Steam has long been the heavyweight in the online game marketplace but now Amazon, via Twitch, is getting involved. 
The undisputed streaming champion announced yesterday that users will soon be able to buy games on the platform, and moreover that streamers will get a cut. Streamers who are partnered with Twitch will have the option to include a ‘Buy Here’ button with the streamer themselves receiving 5% of each of these sales.
Developers will receive 70% of the money, leaving a seemingly healthy cut for Twitch, and the company has revealed that there’ll be a number of titles from both major and independent studios.
Telltale Games SVP Steve Allison commented: “By allowing viewers to help support their favorite streamer just by buying a game on Twitch, we’re able to help strengthen the community that has done so much for us.”
This makes all sorts of sense and will likely prove a hit. Right now viewers on streams have to open up Steam or access another site to buy the game they have their eye on, this centralises the process and also makes impulse purchases far likelier. Those purchasing via Twitch will also receive ‘Twitch Crates’; these are rewards featuring random assortments of emoticons, chat badges and more to use on the platform.
One stumbling block will be getting all of the major and most popular publishers on board; they’ve secured the likes of Ubisoft, Telltale, Hi-Rez but the likes of Valve, Riot and Activision will prove a harder sell.
For streamers it’s good news regardless, as it offer an additional source of revenue and another way in which fans will be able to support their favourites. This will reportedly commence in spring for English language versions of games, with it heading to other countries and regions later in 2017.
Esports Insider says: This is a logical move from Twitch and one that has been expected. It sounds a good deal for streamers too with 5% of each purchase going in their pockets, but it’s which developers come on board that’ll be the full test of the success of this project.
