If you fancy a particular game being streamed on Twitch, the platform will now allow you to buy the game directly from the channel page.
Twitch has been a great medium for gamers to showcase their gameplay footage. Its live streaming feature has been greatly lauded by users all over the world.
The new feature was announced by Twitch in February. With it going live, developers will have the option to come up with special offers for fans viewing their game on the platform. The new feature will also be a win-win for streamers, who will be able to generate revenue via the purchases done through their channel page.
On Tuesday, April 4, Twitch announced the arrival of the new feature via a blog post.
"Today we're unveiling an exciting new experience on Twitch, one that gets great games into your hands faster, rewards you with goodies, AND lets you support your favorite streamers. Now, when streamers are playing a game available on Twitch, you'll be able to purchase it directly from their channel page," shared the company.
How To Buy Games On Twitch During A Live Stream
Since its inception in 2011, the platform has only provided video streaming and viewing facilities to users. However, Twitch will now let interested viewers buy digital versions of some games from its online store.
For instance, if an individual is enjoying a live stream of a particular game, they can now click on the "Buy Now" button just below the video to get a copy of the game being played.
One can also make the purchase via the live Twitch channel, or the "details" page of a game. One can download the game and play it via a publisher-run service such as Uplay, or the Twitch Desktop app.
The Twitch Crate
To sweeten the deal and entice people to use the Twitch retail store, the company also has some interesting offers up its sleeve.
If one buys a game or in-game product from the platform worth more than $4.99, they will be rewarded with a "Twitch Crate." This crate contains randomly generated items like badges, emotes, and even Bits (which are used to cheer a streamer on).
The company revealed that throughout April, it would also hold a Twitch Crate Gear Giveaway every week. The winner of this contest will get $500 worth of streaming accessories.
For the time being, the store contains around 50 titles, including For Honor, Firewatch, The Walking Dead series, Smite, Broken Age, and more. Twitch assures that more games would be added in the near future.
Twitch currently supports U.S. dollars for now; however, localized currency support will be made available soon.
How This Feature Will Affect Video Streamers
When a user decides to buy the game after watching a stream, the streamer would also benefit from this transaction. Twitch will give 5 percent from each sale to the streamer whose video influenced the transaction. Nearly 70 percent of the proceeds will go to the developers of the game. The remaining 25 percent will go to Twitch.
This feature would surely generate profits for the company as well as live streamers using the platform. However, it remains to be seen how effectively Twitch can compete in the PC digital game retail market, where Valve's Steam has been the dominating force for years.
