Twitch Shirts: Why Is It So Hard To Get Them? And How It Could Be Better
Considering the amount of feedback from the community on my Twitter thread about this topic. I felt I should share the thread here in hopes that your team in charge of Community Relations/Influence will be able to see this feedback and suggestion to better improve the Twitch Shirt Program.
For those that are unaware, these are the current qualifications to potentially earn a Twitch Shirt. I believe these are solid qualifications that allow Affiliates and Partners to get their opportunity. So with these qualifications, Why is it so hard to get them?
"Be an Exemplary DBD Content Creator in Good Standing on Twitch"
There are many content creators that I know who meet this qualification. For example, many who have hosted many-many Charity Events, even some as record breaking as @SgtFidget's Streamerbowl with over 130 DBD Streamers raising $63,148.88 for St Jude. Yet even the host or those who participated never saw their opportunity to be recognized.
Many creators who have made insanely original and creative content to try and get DBD's attention. An Example such as @Hextgg with his amazing tribute song with over 57.2K views on Twitter. Someone who has dedicated much time and content to Dead By Daylight, and still has not had their opportunity.
Creators who have participated in Dead By Daylight X Twitch Community Programs, as outlined in the Qualifications, such as PixelxKitten, who also had not received a Twitch Shirt. A Content Creator who was also the Team Captain of a Stream Team that raised over 60K for Various Charities.
These are just a few examples of deserving people in the community who had not yet been recognized despite their accolades, achievements, and devotion to Dead By Daylight as their main content. Yet many other creators, affiliate and partners, still haven't had their "opportunity." Even creators with over 5,000-10,000 hours, such as myself, poured into this game and community, because we truly love this game and community.
There are many many other examples of people in good standing representing their platforms for Dead By Daylight, so lets dive into: "Why Is Getting A Twitch Shirt So Difficult?"
Despite there being a "How to," There isn't much guidance on the "when and where" other than the vaguely described phrase, "the last week of the month." This statement isn't entirely accurate as well, since there has been previous confirmation there isn't a dedicated team member doing his every final week of each month. Many streamers go live with #ShirtMySurvivor on Twitch/Twitter every day of the last week of the month. Yet we go 2-3 months and see maybe 1-3 shirts given out. It seems heavily reliant on Random selection and Luck, despite the qualifications listed, which results in content creators losing hope and passion in the time they pour into making content on this game. It feels like an impossible feature to just be recognized. Especially for those who truly want to be recognized by this program.
Visibility is important. Not just from a creator standpoint but DBD's standpoint as well. To show the community that this is an active campaign, and maintain the motivation of the streamer community. I believe the campaign can be better and here are my ideas:
- Establish *specific* dates/timeframes where Devs will be actively looking to give out Twitch Shirts. Treat it like a Monthly Event! This allows streamers to plan their streams around said dates/times to hopefully be chosen, all while boosting the DBD Viewers on Twitch Browse!
- The Official DBD Twitter page can post the clips of streamer reactions - like a highlight reel. This would allow the community to congratulate AND boost Community Morale and Motivation to stream on those dates/times because they SEE it working fluently and frequently!
- Use the Community! DBD Could take recommendations from their Fog Whisperers or People who just got the Twitch Shirt or They could make a twitter post for people to engage with. There are many ways to use the community to help them find the people they are looking for!
- Maybe even opening a type of application, where Streamers could list their accolades or events or hours dedicated to the game. A spot where a streamer can pitch why they believe they are deserving of the Twitch Shirt Program.
Currently it feels like a lot of us are blindly hoping one day our hashtag gets noticed without any verification this program works consistently. I believe this idea and increased visibility can build DBD's streamer community relations the way this program was meant to.
Finale Remarks. I do not intend to offend or insult the Developer Team, as I truly love this game and community. I feel this program is important and I would love to see it be more interactive with the community as whole. So figured I'd pitch my ideas out there.
Many Creators have responded to the Twitter Thread and many have revealed they feel discouraged, and lost of hope that they will ever be recognized. I only hope these suggestions can help develop the Program into something more interactive and re-ignite the hope and passion within DBD's streamer community. Thank you for your time and considerations.
Comments
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Hi there,
I've wanted to make a post just like this in the past, but didn't want to get flagged for "self promo". I actually DID write a post in the Reddit AMA asking if there were plans to rework this program, and since I was worried that it'd be seen as self promo there as well, I went into detail of my trials / tribulations while trying to get my survivor shirted.The post got blocked, because it was deemed self promo, so I'll post here what I wrote, since I think it is very important for the community team to understand how this program affects streamers that do constantly make content for this game.
The body of that post is below!
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REDDIT POST
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Hi there! First off, I'd like to thank you for doing AMAs, the community really appreciates it!
Secondly, my question -
Are there any plans to change how the #ShirtMySurvivor program works?
I was nervous to ask this question, because I didn't want this to appear as self promo, but there is no other way to get actual information on this.
By plans I mean, will someone be in charge of actually making sure this is taken care of consistently?
I feel for this question to make sense I need to explain the issues. Below is everything I've done in an attempt to get my survivor shirted.
I have been trying for almost 6 years now to get you to #ShirtMySurvivor and that was before the hash tag was even created.
- I stream DBD 5 days a week (used to be 6), and I do TikTok/YT shorts Monday-Friday. (Getting over COVID, so I've missed this for the last week or so, but I am consistent, normally).
In an effort to make it easier to get shirted I changed my stream schedule to when there was a better chance for the u/DeadByDaylight Twitch channel to actually be in the office and browsing channels. I used to stream starting at 2am and averaged around 55 viewers at the time. I was approaching partner numbers and probably would have hit that
a while ago.- When I realized that most people who had been shirted streamed during the times that BHVR were in the office and that might be my only chance, I changed my schedule to around 7-8am start time (PST), so I'd at least be live for 5ish hours while BHVR were in the office. I knew I had to make some sort of sacrifice being West Coast, since it'd already be harder for me, because of that.
As one might imagine, I lost a huge portion of my viewer base to this. I now average around 30 viewers, and thought it'd only be a temporary sacrifice, because surely I'd run into BHVR at some point, but still...over a year now of this schedule and I haven't, yet.
- To add on to this, I spend hours of my time submitting bug reports on the forums with detailed videos and descriptions of issues. Lots of feedback on future changes, etc and almost none of them ever get acknowledged, but I want to see the game grow and become better for everyone, so I continued to do it.
- I've probably drove your Twitter manager absolutely bonkers with the insane amount of memes/videos I've made asking for you all to #ShirtMySurvivor - seriously, hundreds. For an entire year I posted a #DBD pun tweet every single time I went live.
- I've even dealt with 120+ ping for every survivor game I've had for almost 6 months now, so I can play on EAST SERVERS for a chance to run into BHVR - that was the last thing I could even think of, and I had to give it a try.
- I have tried so very hard to be a positive voice in this community and I even do the community surveys ON STREAM, so I can explain my feedback from someone that plays survivor and killer, but still...I haven't been shirted.
There was a certain point in time where I felt so frustrated and defeated by this that I contacted support to ask about this, and the answer I got made me truly very sad. When I originally contacted, it was for myself and two other creators, because I had seen both of those creators (who are now shirted, by the way), try very hard and also seem very positive on Twitter.
I originally had a response of "this is how you use the #ShirtMySurvivor tag" and I had to respond with, "I apologize if I seem rude, it's not that I don't understand how the program works, it's that it feels as if the person who is in charge of doing this during the last week of the month is just not doing it, or rarely doing it."
After a bit of back and forth , a support rep told me, "Hey, that's the thing, our #ShirtMySurvivor program is kind of guidelines, there isn't someone assigned to do it, it just gets done when it does".
This felt terrible, honestly. I have had #ShirtMySurvivor on all of my content and streamed longer hours than normal for the final week of every month ever since the program was announced. I have streamed WITH COVID, so I didn't miss a chance that you'd stop by, and still...I haven't been shirted.
It felt exceptionally painful to see streamers that I didn't even know existed (10 followers, maybe) get shirted, and it just ....didn't make sense? I'm happy for those people, honestly. Obviously they did something that you found worthy of having their survivor shirted, and I'm happy for them, but....I don't know what else I can do to even put myself out there.
So, I am asking for my AMA question, is there any plan in the future to actually have someone be responsible for this program, because it may seem like nothing to most - just purple shirts - I hear that a lot, but it's not the cosmetic. It's what it symbolizes as someone that has worked so very hard on content for this game for so long, and it feels so defeating. Or when I see creators that are constantly rude to others, or trash this game / leave it the second something else pops up, but they've been shirted simply because they know somebody. It makes me question why I try so hard for a company that doesn't seem to care about me.
Anyways, I know this question will probably get buried, because it doesn't affect everyone, but for myself and other creators that have been trying for a long time, it's important to me that I ask it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this - RealSlowLoris
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CURRENT THOUGHTS
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That post was made over 7 months ago and I still have not been shirted. I am not saying this, so it seems that I'm trying to make anyone feel guilty, so I'll be shirted, etc. I just feel it's VERY important for the community team to see how bad it feels to attempt to get your survivor shirted with this program. It feels awful.
Like I said, to some this simply seems like it's just "purple shirts", a cosmetic, but…for those that are smaller and constantly create content for this game it's basically BHVR acknowledging that they see the "little guy" and in game it lets players know that we're not the normal "I have TTV in my name, but I never stream" sort of thing.
I now take part in more DBD community events, like Tofu Scrims and I'm working on hosting a 2v1 Charity event. I'd just like a way for more people to know that I'm an actual serious content creator for this game and a very wholesome place to be in. Instead I see so many creators that aren't welcoming to new players and they're shirted.
Sometimes I go months without seeing another person be shirted, then randomly I'll see people that post constant DBD rage bait on Twitter get shirted. It just feels absolutely terrible. When you feel the only way to finally get your survivor shirted is to either "know someone" or have a lot of viewers, even if you don't actually really "care" about the game, it just feels like…"why am I trying?"
Anywho, I think my post before my current thoughts said just about everything. I just really wanted to add this extra bit to make sure you guys understand…the worst part is the inconsistency. Feeling like I can't even take a day off when I need it, because I COULD MISS THAT ONE TIME you guys actually stop by. When I see people that are so negative get shirted, I just ask myself why do I even keep trying, if all of my actions mean nothing? It seems to all just be luck, or knowing someone. When I say, "knowing someone" I feel it's necessary to explain myself as well - I know at least 2 people that ….well they're definitely not shining examples in the community, I'd even go as far as saying…they're a negative influence / energy for newer players, but they do know people that work at BHVR, so they've been shirted. They have told me themselves.
Either way, I really hope there are plans to rework this program, because as of right now I've lost all hope in ever being shirted. No matter how many videos, memes or silly bits of content I make for the social media team, I just don't see it happening. The hours I've spent on feedback and bug reports don't seem to mean anything compared to having lots of viewers. I average about 40 now, and that is with me still on a schedule that doesn't work well for me, but is the only way I have a chance of running into the official Dead By Daylight account.
Please don't forget about smaller streamers, I promise you…some of us work VERY HARD.
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I wish. I've been bugging them for a shirt for a while.
Meanwhile there are streamers who have them who play very toxic…just they don't display they have the shirts or charms.
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@SlowLoris Thank you for adding this! I think this is really helpful in portraying how content creators feel when months go by without any visualization of the program in action.
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Of course, I think it's important that BHVR sees how this impacts smaller streamers.
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I won't lie. I gave up a long time ago. I have been a Meg main since day one and a big proud potato of fun times lol. I would stream almost everyday, post content on TikTok etc. No shirt, crickets. I have always said that I could care less about all the other twitch shits that I just wanted Meg's and that is a fact. But when people who have done sooooo much good don't get them. And then now with Fog Whispers handing them out to their friends and friends of friends I have honestly come to the realization that it will never happen. Has that made me stop playing, No. But that has limited to how much I actually play and how much I spend on this game now. I feel like they need an application process, and have one day a month the Community Mangers look at content and give them as rewards. While I love the Fog Whisper program, I will never make it to that level just because I no longer have the views I once had on Twitch, but I have noticed that even many Fog Whisper's play less and less DBD and that makes me sad.
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