Permanently A
Junior Member
Now that was a good fucking twist. I wonder if Twitch themselves put out the rumor that Google was acquiring them?
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Official: Amazon Acquires Twitch for $970 million in cash
- Thread starter NateDrake
- Start date
MrCunningham
Member
I'm not really sure why people were against the google buy out proposition, but this Amazon deal is a big surprise anyway.
The other option is to overturn it in the House or Senate, and the MPAA and RIAA have a lot more friends there than in the courts. It would be even more expensive to fight it there. Google, it should be noted, has won every case filed against it regarding the DMCA, so I'm certain they're no stranger to it and I don't think they're greatly pleased to be getting attacked by companies like Viacom on what is clearly shaky legal grounds.
But again, it's never made it out of an appellate court.
The DMCA certainly isn't helping though, especially if you aren't a Google-sized business: https://www.eff.org/pages/unintended-consequences-fifteen-years-under-dmca
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
Since a lot of people missed it - there was a big stream Q&A about the news:
Twitch Town Hall w/ Emmett Shear, Twitch CEO, and Michael Frazzini, Amazon VP of Games (starts at 13min mark)
I didn't even know Amazon had a VP of Games.
Twitch Town Hall w/ Emmett Shear, Twitch CEO, and Michael Frazzini, Amazon VP of Games (starts at 13min mark)
I didn't even know Amazon had a VP of Games.
Yes it would.
No its not..... Neverminding the fact that if they took that shot and did actually lose the case, not only would the expense itself be tremendous, but the companies would immediately cut ties with them for trying to shatter their income streams. Vevo and every music/media company that Google has contracts with for everything from the Play Store to Youtube, to Play Music with their subscription music service would be in shambles as the companies they just tried to shank would end their contracts with them as soon as possible.
The lack of all that content would bleed into their other businesses damaging their Android ecosystem and more. Its a tremendous risk that absolutely no one has taken because the stakes are sky high and theres no reasonable assurance of victory at all.
I think you have a fairly fairy tale view on this that isn't realistic at all.
As someone that currently works at an Amazon Fulfillment center, pretty much everything you just said is false.
But that's just from my personal experience, I suppose. Perhaps it's also due to the fact that the center I work at is brand new.
You and I both know that these companies exist in a symbiotic relationship and while the relationship might change, there's no way a company like Vevo is going to cut contracts with Google, given how much money they make regardless of whether or not the legislation stays in place.
I think you have a fairly fairy tale view of how much independence companies have whose revenue streams depend on large companies like Google.
It's not false, you simply haven't experienced them. They are demonstrably true, since the articles that mentioned these sorts of practices haven't even been denied by Amazon. They often simply say it's part of improving efficiency, and that employees are treated plenty fine. Like I said, these experiences are echoed in many articles from many other employees. There's endless accounts, many covered by many legitimate media outlets. It's one of the major PR issues Amazon is dealing with every day because the reports are so pervasive. So, while I certainly believe you, I believe it is an exception to the rule.
Again, this is why I say one report doesn't matter, nobodies individual report matters in accounting how the company treats employees on average. Not that your experience doesn't -matter- in the universal sense, but just not when trying to analyze things from an objective perspective. That requires full analysis of all reports, and categorization of which fall into the 'negative' and which fall into the 'positive'. Even a cursory non-scientific glance at this issue will show an overwhelming amount of energy is being poured into demonstrating how negative working at Amazon can be. When you look at the fullness of the reporting in this case, it's extremely damning. Virtually every employee article on Amazon is negative, and Amazon even acknowledges some of these practices in the name of efficiency.
I mean I'm glad you and the other dude don't experience that. I'm sure there's more exceptions on neoGAF, as there are probably everywhere. I hope that continues to be the case for you. I mean I'd already be against them for the grotesque way in which they shut down Unionization efforts, but the near endless reports from employees - both long-term and short-term - has been egregious. I hope for your sake and the other guy's sake that you can maintain a healthy outlook for the job, and that your warehouse can treat you right.
Side Note: because of the size of Amazon, they have Warehouses that are specific to many types of things, and there are different practices for different ones. A local Amazon warehouse deals predominately in baby diapers and the like, for example. This accounts for some of the variance, as does the normal ebb and flow of all giant companies - some places are always going to be worse than others.
No my friend, my view is based on reality because I like to follow these things.
To the bolded:
Vevo In Talks With Facebook, May Leave YouTube (Report)
http://www.billboard.com/biz/articl...-talks-with-facebook-may-leave-youtube-report
Google was lucky to keep VEVO in the first place the last time renew talks were up. You don't seem to understand at all. They do something like this and lose, VEVO and many others walk.... period.
I assume Vevo likes money and will continue to go where the money is.
You also assume its a case they can easily win. Sorry, far to many assumptions not enough concrete. VEVO can make money wherever they go, people are going to want to watch music videos, and Facebook would love to eat into Googles slice of the pie. These are the reasons these companies are not going to court like you are suggesting. Its nowhere near as black and white as you were painting it.
If VEVO wasn't considering moving they wouldnt have been looking or demanding google lower their rates in order for them to stay with YT. It would have been hilarious for Google to not deal with VEVO only to have VEVO run to facebook right amongst the entire Gagnam Style Phenomenom. :lol
You're now changing the argument, but I agree that in order for a company to remain competitive they need to be looking at many revenue-generating options. They also need to be aggressive about their rates in order to assure good margins. This just seems like good business practice to me and is unrelated to the DMCA.
oneils
Member
They paid cash. Maybe that was a better deal than google's proposal.
I'd be interested in seeing what $970M in cash looks like.
Mr.Awesome
Banned
Surprised it was so cheap given other evaluations going around
Aquamarine
Member
Checks and other instruments / securities...not literally piles of money.
Although that would be pretty badass.
Lol. I picture dump trucks full of pennies en route as we speak.
almostheathen
Member
I agree with you famous.
Laws don't get overturned just because they're unreasonable though. You make it sound like the DMCA is obviously unconstitutional and just waiting for the right plaintiff to come along, what makes you think this is the case?
corrosivefrost
Member
At least Twitch is an acquisition that seems to fit... unlike a developer responsible for a bunch of dumpster fires.
bigboss370
Member
isn't amazon trying to get into gaming hardware? does that mean in the future they could restrict twitch streaming to only their platform?
also, there are streamers talking about recent changes to twitch like copyright claims and stuff, being done because of google. but google hadn't acquired them yet, any truth to that?
also, there are streamers talking about recent changes to twitch like copyright claims and stuff, being done because of google. but google hadn't acquired them yet, any truth to that?
deltatheta
Member
I wouldn't be surprised if the version they're talking about releasing ends up being some tablet-only bullshit. Amazon was keeping Instant Video off of Android out of some hope that it would be a selling feature for the Kindle Fire. Since they're making a doomed phone now I wonder if they're still going to try to keep Instant Video off of Android phones.
The point is that Android is a competitor to Fire OS so Amazon is going to go out of their way to undermine it, just like Apple or Microsoft would. (so long as it doesn't hurt their business too much).
Amazon is taking a page from Apple and trying to build their own ecosystem that they can lock people in to. Acquiring Twitch makes sense when you look at it in this light. They need content that they can lock away to their own devices.
Amazon has gaming hardware in the form of tablets/phones/set-top boxes, likely not in the traditional sense in the near future. They won't restrict it, that's not really what they're in it for. They want to push their own digital services both video and games with this, maybe find a physical sales hook too. They'll put it on everything they can because the userbase is what they want.
CountAntonius
Member
That Wont Fit In There
Member
As a broadcaster, viewer, and twitch lover, this is awesome news. Looking forward to what this brings to us.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
No and no.
I suspect Amazon's main focus is Amazon prime. Why? Recurring revenue. They keep on adding value to that sub. I wouldn't be surprised if twitch turbo keeps on living on as a separate entity, but it will also get rolled into Prime and another value add.
And the reason why Twitch went to a form of content id is because they were about to get a lot of lawsuits sent their way if they weren't dealing with it already. They were just flying under the radar for a bit there.
Hell, if anything, Hitbox is going to be affected because of this deal.
deltatheta
Member
Consoles are probably safe but I doubt it's going to be on the other set-top boxes. Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast are probably never going to get Twitch now as long as Amazon is still pushing Fire TV.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Nah. Amazon is pretty well known for selling their hardware for a hell of a lot less than their competitors with similar specs. Bezos has said during keynotes that they don't make money off of their hardware, but off of their services.
The more hardware that uses their services, the better.
abstract alien
Member
Damn this industry is impossible to read at times
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Not really. Each want you to get ingrained into their ecosystem.
deltatheta
Member
You just argued the opposite point in response to my post...
abstract alien
Member
Of course. The thing is, it's easy to say in hindsight that Amazon should follow up on the purchase, but I've never heard one person before now say "Amazon will buy them." in a serious manner. Who here genuinely predicted that?
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
No I didn't. In a previous post I said that I think their biggest goal is to get people to sign up for Prime. Locking out other hardware doesn't achieve that goal.
pantsonhead
Member
As indifferent as I am to Google, this should at least create some nice competition in the market.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
I have to think lots! In past memory, there have been a lot who have made threads about MS ducking out and who would take their place. Common names I've heard are Apple and Amazon. With Amazon's music, movie, and most of all web hosting/server services, I'm not surprised in the slightest. I think there's a decent chunk out there who would feel the same as me.
This right here.
Just integrate Twitch Turbo into Amazon Prime please. Would save me one subscription.
Ranger Taffles
Member
This is surprisingly great. It'll be interesting to see how Amazon works its way around benefiting users of Twitch and its own.