Even if you enjoy watching other people play video games, the lengthy, multi-hour streams you find on video game live streaming services can test your patience. For a more short-form alternative, check out FreshCut. The platform serves up half-minute-long videos that get right to the point with entertaining gaming clips. FreshCut is an appealing idea, but it currently feels like a weird experiment compared with Twitch, a robust, Editors’ Choice-worthy platform.

Getting Started With FreshCut

You can watch FreshCut on your web browser or via an Android or iOS app. Creating an account costs nothing. When you sign up, FreshCut asks you to choose a profile picture from a selection of funny pop culture faces. I went with fat Bugs Bunny, a.k.a. Big Chungus. 

FreshCut then asks you which games you’re interested in following to initially populate your video feed. You’ll find the big esports darlings that dominate the larger video game streaming landscape, such as Call of Duty: Warzone and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Most other big games also appear as options, such as the classic shooter Half-Life, old Mario Kart racing games, and the latest Mortal Kombat. 

However, the library has some strange omissions. You can watch Heroes of the Storm, but not StarCraft? Tetris 99, but no other Tetris game? Cuphead, but no Celeste? It appears that games get listed once a user decides to upload a video for that game, and no one has yet uploaded anything for some of these undeniable hits. It reflects how FreshCut's community still has much growing to do, a problem I’ll detail later in this review.

Watching Videos on FreshCut

After you’ve completed your profile, it’s time to start watching videos. FreshCut is essentially TikTok for gamers. Most videos last little more than 30 seconds (none I saw were over one minute), and they typically feature the most exciting moment clipped from a stream: fighting game pop-offs, impossible snipes, funniest VR fails. Video game footage naturally lends itself to hilarious online memes, and FreshCut leans into that exceptionally well.   

As with TikTok, you can keep scrolling to get served up new surprises. This works especially well on mobile. However, you can also tailor your searches by looking at trending tags, adding new games to your account, and following more creators. FreshCut even curates its own playlists that combine clips from across channels into single, easy-to-digest packages, such as “FGC Highlights” and “League of Legends Weekly Roundup.” Videos aren’t broadcast live, but you can like clips, leave comments, and share clips on social media. 

Becoming a FreshCut Creator

As a viewer, FreshCut is a pleasant-enough, low-stakes activity. However, many people now make a living playing games online, so they need to know if a platform is worth their limited time. In that context, FreshCut is harder to recommend.

For starters, there just aren’t that many users. The most popular games only have a few thousand followers, the top creators only a few hundred, and view counts across the board are extremely low.

To the platform's credit, it looks like most creators don't make content specifically for FreshCut. Instead, they upload short clips taken from their longer, preexisting Twitch streams, which is a smart idea. FreshCut lacks live streaming tools, so creators don’t need to learning a new broadcasting software. They just upload the file and move on. 

However, you must meet a few requirements to become a FreshCut creator. You need at least 25,000 followers on Twitch or YouTube; at least 5,000 followers on Facebook Gaming, Instagram, or TikTok; or at least an average of 2,000 views on your clips. That’s probably beyond most casual users. You can also join FreshCut’s Discord server to learn more about the service, and network with other creators.

As for getting paid, FreshCut provides currency called FreshCut Diamonds. With Diamonds, viewers can tip their favorite creators, access VIP perks (merch, event access), and influence decisions as part of the community. Unfortunately, FreshCut Diamonds is a cryptocurrency, meaning it requires participants to set up a wallet on the blockchain. That gives the whole affair a dubious air.

Cut Down to Size

In their own ways, TikTok and Twitch massively shifted how young people engage with online video, and FreshCut leverages both delivery styles by offering immediate access to fun, short, personality-driven video game clips. That said, a relatively small community, less than comprehensive game library, and regrettable cryptocurrency uses make it hard to fully embrace the platform. By all means, enjoy what FreshCut has to offer right now. Just don't be shocked if this one doesn't last once its 30 seconds are up.

Need more help starting your streaming journey? Check out our ultimate game streaming guide, as well as our tips for streaming with OBS.