On TikTok, there is a feature that is controversial within the community: “the Live Battles.” During this, streamers interact with each other and at the same time collect a lot of money from viewers. The Twitch streamer MontanaBlack is surprised at how much he earns from it. However, he says he doesn’t know anything about it.
What’s going on with TikTok and streaming?
- Most people use TikTok similarly to YouTube: they watch short clips there, so “videos on demand,” that can be viewed on request, comment on them, give likes, or share them. Some indulge in their dose of clips in bed before falling asleep.
- However, TikTok also has a “streaming function” like Twitch: you can “go live” and stream.
- Many Twitch streamers and YouTubers are now discovering TikTok as an “additional platform” to particularly reach young viewers and excite them for their main channel, which grows and brings in more money this way. TikTok has significantly accelerated the growth of controversial YouTuber IShowspeed. There are also dedicated TikTok streamers.
“Live Battles” designed as a PvP event, used as a “money-making machine”
What kind of difficult trend is this? When streaming on TikTok, there is the possibility of a “Live Battle”; in China, the home country of TikTok, this feature is called “Player Knockout”:
The idea was probably originally that streamers play a game in splitscreen simultaneously, and the fans then decide through donations who is “better” and wins the battle.
However, this feature is now viewed critically because ultimately, TikTokers use it to earn extremely large amounts of money: they turn it into a popularity contest where viewers throw donations in the form of coins or gifts to ensure “their favorite” wins.
TikTok benefits enormously from this feature – a significant portion of the revenue goes to them.
After the ban, MontanaBlack is back on TikTok
How did MontanaBlack utilize this now? Twitch streamer MontanaBlack was banned from TikTok in December after he made sexually suggestive gestures as a joke for another video, but returned for a livestream in January 2023.
There, he quickly got involved in a Live Battle with streamer AbuGoku, who apparently knows TikTok significantly better than MontanaBlack.
The extremely popular MontanaBlack in Germany received endless gifts and money from his fans during this live battle. However, MontanaBlack apparently did not understand it at all, as he showed no signs of being pleased about the downpour of money.
At one point, AbuGoku explains that MontanaBlack just received “Universe,” the most impressive reward one can get on TikTok. He has already earned around €4,000 (via tiktok).
However, MontanaBlack can’t believe it. He thinks his colleague is joking with him. He doesn’t understand TikTok at all. When told that he earned about €4,000, MontanaBlack says:
“Oh, you’re talking nonsense, man.”
No, AbuGoku insists,
MontanaBlack immediately changes his tune:
“Welcome to TikTok, man. The new favorite platform. – From now on: Every day on TikTok! No.”
MontanaBlack seems surprised by the amounts: the last time he made only $160 or so. But at that time, he also didn’t understand live battles and was just in the stream eating something.
Performance is viewed critically: MontanaBlack normalizes the €€€ trend
What is the problem? AbuGoku also explains to MontanaBlack that these Live Battles he is currently using are viewed critically on TikTok. He himself “doesn’t really celebrate it either.” Because some people would then misuse this feature, not interact with the other streamer, even mute him, and only speak with their own viewers.
Also in the TikTok community, this feature is highly controversial. Some are already upset that MontanaBlack stumbled into this so easily. It normalizes this purely “money-making” feature on TikTok and those using it now can always say: “Why? MontanaBlack is using it too.”
The “Battle” feature is sometimes referred to by critics as a “begging” feature because the streamers would beg for donations in this mode.
Critics like YouTuber Rutkay also say: one should not take MontanaBlack’s naivety so easily. He has been on TikTok for ages, and also engages with the platform in his Twitch streams. He knows exactly what is going on.
In recent months, MontanaBlack has repeatedly been criticized for taking up every trend that brings him income:
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