There's a new generation of gamers that are just as content watching games being played as they are actually playing them, which is where services like Twitch and Mixer come in. And while Twitch has been around for a while, Mixer is still in the early phases of its lifespan, garnering a fan base by signing exclusivity deals with streamers like Ninja. As such, Mixer has just gotten around to adding ads to the content on its site, but they may not prove to be popular with creators.
Mixer is now advertising on both first-party and partnered content, opening up a new avenue of monetization on the platform. However, it appears that none of that ad revenue is actually going to creators, which will almost certainly prove to be a contentious move for the platform.
Even though ads are being shown on an individual creator's channel, streamers won't actually be earning money off of it, despite other websites like Twitch and YouTube paying out ad revenue. Viewers can pay for a "Pro" membership to avoid ads, and will never see any on channels that they subscribe to. Mixer also might start giving out rewards to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
A Microsoft spokesperson addressed the revenue concern, stating, "We are always testing and exploring new features and monetization options for Mixer creators, but have nothing more to share at this time." However, the spokesperson would not confirm or deny whether or not creators were actually being paid for advertisements.
On the Mixer website, only earnings derived from subscriptions are detailed for earnings with partners. Another spokesperson clarified that the revenue was being used to fund "programs that benefit creators directly." This isn't the first time the company has found itself in hot water - Mixer has also stirred up controversy in the past for its dress code, which some have called too strict.
Mixer allows all streamers to monetize, so they do have alternate ways of making money on the platform. Still, the advertisement revenue would be a nice perk. The money does still go to supporting creators indirectly, but it is kind of a low blow to its content creators. Hopefully, Microsoft will change how the revenue pays out sooner rather than later, and give creators their fair share.
Source: The Verge