Tensions between Twitch and its major streamers culminated last week when the platform announced and then quickly withdrew new restrictions on how ads are embedded in streams. The planned changes would have prohibited streamers from using "baked-in" video ads that circumvent Twitch's ad network and limited on-screen logos to just 3% of the total screen.

Streamers hated the now-canceled changes. Not only because it would make it harder to secure branding contracts, which account for much of their revenue, but also because many streamers agreed that Twitch's official revenue stream was scarce.

The issue of Twitch monetization was one of the subjects of a recent Just Chatting stream by Harris Heller, a longtime Twitch streamer who also created the copyright-free music library StreamBeats, which ended in an awkward It ended in an awkward exchange with a senior Twitch employee.

Heller criticized Twitch for not implementing a "proper monetization strategy," citing its "crazy" 50/50 stream revenue cut and intrusive forced pre-roll advertising. Fest, quoted a tweet in which he offered to be Twitch's CEO for a year "to fix things." Around this time, Seth Hendricks, Twitch's creative and editorial director, sent Heller a chat with ". ." and "lol," but he spoke up to refute Heller's diagnosis, although he was phased in with trivial comments such as "lol.

"Harris, I love you. But I'd love to talk to you one on one sometime," Hendricks said.

Heller said he wanted to talk to Twitch, but also recalled his past experience brainstorming solutions and features with Twitch.

"It was always disappointing, but I love talking to the staff," Heller added.

As Hendricks' tone became less friendly in the chat, an uncomfortable atmosphere developed, and he continued to insist that Heller was not seeing the whole picture.

"I think you have a lot of good ideas. But you're so wrong," Hendricks said.

"Of course I miss a lot," Heller said. 'I'm on the outside looking in. I don't claim to know everything. But it is true that Twitch has not done very well on monetization. If the only way Twitch can save money is by taking 50% of what its creators make, then it's wrong.

Heller was clearly put off by the exchange and tried to change the subject. A few minutes later, Hendricks returned.

"No one is saying you are wrong about anything. It's just that you're making assumptions that are way off," Hendricks replied.

Heller laughed off the comment and tried to defuse the situation.

"Anyway, I love you guys on Twitch. But people are getting frustrated. Honestly, coming into the stream and saying, 'Sorry, you're wrong,' doesn't solve anything."

"I laughed again. Hendricks said. [Heller tried to change the subject, and Hendricks wrote an ambiguous comment about Heller being right but wrong, claiming he never said he was wrong. With his head buried in his hands, Heller finally ran out of patience.

"Seth, I don't understand why we are having this conversation, if Twitch is trying to straighten itself out with streamers, you can't just come into a streamer's chat, hijack their entire stream, say they are "way off" and then argue with me. I can't."

It was a rather bizarre exchange, made worse when Heller tried to ban Hendrix from his stream, only to find out that you can't ban Twitch staff.

"You can't ban Twitch staff. My God," Heller said in a defeated tone.

"And you try to ban me 'WOW,'" Hendricks wrote.

"Of course I tried to BAN you. Anyone who does what you are doing now will be BANNED. Heller said.

Heller was upset by this unpleasant exchange and decided to end the stream early.

"Yes, I'm ending the stream. I can't concentrate right now, I have to go. "

Clips of the stream went viral on Twitter and subsequently caused a firestorm; Twitch has not issued a formal statement about the incident, but Merry Kish, director of community marketing and production, apologized to Heller on Twitter and told one user that it was "being handled internally."

In a YouTube video released today, Heller referred to "strange things" that happened on the stream and said he has since been in contact with Twitch staff about the incident.

"I had some of the Twitch staff contact me to make sure everything was okay. It wasn't a big deal."

While not the most explosive controversy Twitch has ever experienced, the unpleasant exchange illustrates the growing gap between Twitch and its users. No wonder some streamers see potential in the new platform, Kick. However, given that most of Kick's viewers are watching streams of terrible gambling, I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket either.