X delays communities shutdown after backlash from top creators

15:40

By: Dakir Madiha

X delays communities shutdown after backlash from top creators

X has postponed the closure of its Communities feature until May 30 after strong opposition from prominent creators forced the company to revise its initial timeline. The decision came hours after the platform confirmed plans to discontinue the feature on May 6, citing a sustained drop in user engagement. The abrupt announcement triggered immediate criticism from high-profile users who rely on Communities to manage large audiences.

The company’s product lead, Nikita Bier, said the shutdown would be accompanied by an expansion of the platform’s messaging system, XChat. The new system introduces public invite links that allow users to join group conversations directly. However, the initial design capped group chats at 350 members, a limit widely viewed as incompatible with communities that often exceed tens of thousands of participants.

Several major creators rejected the proposed transition. IShowSpeed, whose audience on the platform surpasses 100,000 members, said the replacement tool would not meet his needs. Clix questioned how large fan bases could function within such constraints. xQc and KSI also voiced opposition, describing Communities as one of the most effective tools for audience engagement on the platform.

In response to the backlash, Bier acknowledged the criticism and outlined immediate adjustments. The shutdown deadline was extended by more than three weeks, and the group chat limit was raised to 500 members, with plans to increase it further to 1,000 in the coming weeks. The company framed the changes as part of a broader shift toward real-time communication, prioritizing instant messaging over forum-style interaction.

The controversy adds to ongoing tensions between platform leadership and segments of its user base. Earlier in the year, members of the cryptocurrency community accused Bier of restricting crypto-related content, sparking calls for his removal. Following the Communities announcement, a widely shared image falsely claimed to show Bier apologizing to IShowSpeed, highlighting the intensity of user reactions and the spread of misinformation during the dispute.

The transition aligns with X’s broader product strategy, which includes the upcoming launch of a standalone XChat application for iPhone and iPad. The app is expected to feature end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking. These features signal a clear pivot toward private, secure messaging as the company reshapes how users interact in groups, moving away from large-scale public community spaces.