In a significant shift, Twitch has announced upcoming changes to its video storage policy that will impose a 100-hour limit on archived Highlights and Uploads. Effective April 19, 2025, users with more than this threshold will need to manage their content or face automated deletions. The platform attributes this move to the financial burden of maintaining extensive archives. While only a small percentage of creators exceed the new limit, the change could result in the loss of millions of hours of content. This decision has sparked debate, particularly within communities like speedrunning, where Highlights serve as historical records.

Details of the Policy Change

In the era of digital preservation, Twitch is navigating a pivotal moment. On a crisp autumn day, the streaming giant revealed plans to introduce stringent storage limits for user-generated content. Starting from April 19, 2025, accounts holding over 100 hours of saved videos will require manual curation to stay compliant. If not managed, Twitch will automatically remove content based on view counts, starting with the least watched. The company candidly admitted that the primary driver behind this alteration is cost efficiency, aiming to reallocate resources towards innovative features and enhancements.

While just a fraction of creators—approximately 0.5%—have amassed more than 100 hours, this still translates to a vast amount of data. For many, Highlights have been instrumental in capturing milestone moments. However, Twitch noted that these features haven't significantly boosted engagement. Notably, the speedrunning community has relied heavily on Highlights to document record-breaking achievements. Figures such as SummoningSalt expressed deep concern, labeling it a somber day for speedrunning. Another prominent speedrunner, MrJimmysteel25, highlighted the importance of preserving history through these clips, emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of years' worth of community milestones.

Users do have the option to download and save Highlights locally, but this presents logistical challenges. The underlying motive of cost-saving measures raises concerns about future restrictions if Twitch needs to further optimize its finances. Given Twitch's ownership by Amazon, which boasts the world’s largest cloud storage infrastructure, the decision underscores the tension between corporate priorities and the preservation of digital history.

From a journalistic perspective, this development serves as a stark reminder of the precariousness of entrusting historical records to private entities. It prompts reflection on the balance between monetization and cultural preservation in the digital age. As we witness the potential erasure of valuable content, it becomes clear that corporations prioritize profit over permanence, leaving communities scrambling to safeguard their legacies.