YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#1

Post by Ocerge » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:36 PM UTC

YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?
variety.com

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#2

Post by rinon » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:47 PM UTC

Does anyone have any other confirmation of this? Seems like a crazy rumor, but... maybe?

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#3

Post by vdaniuk » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:48 PM UTC

If confirmed, this would definitely be a smart decision. Twitch will be extremely important in ecosystem development as e-sports break in the mainstream worldwide. Lots of engaged eyeballs.

Google near monopoly on online video market bugs me though, community at large would benefit from multiple players and more competition.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#4

Post by karangoeluw » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:48 PM UTC

> Reps for YouTube and Twitch declined to comment.

Yeah. I call this just a rumor.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#5

Post by minimaxir » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:51 PM UTC

It's worth noting that Twitch partially became popular because it wasn't YouTube, and gamers could stream without content restrictions (e.g. copyright and region)

Miraculously, this could end up making YouTube comments even worse.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#6

Post by jds375 » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:54 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #5

It's worth noting that Twitch partially became popular because it wasn't YouTube , and gamers could stream without content restrictions (e.g. copyright and region) Miraculously, this could end up making YouTube comments even worse .

While I do see this being an excellent acquisition for YouTube if true, I do agree. I don't see how YouTube could reconcile it's copyright stance with how Twitch fundamentally works.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#7

Post by dshankar » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:55 PM UTC

This is now probably Y Combinator's largest acquisition!

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#8

Post by objclxt » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:55 PM UTC

karangoeluw wrote: post #4

> Reps for YouTube and Twitch declined to comment. Yeah. I call this just a rumor.

...a publicly traded company like Google is not going to comment on acquisition rumors, for many, many reasons. Variety normally has good sources - if they're reporting it, a deal is almost certainly being discussed. Maybe it won't complete, but this isn't some random posting on Secret here.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#9

Post by robryan » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:56 PM UTC

If they do acquire Twitch I hope that they still let it run separately and just improve the back end (as while it has improved it still lags for a lot of people around the world).

I worry if they tried to roll it into youtube that it would turn people away. Their numbers are pretty dependent on a small number of League/ Dota/ Hearthstone and a few other games casters and steamers.

Re: YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion?

#10

Post by thomasfortes » Sun, May 18, 2014, 10:56 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #5

It's worth noting that Twitch partially became popular because it wasn't YouTube , and gamers could stream without content restrictions (e.g. copyright and region) Miraculously, this could end up making YouTube comments even worse .

This could backfire hard, if youtube try to enforce same restrictions to streamers as they enforce to youtube videos, a lot of famous streamers would just jump out to another alternatives like azubu for example.