighting their wares during particular broadcasts. Competitions and targets involve encouraging buy-in from viewers in the hope of winning an individual or global prize. Unpredictable rewards for financial support are the sixth method, drawing on the psychology of gam- bling and games of unpredictability more broadly to keep people donating in the hope of recognition. Finally, the 881694SMS XX X 10.1177/2056305119881694Social Media <span class="symbol" cstyle="Mathematical">+</span> SocietyJohnson and Woodcock research-article 20192019 1 University of Alberta, Canada 2 University of Oxford, UK Corresponding Author: Mark R. Johnson, Department of Media and Communications, John Woolley Building, University of Sydney, NSW 2050, New South Wales, Australia. Email: markrjohnsongames@gmail.com “And Today’s Top Donator is”: How Live Streamers on Twitch.tv Monetize and Gamify Their Broadcasts Mark R. Johnson 1 and Jamie Woodcock 2 Abstract This article examines cultural and economic behavior on live streaming platform Twitch.tv, and the monetization of live streamers’ content production. Twitch is approximately the thirtieth most-viewed website in the world, with over 150 million spectators, and 2 million individuals around the world regularly broadcasting. Although less well-known than Facebook or Twitter, these figures demonstrate that Twitch has become a central part of the platformized Internet. We explore a seven- part typology of monetization extant on Twitch: subscribing, donating and “cheering,” advertising, sponsorships, competitions and targets, unpredictable rewards for viewers, and the implementation of games into streaming channels themselves. We explore each technique in turn, considering how streamers use the affordances of the platform to earn income, and invent their own methods and techniques to further drive monetization. In doing so, we look to consider the particular kinds of governance and infrastructure manifested on Twitch. By governance, we mean how the rules, norms, and regulations of Twitch influence and shape the cultural content both produced and consumed within its virtual borders; and by infrastructure, we mean how the particular technical affordances of the platform, and many other elements besides, structure how content production on Twitch might be made profitable, and therefore decide what content is made, and how, and when. Examining Twitch will thus advance our understanding of the platformization of amateur content production; methodologically, we draw on over 100 interviews with successful live streamers, and extensive ethnographic data from live events and online Twitch broadcasts. Keywords twitch, live streaming, monetization, gamification, platforms, gamblification