With an aim to its improve life streaming experience, Microsoft has acquired interactive game streaming service Beam. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Seattle based service allows viewers to interact with streamers during broadcasts. As a result of the acquisition, Beam will be a part of Microsoft’s Xbox division. Beam makes it easier for streamers to enable and customize, regardless of the game or platform. The service is designed to work with any game, and will continue to offer broadcasts across all gaming platforms. It lets you earn XP points, boosters and emoticons based on how much you watch and how often you tune in.
Chad Gibson, Partner Group Manager for Xbox Live said in a blog post,
We at Xbox are excited about this convergence between playing and watching, and want to provide gamers with the freedom and choice to have great multiplayer experiences across all of Beam’s platforms. This acquisition will help gamers enjoy the games they want, with the people they want, and on the devices they want.
Beam CEO Matt Salsamendi in a Beam blog post,
As part of the Xbox team, we’ll be able to scale faster than we’ve ever been able to before. We’re expanding the team, bolstering our infrastructure, and, most importantly, continuing to grow the amazing community we’ve been lucky enough to build at Beam.
Salsmendi will continue leading the Beam team. Beam currently has apps available for iOS and Android and it can also be accessed on the web via most browsers.