Now that we understand the basics of eSports and why this industry means serious business moving forward, we must dive into the specific streaming platforms on where eSports content is consumed. And as mentioned previously, some major eSports competitions are broadcasted on live television on channels like ESPN and TNT, but this post only focuses on the online streaming services.
So, the three main streaming sites that showcase gaming content and specifically host live eSports events are: Twitch / YouTube / Mixer. And while almost everyone has heard of and understands YouTube, many probably don’t know that the site has its own sub section specifically for gaming called (you guessed it) YouTube Gaming. Next, Twitch is categorized as a live streaming video platform where people can host a “stream” on virtually anything from gaming to signing to painting to a section called ‘Just Chatting.’ So, Twitch presents a unique space for people to show any talents or passions they have and gain an audience that supports them through subscriptions and donations, ultimately turning hobbies into a full career. Mixer operates similarly through content creators receiving donations and revenue percentages of subscribers, but Mixer is focused solely on live streaming video game content. According to Business Insider, these three streaming sites are currently the biggest players in the eSports streaming landscape, capturing the eyes of millions everyday, and what you might not realize is that they are all owned by the some of the more powerful and innovative technology companies that we all us everyday.
Amazon owns Twitch.
Google owns YouTube Gaming.
Microsoft owns Mixer.
With these tech giants operating the most popular streaming platforms for eSports, the future looks incredibly bright as they continue to invest in this growing space. And just looking at some numbers here, Twitch is by far the industry leader with over double the viewership of its closest competitor. According to Forbes, Twitch’s success can be due to its larger commitment to its content creators by allowing them to keep 100% of any donations along with exactly 50% of all subscription revenue. And perhaps its generalized content and wider appeal attracts more audiences and larger traffic onto the site, ultimately feeding into the video game space. And YouTube with its high brand value and market understanding for both consumers and creators is still able to bring in a large amount of viewership compared to the weaker player – Mixer. Microsoft’s video game streaming platform Mixer has been struggling since the beginning, but the company has developed a new strategy in offering some content creators and gaming stars exclusive deals to stream only on their platform. They plan to splash the cash to bring in big stars and hope their large and loyal fanbases follow them to their site.
Ultimately, Twitch / YouTube Gaming / Mixer were all listed by media streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu as “direct competitors,” since the video game streaming sites have begun to take a portion of the market share.
eSports 