Twitch To Become Video Game Retailer With Streamers Getting A Cut

As the go-to live-streaming platform for gamers, Twitch has a pretty significant influence in a community that number in the hundreds of millions. Now, the video hosting site is about to widen its horizons by also becoming a retailer of games. It will basically become like Valve’s Steam platform, which will be selling titles from giant publishers and indie developers. What’s more, it seems the streamers will also get a cut from sales.

One of the biggest reasons why Steam is the single biggest digital video game retailer in the world is because it was the first to provide a platform for smooth transactions when it came to buying and downloading titles. Its founder, Gabe Newell went to great lengths to ensure that retrieving data was secure, user information was protected, and the selection of video games was extensive.

Many companies have tried to steal Steam’s position right out from under it, including GOG, Microsoft, Google, and even EA. Where all of these attempts failed, Twitch could succeed due to its unique position of being owned by Amazon.

As the single biggest online merchant site in the world, Amazon has considerably more influence than Steam, when all is said and done. Not only does it have the infrastructure to take on Valve’s own platform, it also has the resources and expertise to turn Twitch into a full-blown video game retail empire.

According to the announcement post by the company, streamers are also going to benefit from the new offer by providing viewers with the ability to buy the games that the content creators are showcasing. Viewers would simply need to click on the button on the channel’s page, which will direct them to the game’s store page.

“When you buy, if the streamer is a partner who has opted into the program, he or she gets a 5% share of the revenue,” the post reads.

Customers who use this method to buy their games or simply shop at Twitch for titles, in general, will also receive freebies, The Verge reports. These can include random badges or emotes, which can then be used on Twitch.