Microsoft will shutdown it’s game streaming platform, Mixer, in July.
Originally launched as a platform called Beam in 2016, it was quickly acquired by Microsoft, who saw the potential to rival other streaming platforms; Twitch and YouTube. However, recently, it has struggled to draw in the users and viewers. In a big plan to try and wrestle control of the market from it’s main rival Twitch, it secured a number of high profile Twitch celebrity steamers in way of large sum contracts. One such name they managed to secure was famous Fortnite steamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins as a Mixer exclusive steamer in 2019.
Despite this potentially lucrative deal, less than a year on, Microsoft has officially announced that its steaming platform will be shutting down in July. It also announced a partnership deal with Facebook Gaming, and it’s partners and streamers will begin transitioning to the platform from today. This shocking announcement was revealed in an interview with The Verge. Phil Spencer admitted the company “started pretty far behind, in terms of where Mixer’s monthly active viewers were compared to some of the big players out there”, and explained the decision to partner with Facebook Gaming was, in large part, a matter of scale.
“When we think about xCloud and the opportunity to unlock gameplay for two billion players, we know it’s going be critically important that our services find large audiences and Facebook clearly gives us that opportunity,” Phil went on to explain.
As for high profile streamers such as Ninja, they are now free to return to Twitch if they choose. When asked about wether these steamers will be transferring across, they responded that they “will honour and match all existing Partner agreements as closely as possible”
Facebook said it was “proud to invite everyone in the Mixer community to Facebook Gaming”.
Ninja has Tweeted a comment on the current situation:
From 22 July, Mixer’s website and app will redirect users to Facebook Gaming.