Meta seems to be testing a brand new livestreaming platform that would rival Twitch.
The new product, known as Super, would let customers host interactive livestreams for advert income. The undertaking continues to be in comparatively early levels, having been examined with fewer than 100 creators, however has been in steady growth since 2020.
A Bloomberg report from two years in the past characterised the platform as akin to Cameo, the service that permits individuals to pay celebrities for customized messages and interactions.
Creators would have additionally been capable of promote merchandise or different merchandise alongside the livestream.
Meta is presently permitting creators to request entry on to the location, which will probably be separate to Instagram, Facebook, or any of the opposite merchandise that the social media big presently has, a spokesperson advised Insider.
“It’s a standalone project,” the Meta spokesperson mentioned about Super. “Right now, it is net solely.
“They have been testing it very quietly for about two years. The end goal is ultimately creating the next standalone project that could be part of the Meta family of products.”
The platform has gone through different iterations as Meta looks to monetise it, including a potential sponsorship model, the spokesperson said. Fans would be able to pay for extra features in the streams, and leave tips.
Creators would keep 100 per cent of the revenue earned from this system, avoiding any criticism that would be levied at Meta for taking too hefty a cut of revenue, as has happened in the past.
Meta has paid creators between $200 and $3,000 to use the feature for 30 minutes, according to Insider.
This news comes as Meta reports its first ever drop in revenue amid a looming global recession.
The company issued a gloomy forecast for its third-quarter, with revenue expected between $26bn and $28.5bn – lower than the $30.52bn analysts had expected.
The company also reported mixed results for user growth, with monthly active users on Facebook only increasing by one per cent at 2.93 bn.
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has been critical of staff during this period. “Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be here,” he told employees.
“Part of my hope by raising expectations and having more aggressive goals, and just kind of turning up the heat a little bit, is that I think some of you might decide that this place isn’t for you, and that self-selection is OK with me.”
