You can’t blame Google for wanting to flash a little cash – after all, with corporate competitors Apple and Facebook both splurging some spare change of late, the search engine giant must have been feeling left out. Fortunately, it’s reportedly managed to find a use for the coins stashed down the side of its office sofa – by acquiring streaming site Twitch for a cool $1 billion.
We should stress that at the time of typing the rumours are unconfirmed, but stem from the “trusted sources” of the equally trustworthy website Venture Beat. Seeing as this is a story that’s been running for a while – with the Wall Street Journal claiming that the parties were in takeover discussions a couple of months back – we’re inclined to believe the publication.
We don’t really know any further information on the deal, but investors are supposedly chuffed with the impending boost to their bank balance. Naturally, it seems that YouTube will take control of the business, but whether it will be folded into the firm’s existing video brand or continue to operate independently remains to be seen.
Of course, this could all have an impact on the PlayStation 4, as the system currently allows you to broadcast and view Twitch streams natively on the next-gen machine. With 50 million users and 1.1 million active members, the service certainly has a big fanbase – but it’s eclipsed by YouTube’s global audience of one billion users.
Should the report end up being true, we’d expect an official statement to be released over the coming days. It’s probably going to take a little while longer before we get to see Google’s long term intentions for the company, but we’ve got a sneaking suspicion that it won’t solely involve DOTA 2 and Starcraft streams.
[source venturebeat.com]
Comments 11
Probably a pretty good purchase for Google
Well, it wont be long till Google messes up Twitch like they did Youtube.
If this results in archived PS4 streams going directly to your YouTube channel, I'll be happy.
Oh and Sammy... thanks for using correct English and putting 'of' between 'couple' and 'months'. Drives me nuts when people don't.
@Paranoimia Not to disappoint you, but the only reason the PS4 can not stream to YouTube is because of Google's greediness (or some other agenda). So no, this will not result in the PS4 streaming to YouTube, but it could result in the PS4 loosing twitch too.
Nice going Google. First you screw us over with not reaching an agreement with Sony about YouFreakinTube and now you are buying the other service that the PS4 can broadcast? Why don't you buy Youstream too while you're at it. Prepare to start seeing ads all the time on twitch. You are walking the Microsoft path Google and you will end up just like them soon enough.
@Sutorcen I don't see that PS4 will lose Twitch. PS4 streams apparently make up quite a chunk of their content now, so they'd be mad to lose it.
Also - and I'm not being funny, this is a genuine question - do you have anything to back up the 'Google greed' claim? I'm not saying you're wrong, only that I haven't seen anything concrete.
Well for one, Xbox has it, the PS3 has it and the Vita has it, not to mention every other device out there has it. From a technical stand point there is no reason for the PS4 not to have YouTube upload capability. You can not even upload to YouTube the exported, captured video from within the PS4's browser. When I mean greed it is always when one party wants X money and the other ones are not willing to give it. There are always royalties involved when it comes to Google, and Sony must pay Google for the right to use YouTube, for each device separately.
The other scenario is that the PS4's OS is a load of crap and can not even handle a simple YouTube upload.
My money is on the first scenario, plus I have some intel that I can not elaborate on. But trust me, the problem is between Google and Sony and not on the Playstation front only. Google has not been in best terms with most Android phones manufacturers this past year (Samsung, HTC, Sony etc) and it only got worse with the smart watches. It is a long and complicated relationship and when you start seeing your partners as competition, problems arise.
Google also has the tendency to buy companies just to hinder competition, a practice that Microsoft did back in the 90's and still does till today. All of this requires a ton of analysis and a ton of reading. It is easier for me and of you to say "greedy **** you are screwing us over" than to analyze where that comes from.
The PS4 might not lose Twitch if there is a good agreement in place.
Language - get2sammyb
Oh great Google, more pointless updates, revamps and account interlinking no one asked for.
They will be buying the Air we breathe next
Great news for innovators and competition! If gamers don't like the twitch/Google snooping partnership ... time for a new/alternative gaming channel!
@Sutorcen Sony are just as 'greedy' as Google (all big companies are) and are also hemoraging money. It's more likely Sony are at fault seeing, as you said, every other device known to man has it and the PS4 doesn't.
@Carl-G Tesco will have that first.
Well that sucks! As Long as they don't screw it up because I freakin love twitch!
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