Twitch, already an established name in gaming communities, is set to acquire Curse, a company equally popular for its thriving community and repertoire of gaming guides and communication tools.
Gone are the days when a full gaming experience simply meant plugging in a console or PC and figuring out the challenges on your own. The world of gaming has become all the more connected, thanks to the internet and a host of messaging and networking platforms.
One such tool is Curse Voice, touted as "the Skype for gaming," where players can chat with each other while immersed in a game.
Gaming As A Lifestyle
Twitch's acquisition of Curse will see their followers becoming one massive community with easy access to an in-house gaming resource center. The two platforms are the go-to of millions of users looking for videos and how-to guides.
Twitch has an army of more than 100 million community members who are active month to month, buzzing around the latest and greatest in the realm of video game streaming.
Curse, on the other hand, enjoys the attention of more than 30 million active users. The company cemented its reputation as a one-stop shop for gaming information by selling to its audience the very idea of gaming as a "lifestyle" and not simply a passing fancy — a surefire way to earn loyal supporters.
"This acquisition will help provide gamers with the tools and resources they need to achieve the ultimate gaming experience," says Evan Freitas, Twitch's marketing communications manager. "Together Curse and Twitch will help gamers connect, interact, and share information with one another."
For Curse CEO Hubert Thieblot, the gaming experience will be "unparalleled."
"I'm really excited to see how we can bring Curse services into the Twitch network," he says. "This is going to be terrific for the millions of players who use Curse, and for the larger gaming community."
Long-Time Fans Of Curse
Twitch as a video game streaming site knows many of its own members are fans of the Curse platform just as much as Twitch's own company officials are.
"We've long been fans of Curse," Twitch CEO Emmett Shear says, "[It's] an innovator in the games industry with a strong culture built around its offerings — from Curse Voice and Curse Client to Gamepedia."
The two companies are relatively still in their infancy in a new segment of the gaming industry that seeks to combine video streaming, gaming, social networking, on-site communication and game info building and sharing, from writing up wikis to managing mods. These are all part of their shared mission.
"We're kindred spirits in many ways and are looking forward to working together to enhance our users' gaming experience," Shear adds.
Details of the acquisition are yet to be released, but Twitch's parent company Amazon is actively building up its portfolio of investments in the gaming industry and lending support to a new breed of gamers who thrive on the social web.
