According to sources of Variety, YouTube, and in turn Google, have reached an agreement to buy Twitch for $1 billion. For the few who don’t know, Twitch is an online video game streaming service that has skyrocketed in popularity since it’s inception in 2011.
While the deal is still speculation at this time, this would mark the largest deal in YouTube’s history, with YouTube themselves being bought for little more than the speculated Twitch deal, at $1.65 billion in 2006. With over 45 million reported users per month, and many games and gaming hardware now including Twitch streaming integration upon release, Twitch is clearly a leader in this field, and YouTube are looking to capitalize on this success.
According to Variety’s sources, the announcement of the deal will be made, ‘imminently’. With the likes of Netflix and Hulu beginning to take over the TV market, the potential for Twitch to bring video game streaming to the forefront is there. How this will effect Twitch and it’s millions of users? That remains to be seen.
Source: [Variety] YouTube to Acquire Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch for $1 Billion: Sources