RMT Ads on Twitch: What I Found in Mobile MMO & Gacha Categories

Why I Looked Into Twitch’s RMT Activity

Real money trading has been a lingering presence across Twitch for quite some time, often tucked away in various corners of the platform. In the games I usually follow, these kinds of promotions are rare. But when I explored the mobile MMO and gacha directories, I immediately noticed clusters of channels seemingly promoting the same third-party RMT website, based on what I personally observed.

These streams feature animated overlays boldly displaying the unauthorized URL, coupled with pinned affiliate links in the chat directing viewers straight to these sites. While not a new phenomenon, this concentrated activity in specific categories disrupts the browsing experience, introduces deceptive content, and contravenes platform rules.

What Constitutes RMT Advertising

RMT advertising involves streamers guiding audiences to acquire in game assets, such as currency, items, or services, from unendorsed external vendors using real money. It qualifies as a violation solely when elements like links, overlays, commands, or codes route to platforms offering these unauthorized advantages. Conversely, directing to official outlets or sanctioned collaborators remains permissible.

The Rule Breaking Nature of RMT Promotions

Twitch explicitly forbids content that infringes upon third party terms. Numerous mobile MMO and gacha titles prohibit trading virtual goods for actual currency, viewing it as creating an unfair advantage. Promoting such unauthorized services thus breaches both the game’s policies and Twitch’s guidelines against supporting infringing activities. This encompasses visual, textual, or verbal methods, provided they lead to prohibited dealings.

Identifying RMT Promotions

• Animated Overlays and Banners
  Scan for dynamic graphics promoting cheap currency, swift deliveries, or boosts, often linking to non official domains. These animated elements are particularly prevalent in the channels I observed.
• Pinned Chat Links and Commands
  Notice pinned messages or bot commands like !gold or !boost that share affiliate URLs to RMT sites, frequently accompanied by discount prompts.
• Affiliate Panels
  Panels directing to unauthorized sellers for in game perks violate rules, irrespective of the affiliate structure.
• Donation Based Rewards
  Offers tying monetary contributions to virtual benefits, such as carries or items, directly constitute RMT.
• Spoken Endorsements
  Verbal suggestions on acquiring game elements inexpensively are equivalent to visual promotions in terms of violations.

Step by Step Reporting Guide

For effective handling, navigate to the stream, access the menu, select report, choose categories like third party infringement or fraudulent conduct, provide a concise description with a timestamp, include a brief clip evidencing the promotion, and submit. Such evidenced reports are prioritized for review.

Advice for Streamers

Utilize standard features like banners and commands for legitimate endorsements. Eliminate any components leading to unsanctioned RMT platforms, encompassing links, commands, banners, goals, or codes. Focus on promotions that steer clear of facilitating real currency exchanges for virtual gains.

Fostering Cleaner Streaming Environments

Though RMT persists from a select group of channels, proactive identification and reporting can mitigate its spread, safeguard viewer experiences, and preserve game integrity in mobile MMO and gacha communities.