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The imminent departure of Twitch from South Korea has created a significant void in the country's streaming community. Although content creators still have alternative platforms such as YouTube, Kick, and South Korea's own AfreecaTV to consider, a new option called CHZZK is poised to launch later this December, providing them with an additional streaming service to explore.
For those out of the loop, Twitch is preparing to halt its operations in South Korea in February 2024. According to the company's CEO, Dan Clancy, the decision is attributed to the considerably higher streaming expenses in the country compared to other regions.
When is CHZZK launching? South Korean streamers given Twitch-alternative
Naver, the South Korean online platform, is gearing up to introduce the open beta version of its new online gaming and streaming platform named CHZZK. Reports indicate that the official launch date is scheduled for December 19, 2023.
Presently, a closed beta service for the streaming platform is underway, but access is restricted solely to Naver's employees at this time. One of the company's spokespersons said (transcript via The Korean Times):
“We are conducting a closed beta test targeting our employees for our game streaming service from Tuesday. And we have plans to launch the open beta test on Dec. 19. The official launch of this service is planned for the first half of next year."
They also added:
"Streaming services are an aspect of strengthening community functions. We also view this streaming service as a community feature. To provide a quality streaming service, we have already secured various video-related technologies.”
Naver has been conducting tests on its game streaming service over four days by broadcasting a game tournament exclusively among its employees, concluding on December 8. The tournament features StarCraft and League of Legends matches, with the active participation of 380 employees as players.
What are the differences between CHZZK and Twitch?
Although there is limited information available about the new Korean website, according to reports, CHZZK aims to offer a high-quality streaming experience with full HD resolution (1080p). It's worth noting that the current Amazon-owned platform offers streams only up to 720p for the Korean audience.
Another notable aspect to consider is that Korean streamers and audiences currently do not have access to full Video On Demand (VODs) of the streams. CHZZK is poised to address this limitation, potentially bringing a change by offering full VODs to the Korean streaming community.
Naver's CHZZK won't be the first Korean streaming platform, as others like BIGO LIVE, AfreecaTV, and Hakuna Live are already Korean products. Nevertheless, none of these platforms currently boast the same extensive user base as Twitch.
