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Microsoft Renames Beam, Introduces Co-Streaming Technology
Microsoft's Twitch competitor just got a makeover.
Roughly a year and a half after its official launch, the company announced its live-streaming service Beam is being rebranded as Mixer. Why the change? Co-founder Matt Salsamendi says they ran into some trouble using the Beam name overseas.
"We believe so much in the power of the platform and want to grow it in every major market around the world," Salsamendi wrote in a blog post. Unfortunately, that wasn’t something we could do with the Beam name. We chose Mixer as our new name because it represents what we love most about the service….how it brings people together.
The rebranding news came with some other interesting platform announcements as well. A new cooperative live-streaming technology launches today that allows up to four streamers combine their broadcasts into a single experience with split-screen views, which should be great for showcasing multiplayer games. Salsamendi says in a couple weeks, Xbox One users will be able to start these streams at a click of a button in the Guide.
Microsoft is also extending Mixer into the mobile space with an iOS and Android app that will soon allow broadcasts of mobile games. The beta starts today.
For Xbox One owners, Mixer is getting its own dashboard page showcasing a curated list of streams. Microsoft also plans to broadcast its 2017 E3 press conference from here.
Our Take
When I think Mixer, I think about sound, not streaming, so the name change is a curious one. To hold its own in the competition for live-streamers with Twitch and YouTube, however, adding innovations like co-streaming is a step in the right direction.
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