Today marks the official end for Microsoft's streaming service Mixer. The ambitious platform lasted just over four years, but Microsoft announced its intention to pull the plug back in June. The news came as a major surprise give the talent that Mixer has been able to attract over the last year, most notably Tyler "Ninja" Blevins and Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek. However, Microsoft still struggled to compete with platforms such as Twitch. Over the last month, Microsoft has worked to transition users, partners, and streamers over to Facebook Gaming. Essentially, partners that chose to sign with Facebook Gaming were given agreements that matched those from Mixer as closely as possible.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the fallout from Mixer's end. Despite the platform's failure to build an audience, video game streaming remains incredibly popular, with some of the biggest names commanding top dollar. Microsoft released the contracts for its exclusively signed streamers, essentially making Ninja and Shroud free agents. As of this writing, neither streamer has yet to settle on where they'll sign next, but reports indicate that Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch are all competing to sign Ninja.

Mixer's end could be a big gain for Facebook, particularly if the platform can manage to coax Ninja into signing an exclusive contract. The company has deep pockets, and Ninja's base of followers could be a big gain. Of course, Ninja and Shroud are two of the biggest names in streaming, and they still weren't enough to keep Mixer afloat, so it remains to be seen whether or not Facebook will find more success.

The last month has been a very interesting time for video game streaming. Last month, Twitch severed ties with Dr Disrespect, one of the most well-known names in streaming. The platform still hasn't given a reason for the decision, and Dr Disrespect continues to claim that he doesn't know the reasoning. The streamer is reportedly considering legal action against Twitch. Meanwhile, the platform has signed an exclusive contract with former rapper Logic, apparently worth seven figures. Despite Mixer's failure, it seems that streaming will continue to provide a viable form of entertainment for a large number of viewers.



Posted: Jul 23, 2020 7:15 pm
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/mixer-is-officially-dead/