Patreon, a service that enables artists and creators to provide exclusive content to subscribers, is introducing a new tool that enables creators to live vividly on the platform.
The company said the feature is designed to enable creators to connect with audiences in real time, whether it is a musician who hosts a Q&A for a newly published book or tests new music for fans.
The tool competes directly with similar products on platforms like Twitch, but focuses on the community owned by creators and less distractions.
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“So far, creators have to live stream on platforms that are not intended to prioritize their business,” the company said in a statement. “We are changing that: Because it is built directly within Patreon, creators don’t need to be crowded feed, distracting ads or anything else that connects creators to core fans.”
Some have access to this week’s features
The company said creators will be able to stream live through the Patreon mobile app or desktop and offer options for free or paid member access, allowing them to tailor streams for audience growth or revenue.
The platform also adds live chats for live conversations, emoji reactions that appear on video players, and adjustment tools that allow creators to set the tone for the community.
Creators can also choose to share live recordings with fans who missed events or download videos for use on other platforms.
Patraen said some creators will get early access to the feature as soon as possible this week and are planning a wider launch later this summer.
Will Patreon creators use it?
“It’s fun, but I won’t use it yet,” said Luke Westaway, content creator, Patreon user and former CNET senior editor.
Westaway said he values subscriber consistency.
“I live stream on YouTube every week for customers they access through the embedded player in Patreon posts, and in my experience Patreon subscribers value their content for consistency and predictability in their content, and I’m very cautious about anything that switches how they access it,” he said. “That is, you’ve made some features on YouTube that you can’t do, like the promised ability to sell streams after the fact as a one-time VOD purchase, which can be cool.”
Westaway has an established account, but he acknowledges new users may differ.
“If I had just launched a Patlin today, I might have tended to be committed to it, but now I think I just have to wait, watch and see if it works, and whether it seems to be committed to it for 12 months.”
