Twitch is announcing a bunch of updates at TwitchCon Europe, including the ability to host a vertical livestream and an open beta test that lets creators stream at a higher quality. Down the line, streamers won’t be forced to pick between vertical or horizontal streams; instead, Twitch will let streamers offer their streams in a dual format.
Substack has raised a $100 million Series C funding round, which will be used to fund the growth of the platform, including support for creators. The round was led by BOND and The Chernin Group, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Rich Paul, CEO and founder of Klutch Sports Group, and Jens Grede, CEO and co-founder of SKIMS. Substack said it will "invest in better tools, broader reach, and deeper support for the writers and creators driving Substack’s ecosystem." Other plans for the new funds include expanding use of the Substack app, which it sees as a healthier alternative to other media apps:
YouTube is “starting to experiment” with title and thumbnail tests by opening up the comparative option among “a small percentage of creators.” Despite the novelty of the experiment, this product isn’t exactly new. YouTube announced A/B tests for thumbnails at VidCon in 2023, and the corresponding rollout began in 2024.
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A group of researchers led by Mert Can Cakmak of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock tracked recommended videos on YouTube Shorts and determined that the algorithm tends to steer viewers of political content toward more typical forms of entertainment.
ByteDance has reportedly laid out a two-year roadmap for its eventual entry into the VR headset market. According to a report in The Information, the parent company of TikTok is developing reality-shifting goggles that could arrive as soon as 2027.
Roblox is launching the Roblox License Manager and Licenses catalog with four partners: Lionsgate, Netflix, Sega, and Kodansha. Starting today, seven IPs are available for licensed use by eligible creators including "Squid Game," "Stranger Things," "Twilight," "Saw," "Divergent," "Now You See Me," and "Like A Dragon." Two more will follow in the coming weeks, with additional IPs being added later this year.
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