Tag: Twitch

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YouTube to launch gaming focused sub-section to main site

With the incredible popularity of video game walkthroughs, streams, video reviews, and more on YouTube the video-sharing site has elected to offer a new gaming-focused section of the site. YouTube Gaming will now aggregate all gaming related content into one place.

YouTube Gaming will come in both the form of an app and a full website branching off of the main site. It will list over 25,000 games with each having their own page collecting all the videos and streams involving that game “to keep you connected to the games, players, and culture that matters to you.” Users can then go ahead and add these games to their “Collection” to get quick access to content for the games they love.

Alan Joyce, Product Manager for this new project explained a bit more about it in his latest blog post.

“On YouTube, gaming has spawned entirely new genres of videos, from let’s plays, walkthroughs, and speedruns to cooking and music videos. Now, it’s our turn to return the favor with something built just for gamers.”

In an effort to further streamline the video streaming process, YouTube will no longer require users to schedule a live stream ahead of time. Users can simply jump straight into a live stream in a similar fashion to Twitch.tv.

YouTube Gaming will be available this summer with more information about the site coming at E3 2015. Those interested can sign up for a notification email from YouTube here.

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New Halo: Combat Evolved speed-run record

After the last record-breaking run was completed under 24 hours ago by twitch streamer, Goatrope, the record (1:34:57) has fallen to another streamer, Sub_Whistle, who has edged out Goatrope by nearly two minutes.

There were some close calls and near deaths, but Sub_whistle posted absurd times on both the Library and Two Betrayals to help him secure his final time (1:33:07). Utilizing nearly every exploit he could think of the Halo connoisseur grabbed the record just after Goatrope had broke his own record 12 hours before.

Certainly a disappointment for Goatrope, his excitement for the record was very clear after he was able to finally jump into the Longsword at the game’s conclusion. A stark contrast to Sub_Whistle, who’s only distinct commentary came just as he ended the video mid sentence — “We fucking did it.”

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Twitch bought by Amazon for $970 million

Twitch looks like it will be in good hands with Amazon

Amazon seems to have surprised almost everyone with their newly acquired videogame-streaming platform.

For months it was speculated and nearly confirmed multiple times that Google would be purchasing twitch.tv and it had caused quite a bit of dissent among the twitch community.

Those who had expressed their concerns with Google purchasing the popular videogame streaming platform can rest easy. Amazon has purchased Twitch for a total just shy of $1 billion and the move looks to benefit both sides.

With over one million users and hundreds of millions of clips and videos on the site, Twitch.tv CEO Emmet Shear has been able to create and evolve an outstanding service in just three years.

In an open letter to all twitch.tv users, Emmett Shear explained his excitement for the move.

“We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster. We’re keeping most everything the same: our office, our employees, our brand, and most importantly our independence. But with Amazon’s support we’ll have the resources to bring you an even better Twitch.”

The new found assets that Amazon can supply looks to make this an excellent deal for both Amazon and Twitch. Amazon has been known for their incredible customer support and will likely dismiss many of the worries regarding a new stringent copy-right system and will certainly reject the feared implementation of Google Plus-like comment system like that currently on Youtube.

Along with Amazon’s incredible server infrastructure the purchase should aid twitch immensely — especially since Twitch will be maintaining independence with Amazon making them a full-owned subsidiary.

As Amazon moves more toward the hardware business they’re certain to recognize the vast popularity of videogames within our culture and this move exemplifies that.

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Twitch.TV scanning gamers’ streams for audio copyright infringement

Twitch.tv's new copyright policies are stricter and worrisome to current streamers.
Twitch.tv’s new copyright policies are stricter and worrisome to current streamers.

Just as Twitch is acquired by Google, the world-leading videogame streaming platform has elected to implement a stauncher copyright policy.

The automatic content recognition software, Audible Magic, will scan archived videos’ audio to their own database in an attempt to find matches.

If matching audio does occur, Audible Magic will mute the video for a 30 minute span. After the 30 minutes is completed,  if no copyrighted audio ensues, the sound will return to the video.

While streams aren’t actually scanned by the audio recognition software, copyright owners can still address copyright infringement using DMCA claims directly filed to the videogame streaming service.

Twitch has always maintained a copyright policy and advised all those who stream to avoid using copyrighted audio, there had been little effort to enforce the rules until now.

Many gamers believe there is reason to be concerned with the potential of false positives and questionable enforcement of the new policy. Many games that include contemporary music such as Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto, and Fallout are susceptible to being flagged by the content detection.

Even Twitch’s own weekly stream had been caught by their copyright scan for music that they actually already owned. (Though the audio has now been restored.)

Twitch had implemented an “appeal” process to videos that are wrongly flagged and has apologized for the confusion. They are also encouraging users to use audio under a creative common license in order to avoid any disruptions to their streams.

Among the changes coming to the service is the removal of the ability to “save-forever” videos archived in a streamer’s history. While highlight clips can still be stored permanently, regular videos will be archived for two weeks on standard accounts. For those that pay the $9 per month for Twitch’s Turbo subscription, videos will be saved for 60 days.