Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has commented on the decision to limit stream quality to 720p for users in Russia. According to Clancy, the company does not plan to exit the country. However, the current restriction is a consequence of economic difficulties stemming from sanctions imposed by the U.S. government.
Due to these restrictions, Twitch is unable to generate revenue within the region, rendering continued operations in the Russian market financially unviable in the usual manner. Clancy stated that the reduction in video quality was a necessary measure implemented to optimize operational costs.
We have no plans to leave Russia, we plan to continue operating there, so it`s a different situation compared to what happened in Korea. Russia is an issue due to sanctions, so this is not a Twitch decision, but rather decisions we must adhere to based on government regulations and requirements.
We hope that the sanctions will be resolved over time, and then we can focus more strongly on Russia. This [quality restriction] is not necessarily a long-term solution, but it had to be considered as it was a significant factor in the economy of running the site.
Previously, on June 23, Twitch users in Russia observed a decrease in the available options for video quality. The ability to select 1080p was removed, leaving only the 720p option available for viewing streams.