At TwitchCon earlier this year, Twitch, the popular livestreaming platform owned by Amazon, revealed its plans to dive into the vertical video realm. This initiative aims to make Twitch a stronger contender against services like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Now, the first wave of alpha tests has been launched with selected streamers, as spotted by market intelligence firm AppSensa.
AppSensa’s detective work on a recent app version uncovered hints about these vertical video trials, including new stream features under development. The rollout isn’t broad yet; only a few streamers are involved, with AppSensa identifying a vertical theater mode with unique user interface elements. Users will soon be able to switch between the classic layout and the fresh vertical format.
As users encounter this feature for the first time, they’ll be guided by on-screen messages declaring “vertical video is here,” and reassuring them that they can always revert to the traditional view since it’s just a test phase.
AppSensa also discovered that the current setup includes permission checks for camera and microphone access, essential for mobile streaming. This hints at how the app will function for these livestreams.
While declining to provide further details, Twitch reiterated their announcement from TwitchCon Rotterdam that initial tests would involve a limited number of channels, with plans to expand later this year. During the event, Twitch also mentioned plans to experiment with dual-format and 2K streaming, indicating a push to enhance user experience across different formats.
