Mixtape has launched, but don't expect to see many streams or VODs of it online. That's because the game lacks a streamer mode, meaning Twitch and YouTube playthroughs will have trouble monetizing due to licensing issues. Developer Beethoven & Dinosaur has a solid reason for this: Mixtape is built entirely around its soundtrack of pop songs.
In a social media statement, the studio explained: "We've had questions about why Mixtape has no streamer mode. It's fair. Mixtape is about music. It's about Devo, the Smashing Pumpkins, Lush, and Alice Coltrane. It's about how you feel listening to Iggy Pop. The characters talk about the songs. The levels are designed around them. We couldn't change or replace the songs. We just couldn't."
The Australian developer signed off with a lyric from David Gray's 'Shine': "Your soul is the one thing you can't compromise, and music is the soul of Mixtape."
Having played the game, I fully agree. The song choices are integral to the experience, with each chapter's story perfectly matched to its music and dialogue. Replacing them with generic tracks wouldn't work and would diminish the game. Trust me, it's best experienced firsthand anyway.
You can read my 10/10 review of Mixtape, where I called it "a musical delight from start to finish that sets a new standard for coming-of-age stories in games."
