Twitch to launch new feature allowing viewers to buy games directly from a stream

[William Gayde]

Steam is widely considered the de facto PC gaming marketplace, but there are others looking for their piece of the pie. Competitors like Origin and the Microsoft's marketplace have tried to get in on the action, and popular game streaming service Twitch has just announced that they, too, will be getting in on the video game selling market. This coming spring, the website will begin selling games directly to viewers.

Streamers who partner with Twitch to promote a certain game will get 5% of the sale from games sold on their channel. Game developers will get 70% and Twitch will likely keep the remaining 25% of the purchase. As an incentive for consumers, the purchase will also come with a Twitch Crate that includes chat emotes and other novelty items relating to the game.

Twitch already has a huge user base with millions of visitors each day. Having a great streamer promote the game and getting the audience interested in playing it themselves seems like a golden marketing strategy for Twitch and publishers as well. Big names like Ubisoft and Paradox Interactive have already signed deals to sell their games, but others like EA, Activision, and Square Enix were absent from the list.

Some Twitch's most popular games including Counter Strike: Global-Offensive were also missing, but more content is expected to come in the future.

This new move could strengthen ties between game studios and streamers to produce sponsored content or otherwise incentivize viewers to purchase the game. Twitch is also planning to incorporate purchases with the Twitch Launcher to provide a more seamless gaming experience.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/68316-twitch-launch-new-feature-allowing-viewers-buy-games.html

 

[BlueDrake]

I expect this will likely be through their Twitch Launcher, given I'm not sure Valve or others would opt for allowing Twitch much of a cut? I could be mistaken but the obvious CS:GO is through Valve, they might have to really work some magic on that one. They provide the eyes on the game, but obviously it's up to the publishers. Especially if it's on some other launcher, because I'd rather not spread myself out further. You have UPlay, Origin, GOG, Steam, Windows Store (nobody really counts that right?), making for another thing to handle not something everyone wants.

I was thrilled in a way about Twitch Prime's rewards of games, but then it's tied to the launcher I was less enthusiastic. Since not everyone you play with will shift over, onto another platform just so you can play together. They would need to offer some cross-platform(store?) kind of infrastructure, to keep people happy as not everyone's going to make the leap.