Twitch, the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform, has officially started testing vertical video streaming, making its first move into a format popularized by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
The feature is currently in limited alpha testing with only a few select streamers, according to findings from app intelligence firm AppSensa.
AppSensa’s recent analysis of Twitch’s app code revealed references to a vertical theater mode, new user interface elements, and toggle options that allow users to switch between Twitch’s classic horizontal layout and the new vertical format. When users encounter the feature for the first time, they’ll see educational prompts informing them that “vertical video is here” and that it’s still in testing.
The implementation includes microphone and camera permission handling, suggesting that vertical livestreaming will be fully interactive and mobile-friendly. Though Twitch hasn’t revealed which streamers are part of the early trial, it confirmed during TwitchCon Rotterdam that testing would begin this summer, with plans to expand later in the year.
Twitch is also experimenting with dual-format and 2K streaming for a small group of creators as it works to diversify content offerings and remain competitive in the evolving video space.
This move reflects Twitch’s strategy to tap into the growing popularity of short-form vertical content, a format that has already taken over much of the online video landscape.
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