Starting this Spring, Twitch will become not just a streaming platform, but a games retailer. In may sound like a slightly strange move, but under closer examination it makes sense. The games will appear underneath a streamer, letting watchers buy the game if they like the look of it. In return, streamers who have opted into the partner program get a 5% of the revenue. There will also be rewards for watchers, who receive a free Twitch Crate full of emotes and chat badges with each purchase over $4.99.
Partners on Launch
Naturally, Twitch won’t just sell any game they like. They’ll be teaming up with various game studios at launch to provide the functionality. As of today, that list includes:
Ubisoft Telltale Games Digital Extremes Hi Rez Studios Double Fine Games Fred Wood, 11Bit Jackbox Games tinyBuild Raw Fury Devolver Digital Gambitious Trion Worlds Blue Mammoth Games iNK Stories Versus Evil Proletariat Paradox Interactive Vlambeer Campo Santo
That’s a good amount of developers, ranging from giants like Ubisoft to popular indie companies. Interestingly, Ubisoft will also be providing support in other ways. Once a user purchases a game, they’ll either be able to play it from the Twitch launcher or Uplay. While many users will be reluctant to use Ubisoft’s notorious launcher, it does hint at a strong collaboration between the two firms. Though there’s no word on the exact number of games coming, Twitch says more details are on the way. In all, this is a very bold move from Twitch. It’s competing against industry giants like Steam, and its success will likely depend on the prices it can offer.
