What are the requirements?
The requirements for joining The Hive's Partner Program, along with the application form link, can be found by clicking here.
Applicants must meet these requirements before applying. If you submit an application without meeting these requirements, it will be automatically denied.
I create content on a platform other than YouTube or Twitch. Can I still apply?
At this time, we are only accepting applications from creators who publish content on YouTube and/or Twitch.
We are unable to consider applications from creators on other platforms, regardless of their following or viewership.
Am I guaranteed to be accepted if I meet the requirements?
Meeting the listed requirements means you are eligible to apply; it does not guarantee acceptance. All applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Hive reserves the right to decline an application, even if the criteria are met.
Here are some of the most common reasons that we might deny an application, despite the requirements being met:
- You've recently broken The Hive’s rules, have a recent (or currently active) punishment, a large number of past punishments, or have past punishments of a serious nature
- You recently unlisted videos that didn't meet the viewership requirements, or gained channel engagement through illegitimate, or inorganic means, e.g. you purchased the channel from another creator, used sub- or view-botting services, or used YouTube’s paid promotion feature (or equivalent)
- You've uploaded content that violates our content guidelines
- You don't regularly upload content featuring The Hive, or have a channel that doesn’t feature Minecraft- or gaming-related content and doesn't meet the required number of subscribers for this channel category
- You, or your content, has violated the terms of service of Xbox, Minecraft, Discord, or the platform to which you upload content
Does short-form content count towards the requirements?
At this time, we do not consider applications from creators who mainly upload YouTube Shorts or otherwise short-form content.
Creators who upload both short and long-form content should note that only viewership for the long-form content will be considered. Meeting the requirements on short-form content alone would not make you eligible to apply.
What is the difference between channels with frequent Minecraft content and channels with a broader gaming focus?
The key difference lies in how central Minecraft, and more specifically, The Hive, is to the channel’s content.
Channels with frequent Minecraft content are primarily focused on Minecraft and are expected to consistently create and upload content featuring The Hive. Because of this niche focus, the subscriber requirement is lower, but there is a stronger emphasis on regular uploads and ongoing engagement with Hive-related content.
Channels with a broader gaming focus, on the other hand, cover a wider variety of games and may only occasionally feature Minecraft or The Hive. Due to this broader scope, the subscriber requirement is higher (50,000+), reflecting a larger overall audience. However, they are only required to have posted at least one recent video featuring The Hive, rather than consistently producing Hive content.
My channel doesn't have a Minecraft or gaming focus, but can I still apply?
At this time, we are not accepting applications from creators who don't primarily upload gaming- or Minecraft-based content.
Does my content need to be in English in order to be eligible?
Not at all! We welcome creators of all languages into our Partner Program. Currently, our partners produce content in over 25 languages, and we’re excited to see that number continue to grow!
Do you make exceptions to your requirements?
To keep things fair to all applicants, we do not make exceptions to our viewership and engagement requirements. If you submit an application without meeting these requirements, it will be automatically denied.Multiple people are involved with my channel. Can we each receive a rank?
Applications for group channels are considered on a case-by-case basis. Generally, we would only consider granting multiple ranks for a single channel if each member is prominently featured in both the channel's branding and its content.
We would not grant ranks to those who are involved solely in a behind-the-scenes capacity, such as video editors.
Do you give out ranks other than the 'YouTuber' rank?
All creators accepted into the program are granted the 'YouTuber' rank, regardless of the platform they use to publish content.
While we previously offered different ranks depending on the platform, this is no longer the case. Any creators who previously held a different rank have since been updated to the 'YouTuber' rank.
I've been punished on The Hive before. Am I still eligible for the creator program?
All applicants are subject to a background check, where we'll review your infraction history across our platforms. This includes your activity in-game, on our official Discord server, and on the forums.
We generally expect all applicants to have a reasonably clean record with us at the time of applying. Having the odd punishment here and there in the past isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but we expect that you haven't received a punishment recently, that your overall history with us isn't excessive, and that none of your past violations was of a serious nature.
We cannot consider applicants who have an active punishment on any of their accounts.
Can I give my rank to a friend or someone else?
We do not allow creators to nominate somebody else to receive a rank on their behalf, regardless of who that person is.
The perks that come with the rank are intended for you and you alone; account sharing is not permitted.
Is there any content that wouldn't be considered acceptable?
While the type of content our partners publish is entirely up to them, there are certain types of content that would prevent us from accepting an application, regardless of whether viewership and engagement requirements are met.
Here are some examples of content we consider to be unacceptable:
Intentional rule-breaking
- This includes any content that showcases the creator (or anyone else) intentionally breaking The Hive's rules or terms of service, or encouraging others to do so.
Rule-breaking on other platforms
- We won't accept applications from creators whose content features rule-breaking on other Minecraft servers or games. This includes things like griefing content, cheating, or violating chat rules on another server.
Cheating or hacked clients
- We will not accept an application if a creator has published content that showcases cheating or the use of so-called "hacked clients", regardless of the context. Such content leads audiences to download such clients, so this applies even if the intent is not malicious.
Violations of Minecraft's EULA or Xbox's Terms of Service or Community Guidelines
- Content that violates Minecraft's EULA is not acceptable. This may include showcasing piracy, directing viewers to download illegitimate versions of Minecraft, or promoting platforms where accounts can be bought or sold.
- Likewise, any content that violates Xbox's terms of service or community guidelines is also not permitted.
Violations of platform guidelines
- We expect creators to follow the terms of service and community guidelines of any platform where they upload content (e.g., YouTube or Twitch).
Low-effort or algorithmically abusive content
- We want to see creators publishing genuine, high-quality content that their audiences can engage with. An application may be declined if the majority of a creator's content appears repetitive or low-effort, or if it seems designed to game platform algorithms rather than provide real value to viewers.
Inappropriate content
- While we don't generally take issue with content that features limited profanity, we will not accept applications from creators whose content includes inappropriate commentary, imagery, or themes. This also extends to any content that is abusive or discriminatory.
Re-uploaded or stolen content
- Applicants are expected to be producing original content. Any creator found to be copying or plagiarising another creator's work will not be considered for the Partner Program.
Are there any circumstances where a creator's YouTube rank would be removed?
While we would never want to remove a partner's rank, there are a few circumstances in which this may happen:
- Hive Partners are required to follow The Hive's rules, as well as the rules, guidelines, and terms of service of Xbox, Minecraft, Discord, and any platforms on which they upload content. Failure to do so may result in rank removal.
- We may remove a partner's rank if they were to stop uploading content immediately after being accepted into the Partner Program.
- We may also remove a partner's rank if they haven't uploaded content for over 2 years. This is primarily in the interest of account security.
How can I report a player with YouTuber rank?
Hive Partners are expected to follow The Hive's rules just like any other player, and are subject to the same punishments if those rules are broken.
If you believe you have found a player with the YouTuber rank who has broken the rules, please contact [email protected] and provide information about the rule you think they broke, and any evidence you have.
I used YouTube’s paid promotion feature to gain views/subscribers. Am I eligible to apply?
We expect applicants to have grown their viewership and engagement organically. This means we cannot accept applications from creators who have used YouTube’s paid promotion feature (or other similar features) to gain views and/or subscribers.
Which cosmetics come with YouTuber rank?
Hive Partners receive complimentary access to most cosmetics available in The Hive Store, such as costumes, avatars, hub titles, pets, mounts, hats, and back blings.
Please note that this offering only covers premium cosmetics. It does not unlock cosmetics obtained through any other means, such as those earned by levelling up in games or participating in special events.