12 Twitch Drops Facts You Should Know

Twitch Featured Ecran Partage 1
Twitch Featured Ecran Partage 1

Twitch is a streaming tool that allows you to stream and watch live content. It is common for video game companies to use it for promotional purposes by offering free bonus content to people who watch live streams from affiliated or partner channels. This article provides answers to common questions about this system, known as “drops”.

What is Twitch?

It is a free streaming platform that allows you to watch and stream live content, usually in the form of video. Unlike YouTube, which allows you to share video files, Twitch videos stream and record live. That’s why it’s a particularly popular platform for streamers, who play live video games while interacting with their audience through the chat feature.

Twitch is primarily a platform for gamers, but there are also channels focused on other themes. As on YouTube, it is absolutely not necessary to stream content to have a Twitch account and the majority of users have an account as viewers. You can also follow channels for free or subscribe to them for a fee.

Learn More About Twitch: What Is Twitch?

To learn more about subscriptions: official website

Twitch Screenshot 1 Share Screen
Image credit: gettyimages.com

What is the appropriate age to use the Twitch platform?

Twitch is generally deemed acceptable for teenagers aged 13 and up.

Each game has a recommended minimum age and streamers (people who broadcast live videos) are free to say and gesture, so the content is varied and the choice of viewing is left to everyone.

More information on the recommended minimum age: Support: Kids on Twitch

Our more detailed article on safety on Twitch: Is Twitch really safe for young people?

What is a drop?

Drop campaigns are the result of a partnership between Twitch, video game companies and participating channels. They allow people to get free bonus content in a particular game by watching a participating channel for a predetermined time.

To participate in these campaigns, the user must have a Twitch account that is linked to their account associated with the game in question. More information on accounts in the following sections. While you watch the channel’s live stream, Twitch will compile the time and notify you when the “drop” can be retrieved.

The content of the “drops” is variable and left to the discretion of the game developers. These can be new items or items that help the player character progress. It is possible to view all current “drop” campaigns via a tab on Twitch.

How to get started on Twitch?

To use this platform, simply create an account using your email address and open Twitch on your internet browser or via the mobile application. Making an account will ask you to choose a nickname and password and then link it to a valid email address or phone number. Just like was the case with Discord, if the account is for your child, we suggest that you do not disclose their full name in the pseudonym and do not use a photo of him or her as your profile picture.

Once your account is created, you can use the search bar to see which channels are playing content about the games you’re interested in. Under the title of the broadcasts, there are tags that inform details such as language, game, the presence of “drops” or other keywords (such as casual, PvE, hype, etc.).

Now that you have a Twitch account and have a game in mind for which you want to get drops, you can link your Twitch account to your account associated with that game.

Click your profile picture and select Settings from the drop-down menu, then Connections.

A small parenthesis here to inform you that it is by selecting Settings, then Profile that you can edit your profile picture, your banner, your displayed nickname and add a short bio. This is also where you can deactivate your Twitch account. The Security & Privacy tab allows you to check your account security and interaction settings (including blocked accounts).

Twitch Screenshot 2 Screen Share
The connections tab, which is part of the settings page

Back in the Connections tab, Twitch will suggest some connections, but it is possible that the game for which you want to get “drops” is not among the recommendations. Scroll down to see which accounts are connected to Twitch and you’ll also see the option to disconnect those accounts.

For game accounts that are not among the recommendations, you will need to go to the game’s website. Every gaming site is different, so we can’t provide a tutorial image that represents them collectively. However, the journey is usually the same: enter your account, go to settings, and select the option to log in to a Twitch account.

What are the different pages linked to the “drops” system?

Click on your account icon and you will see a drop-down menu. This is where you will have access to the pages in question.

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The inventory of “drops”

The Inventory page allows you to view the drop campaigns you participate in and your progress. Scrolling down, you’ll see a history of past campaigns you’ve participated in as well as drops.

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All active campaigns are displayed here

The All Campaigns page displays all drop campaigns that are currently active on Twitch, and then those that were recently completed.

Do I have to watch the same channel to get my drop?

No, because the watch time will be compiled when you watch any participating channel for the particular drop. This means that for a “drop” that requires one hour of viewing, it is possible to watch 15 minutes of one channel, 20 minutes of a second channel and 25 minutes of a third participating channel.

Do I have a time limit to claim my drops?

The majority of drops must be retrieved via the Inventory page up to 14 days after the end of the campaign concerned, otherwise they disappear. Note that some “drops” can be used in-game for a limited time (for example: for a beta).

What devices support Twitch and its drops system?

It is currently possible to view content on Twitch and get drops from a PC, Mac or the Twitch app on iOS and Android.

Does the time counter activate for all ongoing rewards in the same campaign when I watch a participating channel?

No, drops are usually programmed to be picked up one after the other. This means that if you see several rewards in the same campaign, it is necessary to complete the viewing time of the first one and retrieve it in the Inventory tab before the time counter for the second starts to progress.

Who limits the number of drops I can receive in a campaign?

They are the developers of the game. Limits vary from campaign to campaign.

Is there advertising in Twitch broadcasts?

Yes. It is useful to keep in mind that the “drops” system is primarily part of a marketing strategy in order to retain players and make them watch video content about their favorite games to get virtual items.

That said, advertising content for the game and, in the case of viewing affiliate streamer channels, for the streamer is inevitable. In addition, it very often happens that owners of more popular Twitch channels sell advertising time slots to companies like Amazon. So it’s very possible that you’re watching a video on Twitch and an ad unrelated to the content will appear there without any way to skip the ad, as the broadcast is live (like with cable TV).

Can the drops system lead to addiction?

As with any video streaming medium, it is possible for people not to see the time pass when they watch videos. The minimum time counter to watch videos to get rewards can put pressure on people, both children and adults, to watch content (or at least to let it run on a device, because it’s just as possible to let a Twitch video spin to get a “drop” without paying attention).

It is therefore advisable that parents question themselves and discuss with their children the concept of gamification and the relevance of participating in such a “drop” campaign. It’s helpful to ask yourself if the in-game reward is really worth the viewing time to get it and not force yourself to watch content that you consider uninteresting just to retrieve a virtual item.