Twitch is introducing a new kind of advertisement that will appear when the stream is paused. Advertising was one of the main ways for streamers to earn money on Twitch, though it sometimes resulted in a loss for the viewers who missed important parts of the stream. Viewers who want to avoid these interruptions can sign up for Twitch Prime or Turbo; however, not all may afford these services. There have already been complaints over the new kind of advertisement from both the viewers and the streamers themselves who claim that this may adversely affect the streaming service.The new ads will show up whenever someone pauses a stream, even if they step away from the screen. Twitch announced this update on February 10, 2026, saying it is part of an experiment called “pause-screen ads.” The company also noted that skippable ads are still being tested at the same time. While the goal is to make ads less intrusive, many users have expressed frustration, saying ads while paused could cause viewers to fall behind the live stream or disrupt their viewing habits.

Twitch’s new pause-screen ads draw criticism from viewers and streamers

Many people have expressed their concerns about the new change through various social media posts. There was even criticism that people may become irritated since pausing a video might be used for quick look-up of information, and the ads might interfere with the pause. Hence, people may stop using the site. The prominent Twitch streamers have also expressed their own concerns that the new ads may interfere with the viewing experience and be detrimental to the streamers.Although there is a backlash, the platform asserts that the test is intended to generate additional earnings for the streamer without totally disrupting the stream. It is said that the ads will only be shown while the stream is paused, thus the streaming will still be conducted at the back of the screen.Ultimately, the new ads that will appear while the viewer has their Twitch video paused serve as a prime example of the constantly ongoing issue of finding the right balance in the name of generating more income without making the user experience suffer as a result. While the streamer derives the intended benefits from such a feature, the viewer base nonetheless has legitimate issues with the overall experience.