Mixerand Twitch have increasingly been seen as rivals in recent months. This is primarily because Mixer has been gaining more recognition through its bold business strategy, enticing streamers from platforms like Twitch. Naturally, this pits the two platforms against each other, as Twitch attempts to retain streamers and Mixer brings in successful ones. Streamers moving to the platform has raised questions about its appeal, and what streamers see as its benefits.
RELATED:How Much did Mixer Pay Shroud to Leave Twitch
With other major Twitch streamers teasing moves to Mixer, there are likely certain benefits that Mixer can offer streamers that Twitch can not. It’s reasonable to assume that Mixer is offering a large financial incentive, and rumors have circulated about the multi-million dollar deals that have been struck. This could be a huge factor for many players who make a living through streaming. Yet there is a simpler benefit of moving to a growing platform, that may be evident to less popular streamers, and those less concerned about financial gain.
RELATED:Guy Fieri Is Ready to Play Fortnite with Ninja
Streamers are still taking a risk by abandoning Twitch, as Mixer isn’t a resounding success yet.Mixer is still losing ground to Twitch in terms of livestream viewers, despite its considerable investment in streamers. Furthermore, Google Stadia will likely encourage YouTube streams because of Google’s ownership of both properties, and this will present new challenges.
Dr Disrespect has commented on an offered Mixer deal, and he has stated that the Xbox integration doesn’t lead to user interaction and views. This is a reasonable deduction, yet this may not always be the case because games likeHalo: Infinitemay radically change viewing figures. A huge franchise using streamers to promote the game could be part of a unique and potentially very successful marketing campaign. In this sense, Microsoft could benefit short term from Mixer. However, streamers will be hoping that Xbox succeeds in providing viewers in the next generation through a myriad of titles.
Some may feel that Mixer should be investing in gaining new users rather than streamers. Yet, from a business perspective, these likely look like the same thing as streamers have attracted new users to the platform. Naturally, moving to the platform has been marketed as a huge positive for the streamers, withShroud claiming the switch to Mixer was “the best move for my career”. The way streaming develops in the coming years will dictate how successful the move proves for streamers. There are plenty of factors such as consoles, emerging technology, and the image of the large conglomerates that own streaming platforms that can be a factor in user investment.
Mixer doesn’t guarantee success, but it appears to provide tangible incentives. While there is only speculation abouthow much Mixer paid Ninjato move from Twitch, it is likely that Ninja’s bottom lines goes untouched. Also, the chance to have a monopoly on an emerging streaming service, which is backed by Microsoft, is one which many would find too good to resist. These opportunities are why streamers are moving, yet whether the possibility to grow a brand with a platform becomes a reality is something only time will tell.
