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Twitch Will Begin Selling Games You're Watching Later This Year (kotaku.com)

Posted by msmash on from the yay-or-nay? dept.

Twitch, home to millions of people who go to the site to watch games being player, is adding an e-commerce element to its game streaming platform. The Amazon-owned company announced today that it will sell video games directly on its site, which is already used by nearly 10 million daily active users. From a report: The new game sales program will allow stream viewers to click a "Buy Now" button at the bottom of the stream page to purchase the game they are viewing. Sales go through Twitch parent company Amazon, and while games will be available worldwide, only U.S. dollars will be supported as payment currency at launch

12 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. Partnered Streamers by cigawoot · · Score: 1

    Will they be sharing revenue with the partnered streamer? Would be another way to support the streamer that you're watching. If not, then it seems like its just a cash grab by Twitch/Amazon.

    1. Re:Partnered Streamers by cigawoot · · Score: 1

      Nevermind, I'm dumb. TFA already says the partner gets 5%.

    2. Re:Partnered Streamers by MBGMorden · · Score: 2

      I don't have a problem with them sharing revenue with the streamer, but honestly they're a business. A business finding a new way to sell things isn't a "cash grab".

      Truthfully I don't see myself using this (it's never been difficult to just open a new tab if I wanted to buy the game), but in the grand scheme of things I'm sure they'll get enough sales from it to make it worth their while.

      --
      "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
    3. Re:Partnered Streamers by Calydor · · Score: 2

      Considering the tendency to buy games you're never gonna play during Steam's sales, this is likely to turn a lot of profit on impulse purchases alone.

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      -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
  2. A new category defined by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Surprising that no-one has noted this type of post before given how angry much of Slashdot has become in general:

    "FIRST PISSED"

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  3. No brainer by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 2

    Hasn't this option been available on YouTube for ages? :-) Music usually has links to iTunes, Amazon, etc.
    Gee, here's an radical idea -- make it EASY for the viewer the ability to buy what they are watching!
    I only wish the REST of the entertainment industry would get with the program.

    i.e.
    A friend of mine noticed that "Hawaizaada" trailer was available in 1080p and used to be in Netflix. Yet if the viewer wants to purchase a legal copy they have to track down a crappy 480p DVD version off Amazon!? Why isn't a streaming option available??

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  4. To that, I only say... by damn_registrars · · Score: 2

    ... do you have battletoads?

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  5. Re:being player? by Calydor · · Score: 1

    It's called AI. Watch games being (the) player - no humans needed!

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    -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
  6. What about games on non amazon app stores? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    What about games on non amazon app stores?

    1. Re:What about games on non amazon app stores? by Notabadguy · · Score: 2

      What about games on non amazon app stores?

      Amazon sells those too. When you buy a game on Amazon, all you're really buying is an activation code for the game on whichever platform hosts it (Blizzard / Valve / Ubisoft / Origin).

    2. Re:What about games on non amazon app stores? by Shrubbman · · Score: 2

      What about games on non amazon app stores?

      Amazon sells those too. When you buy a game on Amazon, all you're really buying is an activation code for the game on whichever platform hosts it (Blizzard / Valve / Ubisoft / Origin).

      That's what it's been historically, but they did recently introduced their "Twitch Launcher" app that they plan to have act as their own digital download client. They're not selling anything for it just yet, but they are currently beta testing it as a platform for giving away freebies to Twitch Prime subscribers. Once they start selling games directly on Twitch I can't imagine they'll have many Steam/Origin/Uplay codes for sale when they've got their own digital distribution platform in play.

  7. But... how will they know? by The-Ixian · · Score: 2

    How will they know what I am watching later this year? Has AI gotten that good already? Or am I just really predicable?

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.