Sci/Tech YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion: Sources

[tom_mai78101]

YouTube is preparing for U.S. regulators to challenge the Twitch deal, according to sources. YouTube is far and away the No. 1 platform for Internet video, serving more than 6 billion hours of video per month to 1 billion users worldwide, and the company expects the Justice Department to take a hard look at whether buying Twitch raises anticompetitive issues in the online-video market.

Twitch was launched in June 2011 by Justin Kan and Emmett Shear, co-founders of Justin.tv, one of the first websites to host livestreaming user-generated video. Shear currently serves as CEO of Twitch.

Founded in 2011, the startup has raised about $35 million in funding. Investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Alsop Louie Partners, WestSummit Capital, Take-Two Interactive Software, Thrive Capital and Draper Associates.

Read more here. (Variety)

 

[ertaboy356b]

Hopefully if this is done, it will speed up live streaming in twitch. I find the videos choppy when watching a stream with lots of viewers.

 

[PurgeandFire]

I actually don't want it to all become intertwined though. They would probably have you log-in using gmail and then add a "share to google plus" button that you would accidentally click.

I'm sure they would improve it performance wise, but I don't really trust them with twitch.

 

[tom_mai78101]

I wondered if Google knew of their reputation behind Google+ integrations and commenting features of Youtube? If big companies knew of their reps, why couldn't they start addressing them so that it improves their overall qualities?

 

[Accname]

I wondered if Google knew of their reputation behind Google+ integrations and commenting features of Youtube? If big companies knew of their reps, why couldn't they start addressing them so that it improves their overall qualities?

Wasnt there an article recently were google admitted that google+ was a failure and they were tuning it down with their integration?


By the way, I dont like this move. Google is becoming too powerful.

 

[tom_mai78101]

With their fiber expansion going on, I don't care less about them being too powerful. My body is ready.

 

[FireCat]

My body is ready.

Ready for What?

 

[jonas]

Google is becoming too powerful.

Hmm... Something is off with that comment...
Ah, I have it:

Google is becoming too powerful.

Now that looks about right.

But they're doing a great job, aren't they? I had a discussion with my mom the other day and she said google is great because:
a) they connect people, i.e., small communities/businesses with users/clients,
b) they are one of the big drivers behind information sharing, internet infrastructure, and innovation. She exemplified that with the smart cars, saying that google wants to sign contracts with the car industry so they can get android and google maps into the cars
c) they advertise not only with big corporations but also with tons of small people

and a few other reasons that I forgot.

 

[Accname]

Yeah, and soon they will also buy into the military industry and start producing google killbots and skynet+.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Yeah, and soon they will also buy into the military industry and start producing google killbots and skynet+.

But first, they will need to have consumer approval. To do that, they just need to sell their driverless cars to us.

 

[Varine]

 

[Accname]

@Varyne: I had the same thought when I read this.