When top game streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins left Twitch for Microsoft-owned Mixer in August, it revealed a major weakness in the Amazon game streaming service’s armor. Now, months later, another popular streamer is dealing the service a similar blow.
Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek announced he is leaving Twitch in a 50-second video posted to Twitter on Thursday with the comment, “Same shroud. New home.”
Same shroud. New home.https://t.co/eZV2GBBSsY pic.twitter.com/AHaajkjees— Michael Grzesiek (@shroud) October 24, 2019
What may seem like in-fighting between game companies is actually a more significant play within the tech industry. Amazon’s Twitch has been the dominant game streaming platform for several years now. It’s where stars like Blevins and Grzesiek came to popularity.
But Microsoft is flexing its muscles with Mixer, offering deals to established talent to pull them away from Twitch’s platform. Details on how what Mixer is paying Blevins and Grzesiek has not been disclosed, but it’s clear the Xbox maker is willing to shell out money to catch up with Twitch.
But Mixer has a lot more streams to play before it will catch Twitch, which had 75% of the share of hours watched on streaming platforms in Q3 2019, according to streaming live streaming service platform StreamElements. And that includes the two months that Mixer has had Blevins, who left Twitch in August.
Mixer’s investment in Ninja and Shroud makes sense, when considering the massive impact of gaming as a whole. After all, it’s screen time that streaming companies are fighting for, more than anything. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings may have said it best when he said Fortnite is a bigger threat than HBO.
Fellow player Blevin acknowledged the significance of the move on Twitter as well posting, “Shroud making the move to @WatchMixer is seriously a massive move for the platform and the streaming industry. Excited to watch more of his streams!”
Shroud making the move to @WatchMixer is seriously a massive move for the platform and the streaming industry. Excited to watch more of his streams!— Ninja (@Ninja) October 24, 2019
Amazon purchased Twitch back in 2014 for $970 million, while Microsoft bought Mixer (then called Beam) for an undisclosed amount in 2016. So it’s likely this won’t be the last big deal in the war between Twitch and Mixer.
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