Amazon will reportedly buy Twitch for over $1 billion [Update: It's official]

By John Callaham
last updated

Twitch website hero
Twitch website hero (Image credit: Android Central)

Update Twitch has now made the official announcement on their acquisition by Amazon via a post from their CEO Emmett Shear. He stated, "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." Amazon has also issued its own press release, stating that is it purchasing Twitch for $970 million in cash. It added that the acquisition will officially close sometime in the second half of 2014.

Original story Amazon may be about to make an end run around Google in a bid to purchase the Twitch.tv game video streaming service. The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon will acquire Twitch.tv for over $1 billion, according to an unnamed source.

In May, Google's YouTube subsidiary was rumored to purchase Twitch.tv, which has 45 million viewers a month, for over $1 billion. That deal was reported to be finalized back in June. However, neither YouTube nor Twitch.tv announced that such an acquisition had taken place.

So what happened? It's not clear what caused Google to step out and Amazon to step in to purchase Twitch.tv. The Wall Street Journal claims the official announcement on the deal could be revealed today. We should soon see if these reports are accurate. What do you think of the prospect of Amazon purchasing Twitch.tv and what do you think Amazon will do with the game video streaming company?

Source: Wall Street Journal

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50 Comments
  • Who knew that letting people stream their video game sessions would be so profitable... haha
  • Better than Google buying it.
  • Is it though?
  • Because... Posted via Android Central App
  • Because google plus integration. It literally destroyed youtube comments. I used to love commenting and talking on youtube. Now it's just pointless. And look at the top comments of any video posted to reddit. The first 5/6 comments will always be troll accounts. Great job taking care of the trolls and shit comments Google!
  • Even if it wasn't Google plus, troll account would still be there. Posted via Android Central App
  • Duh. That's not what I said. I said they made it worse. At least trolls were easy to ignore. Now comments with the most replies go to the top, and it makes it easy for trolls to be seen. Plus you get notifications for responses to responses to responses. It's stupid.
  • That they go to the top is the rating system not Google plus. Notifications can be turned off easily. Posted via Android Central App
  • You might want to pull your head out of your ass, so you can see how foolish you look.
  • There's still plenty of good conversation; Google Plus didn't break anything. And it isn't that hard to make a profile.
  • That is not true and you know it, or you are not a normal/heavy Youtube user. The comments have gotten soooo much better. I see close to no troll comments ever since the update, just quality stuff.
  • Plus I actually find YouTube conversations easier to keep track of using G+, I was perturbed at first too, but the integration works quite well. And I agree, while they're still there, it's definitely lessened the trolling, not increased it. Posted via Android Central App
  • Exactly. I never realized people had replied to me before the G+ integration, but now it's so easy. And if I'm tired of replies I can mute it, or even lock replies on my posts. Posted via Android Central App
  • The videos I'm watching have tons of trolls at the top. Simply because they get a lot of replies/votes/reaction. And then when I do comment/respond to someone, I end up getting flooded with notifications because of other people talking to each other later on down in the responses.
  • That's people's fault for giving attention to the trolls. And you can easily mute a post you're tired of getting notified about. Posted via Android Central App
  • I think you mean figuratively, and I don't agree. Posted via Android Central App
  • Have you ever even used Twitch? Twitch chat is the embodiment of retardation and trolling due to its anonymous nature, so there's no way that it could affect the 'quality of the conversations' in any negative manner. Is the twitch chat part of the charm? Some might argue that, but tthere's no denying what it really is, a breeding ground of trolling and stupidity. (and I'm saying this as someone who enjoys the twitch chat for what it is)
  • And what does Google+ integration have to do either trolls? They were there before Google+ and they'll be there long after. Posted via my 1+1
  • ^this. I don't get why people act like trolls didn't exist on Youtube before. Posted via Android Central App
  • So correct and It was a cesspool. "Nothing I shoot ever gets back up again."
  • Yes because pushing it to a Prime account is so much better. Just deposit $99
  • +1
  • I'm hoping it will be better with amazon for a few reasons. First of all, Google already owns youtube, that is enough eggs in one basket. Secondly, I am hoping that Amazon is less draconian with the copyright infringement crap. Finally, I really didn't want to see youtube and twitch cross linked.
  • Why? Arent there a ton of twitch or twitch like videos already on youtube? Why not condense them all into one service/place
  • Please elaborate. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I rather google buy Posted via Android Central App
  • So... Unlimited Twitch uploads coming with your Prime subscription? :p
  • Idk what to think honestly....... Posted via Android Central App
  • Google will buy Amazon now lol. GoogleZon coming 2018 to an antitrust court case near you. Posted via Android Central App
  • Man..these tech companies will overpay for anything these days. A billion? Come on. Posted via Android Central App
  • It's less for the service. more for advertising info. That's where the money is Posted via Android Central App
  • Just wondering where Amazon is going to get a billion dollars?
  • There are these institutions called "banks" that often loan large sums of money to companies in exchange for future repayment of a slightly larger sum of money. Posted from my Nexus 5, behind seven proxies
  • Especially if the company is overvalued and has issues making a decent profit. Sadly, that wasn't sarcasm.
  • Lol. It doesn't turn a profit because it uses all of its profit to make a bigger and better company. Amazon grows substantially every year. Posted via Android Central App
  • Dude you gotta tell me more about this. Does it work for an average joe like me even though I'm not corporation/company? I dont like having to pay back more.. But if i can start a business with the money they loaned to me, i can still pay back. Where can i go for this????? Posted via Android Central App
  • No, it doesn't work for normal people. You'll have to go to a loan shark. Don't worry, though; as long as you can repay the 50% interest, I'm sure your knees will be fine.
  • Shouldn't be too hard considering they're the largest online retailer.. In the world. Quick search tells me they had almost $13 Billion in cash at the end of 2013.
  • Its official by twitch themselves http://www.twitch.tv/p/thankyou
  • Amazon might try and turn it into a paid service and make it part of Amazon Prime Posted via The Awesome AC app and my Awesome Note 3
  • And it would kill Twitch. Seriously, who would pay to use Twitch?
  • Who the hell even uses twitch? Posted via Android Central App
  • 45 million people a month, apparently. Posted from my Nexus 5, behind seven proxies
  • its not huge but it has its audience. I wish google made game streaming for Playstation/Xbox/PC/Mac
  • So Amazon is spending a billion dollars on a site where people can watch other people play video games? Wow. Just...wow. How lame.
  • I suppose go to the opera instead, do you?
  • Because it is much better to watch someone else play poker, hit a golfball, or ice skate?
  • Cheaper than buying a TextMessaging app for $19 Billion dollars! That Facebook and WhatsApp deal was friggn' ridiculous!! Still can't get over how an app can be worth more than some countries GDP. To put that in perspective, Jamaica's GDP is $14.3B..
  • I am wondering if Google had heard that Amazon were interested in buying Twitch, so they made an offer simply to push the price up and Amazon would thus have to pay a stupid amount of money for it. Ok, 45 Million users a month, or 540M a year, if you can make $2 of advert revenue off each, that's $1080M, so perhaps the sums do add up?
  • This is terrible. Goodbye to ever getting chromecast support. Likely to become another amazon exclusive service. What a waste Posted via Android Central App