[Rumor] Google Inks Deal to Buy Twitch for $1 Billion

[dgstorm]

It's been rumored for a while that Google was courting Twitch for a buyout, but now several news organizations are reporting that an actual deal has actually been reached between the tech titans. Since this is unconfirmed at this time, we will call it a rumor, but it appears that Google will be buying Twitch for $1 Billion USD.

As we reported previously, it was Google's YouTube division which has been attempting to broker the deal for some time. Here's a quote with a few more details,

Google's YouTube division is reportedly leading the charge here - and the incorporation of Twitch's live-stream broadcasting technology could be a big shift in its day-to-day operations.

Assuming that $1 billion price tag is correct, this would be the fifth largest acquisition in Google's history - right below the company's 2006 purchase of YouTube for $1.65 billion - underscoring the site's importance to Google.

Twitch, which was founded in June 2011, has seen its profile skyrocket since last November, thanks in large part to partnerships with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.

The platform boasts a community of over 50 million unique users each month, with 1.1 million broadcasters - and visitors averaging 106 minutes per day on the service. ~ Yahoo

The question remains, once Google owns Twitch, what will it do with the contracts Twitch has with the Microsoft Xbox Division and the Sony Playstation Division? Most of the time, Google attempts to spread their influence in the most collaborative method possible, but that obviously doesn't happen all of the time.

 

[jspradling7]

Never heard of it. I wonder what it adds to Youtube?