A new report has surfaced that Google has signed a deal that would see the search giant picking up the popular game streaming platform Twitch for $1 billion. The report adds builds on the previous report floating around that Twitch was being courted by Google’s video arm for a possible purchase with a price tag in the same ballpark. By purchasing Twitch, Google could be positioning itself to be the number one destination for live streaming games, as well as watching associated videos.
Google is buying streaming video network Twitch for $1 billion, according to aGamesBeat report citing “sources familiar with the matter.” GamesBeat’s story today echoes a previous report from Variety, which said this past May that the acquisition was taking place. However, the Wall Street Journal reported at the time that the discussions between Google and Twitch were “at an early stage.” Twitch, which was launched in 2011 by Justin.tv co-founders Justin Kan and Emmett Shear, is the internet’s foremost destination for livestreams of video games, including eSports titles. According to Twitch, more than 50 million people watch video on the service every month. Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One allow users to broadcast gameplay directly to Twitch and other sites, and Twitch users can watch video and chat with others on the web and through apps on a bevy of platforms. Google already owns the web’s largest streaming video platform, YouTube, which it acquired in November 2006 for $1.65 billion. A Twitch representative declined comment to Polygon. We’ve also reached out to Google, and we will update this article with any information we receive. For more on Twitch, check out our feature on its history.