Build fair play-with-viewers parties

Choose identities and permissions

• Open a queue and collect optional public entry details.
• Run ready checks.
• Deliver private lobby information only to participants.
• A channel owner or permitted moderator chooses the channel and opens Play with viewers at /queues.
• Open viewer page uses /queues/{channel}/{queue-name}. A viewer must sign in with Twitch to join. There is no unsigned typed-login fallback.
• The public page never shows moderator controls.
• The public page never shows priorities.
• The public page never shows moderator notes.
• The public page never shows lobby messages.
• Configured entry fields and their answers are public.

Configure and open the queue

Every configured field is optional and public on the viewer page and Viewer Queue overlay. Lobby messages and moderator notes remain private.

1. Select New.
2. Set the Command and URL name.
3. Set the Queue name.
4. Set the Game or activity.
5. Set the Party size.
6. Select First to join or Viewers who played least recently.
7. Set Ready expiry.
8. Set History retention.
9. Set Skip/no-show exclusion.
10. Add optional public entry fields.
11. Add any required roles in role=count form.
12. Select whether the public page can show participant names.
13. Turn Queue open on.
14. Save the queue.
15. Use Open viewer page.
16. Inspect the page at two widths.

• An optional public entry field can describe platform.
• An optional public entry field can describe region.
• An optional public entry field can describe rank.
• An optional public entry field can describe preferred role.

Join from the page or chat

• On the viewer page, complete the requested fields.
• Select Join.
• Check position reports the current place.
• Leave removes the entry.
• I'm ready answers an active ready check.
• In chat, use !queue [queue].
• To join in chat, use !join [queue] key=value.
• To leave in chat, use !leave [queue].
• To check position in chat, use !position [queue].
• To answer a ready check in chat, use !ready [queue].
• The queue name is optional when the channel has only one queue.
• A second join request keeps one entry. The signed-in Twitch identity is authoritative and blocks a duplicate entry from a second typed identity.

Select and run a party

Moderators can use !queueopen [queue] and !queueclose [queue]. Close the queue before you resolve a disputed selection. New joins cannot move the visible candidate order.

Participants must use I'm ready or !ready before Ready expiry.

The configured exclusion prevents immediate re-entry after a skip or no-show.

1. Review Waiting viewers and the visible next-candidate order.
2. Adjust Priority or Moderator note only when a documented channel rule requires it.
3. Start a Ready check for candidates.
4. Then select Select next party.
5. Use Keep party to retain the current group.
6. When someone cannot play, use the applicable action.
7. Enter the Lobby message.
8. Select Whisper party.
9. Before you start, check that the whisper succeeded.
10. Never paste a private lobby code into public chat as a fallback.

• Unavailable participant action: Replace one.
• Unavailable participant action: Skip.
• Unavailable participant action: No-show.
• A queue entry can have the state Waiting.
• A queue entry can have the state Awaiting response.
• A queue entry can have the state Ready.
• A queue entry can have the state Selected.
• A queue entry can have the state Left queue.
• A queue entry can have the state Skipped.
• A queue entry can have the state Did not respond.

Recover safely

• If a participant misses Ready expiry, run a new ready check or use Replace one. Use No-show only when the channel's exclusion rule must apply.
• If a whisper fails, check that the bot connection can whisper.
• Retry Whisper party only after the page reports the failure.
• Do not reveal the private message publicly.
• If selection cannot satisfy required roles, leave the current party intact.
• Adjust the pool or role requirements.
• Select again.
• History retention removes old participation data after the configured period. If you shorten it, future fairness evidence changes. Record that channel decision before you save.