Steam Launches A Game-Streaming Service To Compete With Twitch
http://www.businessinsider.com/steam-launches-twitch-competitor-with-new-streaming-service-2014-12
Valve recently announced a live streaming capability for Steam, the most popular PC gaming application, community, and store. This streaming software is said to have been created to compete with Twitch TV another live streaming service, which has the same or similar following and demographic as Steam. Twitch began using Streaming as away for the content creators and the company itself to profit years ago, and the $970 million dollar acquisition of Twitch by Amazon shows that it is a lucrative business that Valve and Steam want a part in.
"Live-streaming services have gained massive popularity in the last five years, and with Twitch's recent acquisition by Amazon for $970 million, Steam is clearly eager to enter into the streaming space."
"Broadcasting makes a lot of sense for Steam, essentially eliminating the need for players to use multiple programs when they're gaming."
"This means that if a friend is having trouble with a level, you could tune in to their live stream and offer advice"
This is an extremely intelligent move on Valve's part because Steam has slowly over the past few years developed a community that is hard to find else where by becoming a gaming hub, satisfying the chatting, purchasing, and playing needs of the common PC gamer. This is one more step in becoming the perfect gaming hub by giving the player convenience of not needed to set up twitch to stream. However many gamers make money on Twitch through streaming and will not move to Steam if they cannot make that same money. This is just a beta so maybe Steam will create a partnership program with the streamers later on, but if they don't their broadcasting service will be limited to a more personal and casual gaming market. Either way I think it was a smart move for Steam, so high five Valve, you deserve it.
Week 2
My personal belief is that this is a direct response to the E-Sport scene that Valve has taken a lot of time and money into growing what it is today. With the Game streaming feature, valve essentially has the corner of broadcasting esports. Players can now either watch a competition through the in game client or through this new client. For anything else, really, Twitch is the better choice. There isn't any direct money transfer option in the steam streaming, something that a lot of streamers rely on as income on Twitch. So, between tournaments, its most likely just going to be for casual use for friends.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that this a smart move, this mainly applies to PC gamers, but a large population of streamers record from consoles and stream that. Also twitch's partner ship also states that streaming on a another website is against their TOS, and many people who are full time streamers rely on that. I agree that it will be a smart move for casual gamers, but twitch is a much more preferable streaming service.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of live streaming with steam. Steam is a very popular media device for computer gamers and as you said, being able to tune into your friends live stream and offering advice is a cool idea. The way communication through gaming is evolving and with steam finally stepping up there game its a great thing. Live streaming works very well and i love the idea of watching others play the games we love and seeing how they accomplish what i already have.
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