Amazon to buy video game streaming platform Twitch

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

MAE ANDERSON

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is hoping to become the ESPN of video games.

The e-commerce giant is buying streaming platform Twitch Interactive for $970 million in cash as it seeks to take part in video gaming's growth as an online spectator sport.

The deal is an acknowledgment that gameplay video feeds are becoming increasingly lucrative. Twitch had 55 million unique visitors in July, most of whom went to the Twitch.tv website to watch other people play games —competitions interspersed with advertising. Digital video advertising in the U.S. is expected to reach $5.96 billion this year, according to eMarketer, up 41.9 percent from 2013.

"Broadcasting and watching gameplay is a global phenomenon and Twitch has built a platform that brings together tens of millions of people who watch billions of minutes of games each month," said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a statement.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140825/us--amazon-twitch-3rd_ld-writethru-d310f2d80a.html

[whistler162]

1. There is a company that needs to pay attention

to Corning Glass buying spree in the late 1990's.

[Javaman]

2. yeah, good luck with that amazon.