In Third Person

As of January 1st, 2021, Twitch Sings is no more. Twitch announced on September 4th that they would be shutting the game down in the new year. At the very least, they did one more major drop of 400 new songs for players to keep singers engaged between now and its eventual demise.

Though I haven’t been using Twitch Sings for long, its closure really stings.

In the midst of this pandemic, our family has moved our gatherings online. On many Saturday nights, we all gather online and partake in activities such as playing Jackbox or online board games. A few months back, Twitch Sings joined our rotation.

With our family being as musically-inclined as we are, this has been an amazing platform for us to enjoy each other’s company while experiencing the music. Our sessions have inspired some of my cousins to start their own streams where they play Twitch Sings or host cooking shows. A few of my aunts – who have never even heard of Twitch – have since signed up for the platform so that they can chat or sing themselves.

And of course, just as we discover Twitch Sings, Twitch has decided to shut it down. Though I don’t have any inside information, my gut says it boils down to a few things. One, music licensing is very expensive to get and maintain. Two, it probably wasn’t meeting Twitch’s business objectives relative to the expenses it generates.

Nevertheless, my brief tour within the world of Twitch Sings has been fascinating. The game itself works fairly well. Being able to create duets with strangers asynchronously led to some really cool combos. And the community is one of the most unique and passionate within all of Twitch.

It’s heartbreaking to know its in the midst of its farewell tour. But until the final curtain call, my family and I will continue to rock on.