What Is a Twitch Raid and How Does It Work?

Twitch Raids can turn an unknown streamer into Twitch superstars in a matter of seconds. How exactly do they work and how can you raid someone on Twitch?
Raid Channel streams list with game Evil Dead.
(Image via Twitch)

What are Twitch Raids?

A Twitch Raid is an engagement tool that allows a streamer to direct their viewers to another streamer’s channel at the end of their broadcast. This format helps build connections between streamers and introduces new audiences to different channels.

Raiding involves a streamer sending their viewers to another live stream, and creating a sudden influx of viewers for the raided streamer. Raids support small creators and can jumpstart streaming careers.

What makes Twitch Raids interesting?

Twich Raids are a unique tool for creators to grow their community, and add a fun, surprising meta to their stream. If you’ve ever taken part in a Raid yourself, you’ll know that Raids are interesting because for several reasions.

  • Community building: Raids help two communities cross over to each other, sharing and growing their viewers together.
  • Viewer engagement: The sudden surge of viewers can be an exciting moment for the stream, often leading to clippable moments.
  • Surprise factor: The fact that Twitch Raids can happen at any time to a streamer who allows them makes the stream more exciting.
  • Timeless meta: Twitch Raids are one of the few Twitch metas without an expiry date, giving creators additional content they can lean into during their stream.

Notable Twitch Raids

Over the years, several Twich Raids have stood out for their impact, showcasing the unique ways this feature can be used.

Ninja raids Shroud (2019)

One of the most famous Twitch Raids occurred on January 1, 2019, when Ninja, one of the platform’s biggest creators, raided Shroud with over 70,000 viewers. This created an enormous influx of traffic on his channel and gained him thousands of new followers in a matter of minutes.

To return the favor, Shroud made sure to raid other smaller creators. This “pay it forward” style of raiding highlights just how effective Raids are when used correctly.

Pokimane’s charity raid (2024)

Pokimane, Twitch’s largest female content creator, used the raid feature for a charitable cause during the Charity Raid Train. This specific charity event brings streamers together, merging their communities and raising funds for a good cause.

This particular Raid stands out because it highlights the potential of Twitch Raids for social good, and not just gaining subscribers​ and growing communities. Pokimane’s participation in this event alone helped raise thousands of dollars and brought awareness to the Charity Raid Train.

When Twitch Raids go wrong

Twitch Raids are typically a positive way to build communities and share audiences. Sometimes Raids go poorly—to say the least—leading to harassment and controversy. Here are some examples of notable Twitch Raids that went wrong:

xQc’s raid on Forsen (2019)

In July 2019, Twitch streamer xQc started a Raid on fellow Forsen’s channel. What started as a friendly and competitive moment over some Minecraft speed running quickly turned problematic. xQc’s fans flooded Forsen’s chat with inappropriate and offensive comments. The backlash against xQc was swift, with many viewers and streamers criticizing the behavior of his fans.

The incident shows how Raids, intended to be positive, can go wrong if the two communities don’t follow the rules and remain respectful. Even well-intended Raids can lead to a problems if not managed​ properly.

The hate raid crisis (2021)

In mid-2021, a wave of Twitch “hate raids” targeted marginalized streamers, flooding their chats with racist, sexist, and homophobic messages. These coordinated attacks often involved bots spamming harmful content, making it difficult for streamers to moderate their chats.

Many streamers reported feeling unsafe and unsupported by Twitch. The crisis led to the #TwitchDoBetter and #ADayOffTwitch movements, where streamers boycotted the platform to demand better protection and tools to combat harassment​​.

After enough backlash, Twitch eventually filed a lawsuit against the creators of the bot accounts used in these hate Raids. Shortly after, they implemented stricter identity controls and machine learning algorithms to detect bot accounts​​.

How to start a Twitch Raid

Ready to spread some positivity and connect with other streamers? Follow these steps to raid a channel on Twitch:

1. Choose a streamer to raid

First things first: Choose a streamer you’d want to support. Aim for someone with similar content that aligns with your audience to ensure the Raid goes well. This could be a friend, a streamer with a similar vibe, or someone that could benefit from the extra viewers. Make sure the chosen streamer has Raids enabled!

2. Start the Raid with the right command

Go to your creator dashboard on Twitch and find the “Raid Channel” option under quick actions. Alternatively, you can use the command /raid [channel name] directly in your chat. This command sets everything up and notifies your viewers of the impending Raid.

3. Notify your viewers

Before initiating the Raid, let your viewers know what’s happening. Give an explanation as to why you’re raiding this streamer, and encourage them to participate. This can include following the new streamer, engaging in chat, and, of course, being respectful.

4. Start the Twitch Raid

Once everything is set up, confirm the Raid. There will be a brief countdown allowing viewers to opt-in or opt-out. Once this is completed, viewers who opted in will be transferred to the raided channel. Raids work best at the end of your stream: If you continue to stream while you’re raiding, any new viewers coming to your page will still see your stream, not the channel you’re raiding.

How to block a Twitch Raid

If you are a streamer that doesn’t want to receive Raids, Twitch provides options to control this feature:

  1. Access settings: Go to your creator dashboard on Twitch.
  2. Navigate to stream settings: Find the “Raids” section under the stream settings.
  3. Configure Raid preferences: Here, you can choose to allow all Raids, deny them, or a custom configuration of the two. You can also allow Raids from specific streamers or with a set number of viewers.

By understanding how to manage Raids, you can create a streaming environment that aligns with your preferences and comfort level.

If a Raid is offensive or inappropriate, which unfortunately sometimes they are, you can report or ban the raiding channel via the settings cog in the chat window.

Managing and moderating Raids

If you do choose to go ahead and allow Raids on your Twitch channel, make sure you know how to manage them properly.

You can temporarily deny all incoming Raids for up to an hour using the “Stop Raids for 1 Hour” quick action in your stream manager. This feature helps you maintain control over your stream during crucial moments.

Alternatively, you can use chat moderation settings to reduce spam from an incoming Raid or shut the Raid down entirely. Options include:

  • Emotes only: Only emotes can be posted in chat.
  • Subscribers only: Only subscribers can post in chat.
  • Followers only: Only followers can post, with a customizable follow duration.
  • Slow mode: Users must wait a set time between messages.

You can also check out the Twitch guide on how to use Raids for more specific up-to-date advice.

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