In this week’s TPoI, Steam gained over 27 million new paying users in the past 18 months, developers at the Games for Change Festival talk U.S. policy effects on the industry, and Electronic Arts merges Mass Effect: Andromeda developer with Motive Studios.
Steam Gains Over 27 Million New Customers in the Last 18 Months
Valve’s PC gaming platform Steam is widely regarded as the premier PC game distribution platform. GeekWire reports that Steam has gained 27 million new paying users since the start of 2016, a statistic that was announced during Valve’s panel at Casual Connect in Seattle. Matthew Wilson from Kitguru speculates that Steam’s continuous growth could be related to popular multiplayer titles such Dota 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS being available exclusively through Steam. Due to the rapid growth in user base, Steam now has over 67 million active users a month, a number that Polygon highlights is tracking well above Xbox Live’s 53 million average users. PC Gamer notes that Steam continues to grow with over 1.5 million new users every month and estimates that the platform will continue to dominate the PC gaming industry.
EA and Take-Two Say U.S. Government is Bad For Business
Representatives from Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive spoke on how recent U.S. government policy changes are directly affecting the industry during a panel at the 2017 Games for Change Festival. According to Polygon, the speakers argued that policy changes made to topics such as immigration, education, and trade directly affect the U.S games industry and its future growth. Green Man Gaming Newsroom covered the effect of the H-1B visa program and how a lack of qualified, high-skilled labor will lead to less American innovation as a whole. GamesIndustry.Biz mentions that many other companies including Activision-Blizzard, Harmonix, Insomniac Games and Unity have spoken out about these issues in the past and hope that the current issues can be resolved.
EA Merges Canadian Games Studios BioWare Montreal with Motive Studios
After being designated as a “support studio” by Electronic Arts back in May, BioWare Montreal is now being folded into the also Montreal-based EA Motive, with their staff moving into Motive’s office. A Forbes contributor notes that none of the staff has been laid off and that the team will transition into the new office over the next few weeks. Shack News reports that the team responsible for the ill-reviewed Mass Effect: Andromeda will be helping to develop a new IP while the rest of Motive is focused on Star Wars: Battlefront 2. TechRaptor covered a statement made by Electronic Arts’ CFO Blake Jorgensen that an additional 100 employees have been hired to help develop this new project.
In this week’s TPoI, Japanese mobile games company GREE closes its western offices, speedrunning charity event SGDQ 2017 takes Twitch by storm, and Netflix’s Castlevania series launches to critical acclaim. .
Gree Shuts Down its Western Offices
Japanese mobile game company Gree has closed its western operations, including offices in the US, Germany, and Australia. VentureBeat reports that this decision follows the downsizing of GREE’s San Francisco office earlier this year. Gamesindustry.biz surmises that GREE is adopting a Japan-first strategy due to larger returns in their home region than in foreign markets.
Castlevania Animated Series Debuts on Netflix
The first season of Netflix’s Castlevania animated series was announced early Friday morning and has so far received positive reception, with Polygon calling it one of the best shows to binge-watch. The series is based off of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse and developed in collaboration with the game’s designer Koji Igarashi. Season one consists of 4 episodes and Gamespot reports that Netflix has already ordered a longer, 8 episode season to be developed in the near future. Washington Post highlights the premiere of the show and calls it an animated fantasy series that isn’t for kids. The Verge adds that Adi Shankar, the series producer, has shown interest in adapting other video game series into shows, specifically pointing out that he is working on an animated series based off of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Weeklong Speedrunning Charity Event SGDQ 2017 Live on Twitch
SGDQ or “Summer Games Done Quick”, is part of a biannual speedrunning charity event that is currently being broadcast on Twitch. Polygon reports that all donations, made either through the charity’s site or with Twitch’s proprietary currency, for the event are given to the international group Doctors Without Borders. Outlets like PC Gamer and Dot Esports have been posting schedule announcements as well as highlights of the stream, showcasing the work of streamers that contribute their talents to the organization. According to the main GDQ website, viewers of last year’s SGDQ donated over $1.2 million dollars for charity and it’s looking like they will donate even more this year.
In this week’s TPoI, Twitch revamps its mobile app, the SNES Classic hits stores in September, and Super League Gaming raises $15 million in funding.
Twitch to Update Mobile App With Major Changes
Twitch has announced that their mobile app will receive an upgraded design alongside new features that will launch in the next two weeks. PC Mag disclosed that the app will feature a social feed called Pulse, allowing users to like and comment on posts from other broadcasters. VentureBeat adds that streamers can livestream directly from their phone’s camera allowing for vlog-style broadcasts, but gameplay footage will still be unavailable. Nonetheless, Engadget surmises that this may help Twitch expand its platform beyond games, and is curious to see how these changes will impact Twitch. TechCrunch states that the app is slowly rolling out to iOS and Android and will be made available to all users by early July.
SNES Classic Released in Late September
Nintendo revealed that the Super Nintendo Classic will be available on September 29 for $80. Kotaku reports that the SNES will come with 21 games along with the unreleased Star Fox 2. Washington Post feels that the throwback to old school consoles is a great way for Nintendo to boost its revenue and success, since this launch will follow the release of the Switch and the NES. Thrillist expressed excitement for the release and hopes that the SNES won’t sell out as quickly as the NES Classic. Forbes reports that Nintendo has promised that there will be a significant increase in production this time around, but advises consumers to pre-order a console as soon as the option becomes available as the SNES may still be difficult to find.
Super League Gaming Raises $15 Million from Nickelodeon, DMG, and Others for Amateur Esports
Thursday, Super League Gaming which hosts esports competitions in movie theaters and online for amateur video game players, announced it raised $15 million in Series C funding. Backers include entertainment players like DMG and Nickelodeon, as well as traditional sports owners like the Tampa Bay Lightning ownership and esports VC group, aXiomatic. IB Times believes that Nickelodeon’s investment in Super League Gaming is a notable move due to the kid-friendly focus and predicts that the network will launch potential new competitive shows or partnerships in the near future. GameIndustry adds that Super League Gaming has now raised more than $28 million to date since launching in 2014. Engadget states that investors are becoming interested in esports because the industry’s estimated worth was recorded at $1.13 billion this year.
In this week’s TPoI, GTA 5’s shutdown of modding tools sparks anger amongst users, Capcom and Bandai Namco enter a cross-licensing agreement related to online matchmaking, and Project Rap Rabbit fails to meet its Kickstarter goal.
GTA 5’s Mod Shutdown Upsets and Frustrates Players
Developers of modding tool OpenIV revealed last week that they would be shutting down after receiving a legal notice from Grand Theft Auto developer Take-Two Interactive. PCGamer reports that OpenIV’s shutdown was not taken well by users of the mod, who took to Steam to write negative reviews. In addition to written reviews, VG 24/7 states that users down-voted GTA 5 in the Steam store, resulting in the customer reviews to be “overwhelmingly negative”. According to Gamepur, distraught fans started a petition on Change.org, calling for Take-Two to allow OpenIV to continue. Despite the impressive 50,000 signatures already collected, GameRant doesn’t believe that Take-Two will revert their decision, but presumes that it may impact sales on their upcoming title Red Dead Redemption 2 if gamers are still upset by GTA V.
Capcom and Bandai Namco to Improve Online Multiplayer
Capcom and Bandai Namco announced that they have begun a cross-licensing agreement to improve online matching in Street Fighter and other fighting games. GamingBolt disclosed that Street Fighter will be one of the first games to leverage the agreement, and with Bandai Namco’s help, Capcom should be able to release new content faster. PVP Live isn’t surprised that Capcom would band forces with Bandai Namco, as the outlet feels that Street Fighter V’s online experience has been struggling, whereas Tekken 7’s has been pretty successful. VG 24/7 agrees, hoping that Street Fighter V’s online matchmaking will be immensely better with the assistance from Bandai Namco. Forbes hopes that the collaboration with Bandai Namco will also refine Capcom’s upcoming fighter game Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, and looks forward to seeing the upgraded multiplayer servers.
Project Rap Rabbit Falls Short of Production
PaRappa the Rapper creator Masaya Matsura and Giratoo Man creator Keiichi Yano’s “Project Rap Rabbit” ended in failure as the game did not reach its Kickstarter goal. Polygon states that the project had asked for approximately $1 million, with backers only contributing $204K thousand within the deadline. Comicbook.com theorizes that part of its collapse was due to fans wanting sequels for the titles already made, and suggests that the developers focus on that possibility. As for plans to release the title in the future, DualShockers reports that Matsura and Yano aren’t able to fund further production to relaunch crowd funding, so work on the title can’t continue at this time. The outlet further details that the game will potentially be released in the future, but it’s hard to say when that can be accomplished.
In this week’s TPoI, PS3 production has officially ceased, Apple reveals App Store earnings to date, and a Twitch streamer allows users to experience the stock market.
Sony Halts PS3 Production in Japan
Back in March, Sony briefly mentioned the possibility of PS3’s production being discontinued. MCV disclosed that the official Japanese PlayStation website stated that shipments for the standard 500GB model have “ended’. A representative from Sony Japan spoke to Kotaku in March, revealing that PS3 shipments in Japan will eventually cease and that the PS3’s production has already terminated. Launched back in November 2006, Polygon thinks the PS3 had a decent run for 10 years, but believes it may have faced difficulty keeping up with its competitor the Xbox 360. Despite the end of the PS3 era, iTechPost anticipates Sony will focus its time and effort in marketing the PS4 and its upcoming titles.
App Store Developer Earnings Exceed $70 Billion
Apple announced that their developer community has earned over $70 billion since the App Store launched in 2008. MacRumors disclosed that App Store downloads have grown over 70 percent in the past year, with the top categories being Gaming, Lifestyle, and Health. One of the biggest drivers of the store’s success was games such as Pokemon GO and Super Mario Run, according to Gamasutra. Forbes is impressed with how well the store is doing, and reports that developers can even respond directly to customer feedback or offer tech support if needed. The App Store numbers are admirable, but TechRadar is curious to see how it stacks up to Google’s Play Store.
Twitch Channel Uses Real Money for Users to Play with Stock Market
Amazon engineer Mike Roberts created the Twitch channel “Stock Stream” and invested $50,000 into the channel to start to allow viewers to invest in whatever they pleased. BusinessInsider reports that Roberts had seen the idea floating around the web for years without much progress, and finally decided to put it in action. TheNextWeb explains that players participate in 5-minute voting rounds, using chat commands to buy or sell a stock. All trades are done on the Robinhood trading app which is used to buy shares. However, if the account falls below $25,000, it will come to a close due to FINRA/SEC regulations. SlashGear finds the concept intriguing and is curious to see how it will pan out. PCGamer finds it to be the strangest Twitch Play ever due to the fact that Roberts is willing to take a huge risk with his own finances.
In this week’s TPoI, No Matter Studios modifies game title to avoid legal battle, Blizzard reveals revenue data for Overwatch, and E3 announces a new series of panels for this year’s convention.
No Matter Studios Avoids Dispute With Bethesda & Zenimax
Indie developer No Matter Studios was recently forced to change its upcoming game title Prey for the Gods to Praey for the Gods after Bethesda and parent company Zenimax filed a trademark complaint for using the word “Prey”, as it’s the same spelling they’ve used for their latest title. IGN reveals that No Matter Studios seriously considered fighting it but decided against it as they’ve already spent a tremendous amount of time and effort raising funds via Kickstarter. According to Heavy, Bethesda’s legal team also clashed with Minecraft developer Mojang in 2011, which was eventually settled out of court. Hardcore Gamer predicts that readers are more likely to lean towards No Matter Studios than Bethesda and Zenimax, and is hopeful that this won’t end up hurting development in the long run.
Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch Earns $1 Billion to Date
Debuting in May of last year, Activision Blizzard announced that multiplayer and FPS Overwatch has already made more than $1 billion according to to their fiscal Q1 2017 financial statement. VentureBeat disclosed that this is the company’s fastest-growing franchise ever. GameRant surmises that part of its success stems from keeping fans engaged with ongoing limited-timed events, modes and skins. May 24 is Overwatch’s launch anniversary, and VG24/7 reports that Blizzard President Michael Morhaime may have a celebratory event or surprise in store for fans that day.
E3 Introduces New Panel and Series, “E3 Coliseum”
For the first time ever, E3 will be officially open to the public and that’s not all. GameSpot revealed that Journalist and Video Game awards host Geoff Keighley announced E3 Coliseum, a two-day series of talks and panels from gaming companies occurring on June 13-14. This new series is intended to take attendees behind the scenes of the gaming experience and VG24/7 disclosed that Bethesda Softworks, Microsoft, Gearbox Publishing, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Ubisoft are just a few of the publishers that will make an appearance at the panels. CinemaBlend hopes Gearbox Publishing has Borderlands 3 in the works, and predicts this year’s E3 to have one of the highest turnouts. For those unable to attend, Polygon reports that a live stream will be available to view on Twitch and other platforms.
In this week’s TPoI, we bring you the latest updates on Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service, Twitch’s new subscription service, and the possibility of a Mini SNES Classic Edition from Nintendo.
Xbox Game Pass Coming Later This Spring
Microsoft is preparing to launch Xbox Game Pass, a subscription gaming service similar to Netflix that gives users access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles for $9.99 a month. Gamespot notes that the service’s alpha test is coming to an end on April 28, signaling an impending launch, and CinemaBlend predicts that it could come as soon as E3. Michael Pachter is confident that Microsoft won’t be able to replicate Netflix’s success, due to the lack of newly released titles being offered on the Game Pass.
Twitch Expands Subscription Service Options
Twitch has announced new $24.99 and $9.99 level subscriptions options, allowing fans to support their favorite streamers in bigger ways. TechCrunch reports that higher payment level subscribers will count more toward a channel’s overall subscriber number than non-paying viewers. EsportsPro believes this could significantly increase partnered streamers’ revenues, with a potential for streaming to turn into a full-time job for more users of the platform. Per Eurogamer, Twitch plans to release the beta version “very soon.”
Nintendo to Release a Mini SNES Classic Edition?
With the global discontinuation of the NES Classic Edition, there is speculation that Nintendo has plans to launch a Mini SNES Classic Edition, according to a report from Eurogamer. Nintendo has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor, but Fortune surmises that this may have been why production of the NES Classic was stopped. If the SNES is to be released, GameSpot expects it to launch sometime around December, a perfect gift for the holidays. Polygon suggests that Nintendo implements a pre-order program to prevent the type of shortage issues that were present at the NES Classic launch, with Forbes going so far as to advise Nintendo to triple the amount of SNES available.
This week’s TPoI features the first reactions to Nintendo Switch, big shakeups over at Disney and Maker, Nvidia’s transformation into a gaming platform, and the response to the death of Twitch streamer Brian Vigneault.
Nintendo Switch: Here’s What the Critics Are Saying
This week, intial reactions and reviews started to surface from lucky journalists that were able to review Switch, prior to its official launch next week. Overall press reaction has been positive despite these early versions of Switch lacking the crucial “Day One” update that will go live on launch. The update will allow network connectivity, social media integration, and some minor bug fixes. Business Insider reports that the Nintendo Switch is a fast and efficient system that smoothly combines portable and console gaming with the caveat that some games, when played on a TV, have “issues with consistent framerate.” Similarly, Polygon also reports that the fit and feel of the Switch as a finished product is fantastic, but there are some issues with the Joy-Con controllers losing connectivity while the handheld is docked. The trouble surrounding the Joy-Con controller doesn’t end there as Ars Technica also writes that the controllers are, “a little hard to get a solid grasp on.” With the launch less than a week away, the Switch is shaping up to be a great product for those who like to game at home and on the go.
Disney cuts about 80 jobs in digital media unit that includes Maker Studios
LA Times reported that the Walt Disney Company has laid off about 80 employees in its digital media unit, which includes Maker Studios, the digital media company representing YouTube successes such as “Epic Rap Battles of History” and PewDiePie. Earlier this month, Maker severed ties with PewDiePie in response to a story from The Wall Street Journal that alleged anti-Semitic references the creator was including in videos. The PewDiePie scandal, and the recent cutbacks at Maker, have reportedly caused the company to further cull their roster of YouTube creators. Polygon reported that Maker will now only sponsor 300 content creators; the company currently supports more than 60,000. According to Develop, Maker will now look for two qualities in affiliated creators – 1) that the creators have their own established audience and large following, and 2) that the creator material is family friendly and in alignment with Disney’s corporate culture.
In The Wake of Marathon Streamer’s Death, Twitch Community Discusses Healthy Streaming Practices
In what was both a tragic and eye-opening week for Twitch users, Brian “PoShYbRiD” Vigneault passed away last Sunday after attempting a 24 hour charity stream for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Vigneault has done multiple charity streams in the past, raising over $10,000 to date for various organizations by playing, World of Tanks. According to IGN, World of Tanks issued a statement of condolence and to pay their respects to Vigneault’s family. Polygon has reached out to Twitch for comment, but as of yet the company has not made an official statement. In addition, Kotaku reports that Vigneault’s death should help raise awareness towards the unseen pressure on streamers to grow their fan base at the cost of their own health. The outlet also called for Twitch to “choose to take a firmer stance against unhealthy streaming practices.” According to IGN and Kotaku, Twitch has yet to make official comment. His fans have set up a GoFundMe page and turned his Twitch channel into a memorial.
NVIDIA GeForce Has Moved From Graphics Card To Gaming Platform
NVIDIA has set the gaming world astir with hints at a potential announcement of the long awaited GTX 1080 Ti at GDC next week in San Francisco. The company is coming out with all guns blazing, choosing to unveil the previously delayed graphics card on the same day that competitor AMD streams its Capsaicin event to announce its next-generation Vega graphics cards. Although details regarding the announcement and the card itself are still uncertain, Digital Trends implies that both NVIDIA and AMD are racing to make virtual reality the mainstream form of gaming. In addition, according to Forbes, NVIDIA is aggressively competing with mobile, console, and handheld gaming platforms through its GeForce line, which is responsible for the company’s high level of growth and success. Look for the drama between NVIDIA and AMD to unfold in a few days at GDC.
In TPoI this week, we see a sneak peek at the Nintendo Switch, mobile esports comes on the scene, and Microsoft releases news that we can expect to see an update at E3 regarding Project Scorpio.
Here’s 3 minutes of the Nintendo Switch menus, thanks to an early shipment Although details regarding the Nintendo Switch have been kept under wraps by Nintendo, Switch fans eagerly awaiting the console’s launch were treated to an early look at the product this week thanks to one lucky gamer who uploaded videos of their new Switch and its system menus after receiving an early shipment from an undisclosed retailer. Polygon reports that the user interface and system menus have been carefully guarded by Nintendo – though it’s no longer a secret as the video garnered over half a million views in just two hours. According to Business Insider, the short video shows a notable improvement in the Switch’s processor speed and responsiveness from previous handheld consoles. With this level of hype surrounding the Switch, the console may very well outperform some analysts’ projections of 40 million units sold through 2020. In the meantime Switch fans… keep waiting.
UK esports champions Fnatic are getting into mobile gaming With the popularity of games such as Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Defense of the Ancients 2, esports has reached a golden age of success and viewership. However, teams such as Fnatic have refused to limit themselves to console and PC games and are beginning to branch out towards popular mobile games such as Vainglory. Fnatic’s growth into the mobile gaming industry reveals the ever increasing popularity and potential of mobile games as the demographic that owns a smartphone is much larger than those who own a gaming console or computer. WIRED reports that Fnatic and others in the esports space see mobile gaming as the next play in esports due to its accessibility and intuitive gameplay. So if you like mobile games and esports, you might be able to tryout for your favorite team in the near future!
Xbox Project Scorpio will finally get some face time at Microsoft’s E3 Event As E3 draws closer, the gaming world is officially abuzz as companies put the finishing touches on their games and products for the summer event. Earlier this week, Microsoft tweeted an announcement from their official Xbox account regarding Project Scorpio – their next-gen console. The exact specifications of Project Scorpio are still unknown, but what we do know is that it will have the most powerful GPU installed in a console to date, allowing it to run games in true 4K resolution along with VR capabilities. TechCrunch reported that we’re not likely to learn anything else about the project until June, since the company has been very “mysterious” surrounding the product up until now.
This week in TriplePoints of Interest: Electronic Arts rolls out new rules for influencers and content creators, future Ubisoft games will be less scripted, and Warner Bros. now wholly owns Machinima.
This week in TriplePoints of Interest the NES Classic sells out immediately, HTC has an add-on that makes the Vive wireless, and Blizzard tests out a new esports ecosystem with the Overwatch League!
Conventions and the video game industry go hand-in-hand: there’s the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), Germany’s Gamescom, Comic-Cons, and more. Other than QuakeCon (and EA Play this year), it’s rare for publishers to host their own consumer-facing “mega event.” Most companies like Capcom, Ubisoft, and Nintendo share the stage and make special reveals during E3 (which is no longer open to the public) and other general gaming events.
Blizzard Entertainment is not like many companies, though as its 10th annual BlizzCon wrapped on November 4-5 celebrating all of the brand’s biggest franchises. Selling out in roughly 10 minutes, it is safe to say this annual convention is one of the most popular in the industry with no signs of slowing down!
Hosting a convention to promote your own properties and celebrate your fan base can be an extremely effective brand marketing strategy — evidenced by Blizzard. Publisher conventions can make fans feel rewarded, important,and valued. It gives attendees a chance to meet the artists and developers behind their favorite games, creating a personal connection that helps strengthen their brand affinity.
In order to understand why publishers should host conventions of their own, TriplePoint takes a look at what makes BlizzCon an impressive marketing tool, unique from other experiences, and what other companies can do to provide that same value. TriplePoint has taken all of this into account and has established five key BlizzCon 2016 brand marketing takeaways:
Surprising Announcements / Unique Information Distribution Structure
Each year, BlizzCon is home to new reveals and big surprises surrounding its IPs (World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch). Key highlights from this year’s BlizzCon included the eagerly awaited new Overwatch hero, Sombra, the Overwatch League announcement, Diablo 3’s upcoming Necromancer class, and Hearthstone’s new expansion Gadgetzan, and more. Interestingly enough this year Blizzard chose to separate its product news from esports news, with product on the first day and esports on the following day.
Blizzard’s strategy to lead its announcements with product news is because unlike product, which has more timing flexibility, esports stories need time to develop — tournaments need to be played and winners need to be determined. Having designated days for both types of stories ensures a steady flow of information for the press and consumers. Press will have enough time to cover, news will be easier to digest, and information won’t get lost — they can dominate the news cycle.
Watch the Best of the Best Play
Esports are another unique aspect of BlizzCon that is surprisingly not explored by other video game conventions.The best players from around the world gather to BlizzCon to showcase their skills and compete for huge prizes. The convention center is split into several parts where each space is devoted to specific tournaments in Blizzard’s gaming library. Having world championship tournaments during BlizzCon generates tournament results and team interview coverage, fandom, and an overall event spectacle.
Green screen by PhotoBoothless, find out more at http://www.photoboothless.com/
Network with Industry Professionals
BlizzCon serves as a mecca, drawing in fans from all over the world and from different backgrounds. Since there is something for everyone, BlizzCon was filled with cosplayers, community managers, artists, press, developers, representatives from other games, tech companies and more. BlizzCon is a dense concentration of video game industry professionals and offers immense opportunity to connect with key industry players.
Get Up Close and Personal with Devs and Artists
One of BlizzCon’s greatest strengths is being able to generate a personal connection with fans through intimate events like Signing Areas and Q&A’s. Often times at conventions developers have little time to talk about their games, only showing cutscenes and trailers of games without being able to provide details on other aspects — not the case at BlizzCon. Not only should developers and artists interact with press, but the community itself is just as crucial. Q&A’s set time aside for the community and helps them understand where developers and artists are coming from when designing a game. Blizzard understands this and does it well.
Hands-On Experiences
BlizzCon had many demo stations for Blizzard’s key titles, filled with new content yet to be released to the public. This concept is not new for video game conventions, but BlizzCon has the advantage of knowing virtually all consumers will be interested in all demo stations; therefore can optimize and personalize the content for the trade show attendees (vs. a content free-for-all at an event such as PAX). BlizzCon’s demo stations allow players to take their time, experience the new changes implemented into franchises they are deeply invested in, and provide valuable feedback. Sure, companies can host events for press to test a demo, but it’s equally important for the game’s community to experience it. It brings insight from different skill levels and backgrounds as well as tests what works and doesn’t work with its most important stakeholders — the fans.
Red Shirt Guy!
BlizzCon is a celebration of not only Blizzard’s video games but also its dedicated community they’ve cultivated for many years. Conventions can serve as an effective marketing tool, providing long-term value and building faith with your audience. In the end, players want games to succeed and to have fun. Personalized trade events such as BlizzCon are a great way to connect and celebrate with the fans.
The content creator market is maturing and growing. Bigger and more established companies are beginning to see the value in investing in the space, and nowhere was that more apparent than at TwitchCon 2016. For the second annual event, TwitchCon relocated to San Diego and we began to see Amazon’s impact on Twitch start to take shape for the first time. Below are three observations on how the future of Twitch will be impacted by Amazon.
First off, the announcement of Twitch Prime made clear Amazon’s desire to integrate more directly with Twitch. Twitch Prime is an extension of their regular Prime service that adds perks specific to Twitch users, which, surprisingly, does not come with a price increase. It’s the first time that Amazon has extended Prime beyond their own core brand, and the perks for the inaugural month were as follows:
Second, Amazon has started positioning Twitch as a digital game storefront with Steam-like functionality by introducing a “Game Details” page and supporting Twitch Launcher software. Amazon first introduced this new functionality by including a copy of Streamline in Amazon’s Twitch Prime service. The “Game Details” page is just an addition to the page that each game already has in the Twitch directory. This page contains screenshots, a trailer, and a download/purchase link. Once downloaded, the new game can be accessed and managed in Twitch Launcher.
This new functionality will make for an interesting customer browsing experience, as they have immediate access to see who is streaming it or who has made videos of the game. Additionally, when a Twitch Partner streams a game that is a part of this system, they get a referral link that their viewers can use to go purchase the game. Twitch incentivizes the streamer to participate by giving them a 30% cut of each sale. Right now, the only game in this system is Streamline but there is no doubt more will be added.
Finally, Amazon hosted a launch party for their new game studio’s first titles: Breakaway, a “mythological sport brawler,” New World, and Crucible, that will surely set the tone for how other gaming companies participate in the event. Of course, all three titles have promised a high level of Twitch integration such as the announced Stream+ feature, which has similar functionality to Proletariat Inc’s Streamote.tv. Amazon’s launch party was experience-oriented and put the games front and center with attendees, offering demo access and alpha codes (etched on heavy metal coins, no less).
It‘s quite clear that Amazon plans to use their purchase of Twitch to further their initiatives, which is great for gamers and content creators. Amazon seems keen to make use of Twitch streamers’ influence on their viewers to create a store/publishing platform. How this plays out in a Steam-centric world will be interesting. Any more methods they can create or provide for Streamers to monetize their shows, in a way that benefits viewers, is great for the market as well. In short, TwitchCon provided us with plenty of evidence to be optimistic about what Amazon will be bringing to Twitch in the future.
This week: Steam games need real screenshots to make it onto the store; Super League Gaming and Riot Games join forces to bring League of Legends to movie theaters; and BlizzCon 2016 kicks off!
“How can we get our game on Twitch?” As PR professionals, this is a question we often hear from our gaming clients. Alongside the oft-coveted cover story in print, or the front-page online feature, the industry has now fully embraced streaming as a critical goal in a campaign to drive awareness and sales. Twitch, of course, as the dominant platform in the space, is the place to be; as of this year, Twitch has 10 million daily viewers, and 18,000 live channels producing content at any given time, as per the keynote given at this year’s TwitchCon.
One needs look only at how the market is racing to embrace streaming to appreciate the impact Twitch has had on games, from design to marketing to community management. Titles like Choice Chamber, Streamline, and the Jackbox series have taken great leaps forward in directly integrating Twitch viewers into their gameplay, and publishers and developers worldwide have taken to Twitch to share news and gather feedback directly from a live, interactive audience.
The value of Twitch for your game may be obvious, but how can a publisher or developer participate effectively? This year’s TwitchCon included a business-centric series of panels and presentations, and TriplePoint was there to take it all in. Here are some of the main takeaways to keep in mind as you plan your Twitch outreach: Continue reading Top Five TwitchCon Takeaways for Communicators
In this week’s TPoI, Steam gained over 27 million new paying users in the past 18 months, developers at the Games for Change Festival talk U.S. policy effects on the industry, and Electronic Arts merges Mass Effect: Andromeda developer with Motive Studios.
