Microsoft has announced the removal of the option to share game clips directly to Twitter from Xbox consoles and the Windows Game Bar, attributing the decision to Twitter’s recent API changes. Users can continue to share their game clips through the Xbox mobile apps for Android and iOS.
The announcement was made via the official Xbox Twitter account in response to a user who faced difficulties sharing Minecraft content on the platform. The new Twitter API rules and pricing structure have caused concerns among developers, researchers, and users alike.
Twitter’s revamped API plans range from $42,000 per month for 50 million tweets to a staggering $210,000 per month for 200 million tweets. The pricing structure appears to lack discounts for higher-tier packages, deviating from the typical model adopted by many online companies.
Prior to Elon Musk’s involvement, Twitter provided a generous free tier of its API, with “Premium” and “Enterprise” plans available for users requiring more access. The highest advertised subscription rate for the “Premium” plan was $2,899 per month, while the “Enterprise” tier was negotiated case by case.
The changes to the API access have drawn criticism from researchers and academics, who argue that the new pricing structure puts the resource out of their financial reach. Twitter’s transition to a paid API model has been met with delays and pushback from the user base since its announcement in early February 2023.
As Microsoft adjusts its sharing features in response to these changes, it remains to be seen how the Twitter API pricing overhaul will impact the broader developer and user community.
