Twitch raids have been around for years now, and they’ve been responsible for countless streamers finally getting their big break. Back in the day, Twitch raids used to be a purely independent, community-based action that creators would use to help increase the viewership of other streamers once their broadcast ended. However, Twitch raids used to hold the potential to be incredibly toxic as they allowed certain individuals to conduct targeted harassment campaigns on other streamers.
Since then, Twitch has formally welcomed raiding into its subculture through the creator dashboard. Since its legitimate implementation, there have been significantly fewer cases of abuse stemming from raids. Raids are a part of Twitch’s culture, now, so here’s everything you need to know about them.
What is a Twitch Raid?
A Twitch raid is when one streamer sends their viewers over to another streamer. This is done in a few different ways and at different times.
A streamer might conduct a raid on a friend of theirs mid-stream for comedic effect. More commonly, though, raids are done at the end of one streamer’s broadcast.
This has the effect of not only keeping their community entertained, but also puts eyes on streamers that otherwise may not get too many views. It’s not uncommon for mid to large streamers to raid a smaller streamer at the end of their stream, giving the smaller streamer hundreds of fresh viewers and a massive bump in their potential audience.
Raids can be done informally, through communication between the streamer and their audience, or formally, through the creator dashboard. If a raid is conducted through the dashboard, the recipient has the choice of allowing themselves to be raided. It’s a way for larger streamers to pay forward their success and highlight smaller creators they like.
Related: How to Remove & Reassign Twitch Founders Badges
