Kayak’s static test broadcast was successfully wrapped up.
The broadcast itself was no different from usual. Kayak was playing Abyss while the viewers watched him.
But that was more than enough. Since it was just a test broadcast, there was no need to sweat the details as long as the show ran smoothly.
Kayak finished the test broadcast on the static platform first. Meanwhile, people on the continent were eager to see when they’d light up our platform.
With the Twitch streamers flooding the free-agent market, the continent and static started showing big moves to absorb as many streamers as possible.
Meetings with streamers were part of that initiative. For a few major streamers, they even started offering “signing bonuses” to lure them over.
This was when Kayak’s continent test broadcast finally turned on.
*
Now that the static had its turn, it was time for the continent.
Most viewers were strongly against going to the continent, preferring Kayak to stay on static— but hey, I was never one to follow what people said religiously. Some viewers even argued that the continent might be better, saying it had changed a lot from its old image.
Ultimately, a decision had to be made after experiencing both sides. During a recent meeting with the continent’s representative, I got asked why we weren’t turning on the continent test broadcast—so it was inevitable.
The test broadcast on the continent was a must. Even if the viewers disliked it, it had to be done at least once.
So, I hopped onto a community overflowing with information about the continent for some preliminary research. I needed to know a thing or two, right? Just like during my Twitch days, I tend to be surprisingly thorough in these things. After all, it’s this kind of dedication that makes “free loot” possible.
– [Yoon’s Guild] Yesterday’s Yoon’s Guild expulsion news… jpg.
– The PangKwi are always clueless and acting up, lol.
– Objective mini-group tier list from the genius.
“Hmm…”
After quickly skimming through for about 20 minutes, it seemed the overall framework was quite similar. As several viewers mentioned, it looked like there was no longer a significant difference between the continent and Twitch.
However, the terms they used were quite unfamiliar. At first, I thought “guilds” and “entertainment groups” were some kind of MCN companies. I assumed they were just grouping the BJ’s active in the continent by the companies they belonged to.
I thought it was just a line grouped by company.
But as it turns out, it was simply a way to refer to the BJ’s who are active together. It’s like a crew or a clan, I suppose.
There were plenty of fascinating things to uncover as I learned more. For instance, there are actually VTubers all over the continent.
However, unlike the authentic local VTubers, those here lack much RP, and they don’t seem too concerned with modeling either. Should I say they’ve evolved from the previous no-cam broadcasters?
It’s better than having nothing, so it feels like they just pick a decent board and set it up to broadcast? Based on what I observed in the community, that’s how it seemed.
After that, I continued my research. There are BJs who do Abyss like me, some focusing on talk shows, and others who only do late-night broadcasts.
I think I’ve gathered enough preliminary information. I’ve got a general vibe. Since it’s just a test broadcast anyway, let’s relax and turn it on.
*
28-year-old man Lee Jang-Hyun watches broadcasts again today.
The broadcasts refer to internet streams. When did he start watching these broadcasts? Was it after he completed his military service? He isn’t sure, but it seems like he started around that time. Roughly five years have passed since then, if he had to guess.
He was originally one of those wandering spirits, never settling in one room, searching for a fun broadcast to watch each day—a typical type of viewer broadcasters think about. Jang-Hyun was that kind of viewer.
However, recently he had settled on one particular stream.
The streamer’s name was Kaya. She had been the broadcaster he subscribed to for six months, and he had decided she was the one with whom he would spend his life.
She was the first streamer he had genuinely liked after several years. So, Jang-Hyun made the big decision to start donating and subscribing actively, but soon a trial came upon him.
“Wow, 30,000 viewers from the first stream of Kaya on the continent.”
“Looks like all the nobodies who were saying she’d go major from the first stream are gone, lol.”
“Do you get this many viewers on Twitch too?”
“Good job, Kaya! Conquer the continent with your own hands!”
“It’s already blowing up big time, lol.”
“I’m a Twitch listener, so I don’t know, but how much is 100,000?”
“Dance reaction was insane; you dance really well!”
“100,000? That’s insane, I guess she can just switch platforms easily.”
The immediate concern was that Kaya might head to the platform he didn’t like, ‘Continent.’
It was because Twitch had collapsed. As a result, streamers suddenly had to search for a new platform, and it turned out that the long-standing traditional platform, ‘Continent’, became the target.
And so, the traditional platform “DaeRyuk,” which had been consistently maintained for ages, had now become their target.
For Jang Hyun, this was not welcome news. He had been harboring a deep-seated hatred for DaeRyuk for a long time.
He couldn’t stand the broadcast styles of the streamers on DaeRyuk, which was why he had been glued to Twishi since he first entered the streaming world.
In his eyes, Kayak going live on DaeRyuk for a test was simply unbearable. The fact that she was getting a warm welcome from DaeRyuk’s viewers and receiving a ton of star balloons with happy reactions made him cringe.
“Just go glitch out already, what kind of test broadcast is this…?”
He wanted Kayak to smoothly transition into a glitchy stream and keep broadcasting steadily like she did on Twishi. The fear loomed that, just like other DaeRyuk streamers, her broadcasting style could change drastically. That was what Jang Hyun feared most.
While he wrote a post in the DaeRyuk community warning them not to covet Kayak, he continued to watch her stream.
“Kayak, DaeRyuk’s blessing, another 50,000 star balloons… Ah, thank you! It’s my first stream, and you’re giving me this… Will I even come to DaeRyuk…?”
She hesitated, but she couldn’t hide her joy. Of course, who wouldn’t be happy when bundles of cash rain from the sky?
Jang Hyun felt joy when his favorite streamers received donations, but right now, all he felt was annoyance.
“What kind of money is that flowing like a river?”
Is the cash just burning a hole in their pockets? Are they throwing money at streamers who haven’t even signed contracts?
DaeRyuk certainly seemed to have its share of big spenders. It definitely appeared that the donation power was stronger than on Twishi.
Jang Hyun could only bite his nails in anxiety while watching. That was why he couldn’t look away. He didn’t necessarily want to see DaeRyuk broadcasts, but he feared that Kayak would fall into DaeRyuk’s evil clutches.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he was watching the stream.
After the broadcast on DaeRyuk, she announced that she would reveal her platform choice today.
For Jang Hyun, whose life had become intertwined with Kayak’s streams, it was a crucial matter that had to be watched live.
Though it was a thought he couldn’t bear to entertain, if Kayak were to choose DaeRyuk… he needed to be mentally prepared and make an important decision.
“Just glitch out, please…”
Jang Hyun mumbled as he gazed at Kayak on the broadcast screen.
I mumbled while watching.
Even though it was a voice that wouldn’t reach her.
*
“What to do….”
It was time for choice.
Having finished the test broadcasts on both sides, I spun around in my chair, continuing to ponder.
The broadcasts on the continent weren’t bad either. In some ways, it was more comfortable than Twitch, and in other ways, it was less convenient.
Financial aspects, new dynamics, opportunities, potential, and all. The continent felt like it would be a rather unique challenge. Zizi seemed to be the same as before. The advantage of Zizi was that since most Twitch streamers had moved over, the established relationships remained unchanged.
“Phew….”
Since neither option was particularly appealing, it couldn’t help but be a dilemma. Why did Twitch have to fail and throw this trial at me? If I had just kept streaming on Twitch, I wouldn’t have had to think about this at all.
How much longer had I been struggling with this?
Resting in my chair, tapping my feet, rolling around on the bed, and pacing back and forth in my room for a while.
Finally, I made my decision.
“Let’s go with that.”
After all, my broadcasts can’t possibly fail, can they? Thinking that way eased my mind considerably. Thanks to that, I could make a choice without regret.
Since it was a hard-won decision, I planned not to reverse it. I decided to push forward stubbornly, regardless of any backlash from those around me.
Just then, as I was about to leave a notice for the viewers with a lightened heart, a phone call came in suddenly.
It was Yusia.
I wondered what she wanted at this hour as I answered the phone, and I could hear her voice, somewhere urgent yet relieved.
“Boss, um, about Twitch!”
“Yes, about Twitch.”
Unlike her usual way of starting with ‘Boss, it’s nothing’, Yusia went straight to the point. I soon understood why she was so hurried.
“They’re not pulling out!”
“Huh?”
To summarize Yusia’s rambling words, it went like this.
Various issues have been resolved, and Korean streamers can continue to broadcast on Twitch. Replays are coming back, and the quality is running at 1080p, not just 720p.
“Oh….”
The news was so astonishing that it rendered my previous worries meaningless, leaving me in awe for a while.
And then, hurriedly, I revised the notice I had written.
It was winter.
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