Twitch, the immensely popular livestreaming service for gamers that was acquired last year by Amazon in a nearly $1 billion deal, confirmed today that it has suffered a security breach that may have resulted in unauthorized access to a number of user accounts. The company is now forcing all of its users to change their passwords.
Twitch alerted users to the breach in a blog post on its website that read:
“We are writing to let you know that there may have been unauthorized access to some Twitch user account information.
For your protection, we have expired passwords and stream keys and have disconnected accounts from Twitter and YouTube. As a result, you will be prompted to create a new password the next time you attempt to log into your Twitch account.
We also recommend that you change your password at any website where you use the same or a similar password. We will communicate directly with affected users with additional details.
Sincerely,
Twitch Staff”
And here is the email Twitch sent to users that may have been affected by the hack:
Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room
Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.
Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit
1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13.
“We are writing to let you know that there may have been unauthorized access to some of your Twitch user account information, including possibly your Twitch username and associated email address, your password (which was cryptographically protected), the last IP address you logged in from, and any of the following if you provided it to us: first and last name, phone number, address, and date of birth.
For your protection, we have expired your password and stream keys. In addition, if you had connected your account to Twitter or YouTube, we have terminated this connection.
You will be prompted to create a new password the next time you attempt to log into your Twitch account. If applicable, you will also need to re-connect your account to Twitter and YouTube, and re-authenticate through Facebook, once you change your password. We also recommend that you change your password at any other website where you use the same or a similar password.
We apologize for this inconvenience.
The Twitch Team”
Twitch is a hugely popular site — it is reportedly the fourth largest site on the Internet in terms of peak traffic, bested only by Netflix, Apple, and Google — so a hack could potentially have a negative impact on a large number of people.
When reached today by email, a Twitch spokesperson declined to provide additional comment on the breach or details on how many accounts were compromised. We’ll report back with any additional information that we hear.
