Transparency Update: How and Why I Run Ads on My Channel 

I am writing this to clear up any confusion about how and why I run ads on my Twitch channel (twitch.tv/GimpyKnee).

The primary reason I run ads is to directly support the community: ad revenue helps pay for our giveaway streams on the third Saturday and third Sunday of every month. Currently, ad revenue covers one of the monthly giveaways, while subscriptions cover the other.

How Twitch Ads Work

When you open a stream on Twitch, a "pre-roll" ad plays automatically unless the creator disables them. To keep pre-roll ads turned off so new viewers can join seamlessly, Twitch requires streamers to run a minimum of 3 minutes of ads per hour.

Ad breaks can range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. The shorter the ad break, the more frequently it needs to trigger (for example, a 1-minute ad every 20 minutes, or a 90-second ad every 30 minutes).

When an ad runs during a live stream, Twitch displays the stream in a small Picture-by-Picture window in the corner while the ad plays. Unless you are a subscriber and the streamer has Ad-Free Viewing enabled (which I highly recommend), you miss the live main audio and full video during that time.

What I’m Doing & Testing

Up until recently, I manually ran a single 3-minute ad block at the top of every hour while taking a scheduled break. This gave me a chance to step away, grab water, and stretch without anyone missing gameplay. However, starting around July 2026, I noticed a significant drop in average viewership during those longer 3-minute breaks, which negatively impacted overall channel performance.

To fix this, as of October 1, 2026, I am experimenting with automated ad schedules to test their impact on community viewing and channel growth:

Protecting Content During Ad Breaks

My main priority during these tests is making sure non-subscribers don't miss key gameplay or big moments. When an automated ad is coming up, I slow down gameplay, give chat a heads-up, and switch to casual chat with subscribers until the ad finishes. While automated Twitch tools don't always give perfect timing, I am doing my best to make sure no one gets left out of the action.