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[Savantcore]

In what is the biggest development in digital games retail for some time, live streaming giant Twitch will start selling games (and DLC) via its website this Spring.

What's more significant is that consumers can buy directly from under the videos of 'partnered' Twitch streamers, with a proportion of the revenue going to the streamer.

The way the breakdown of revenue works, is that publishers and developers will receive 70% of the revenue (which is in-line with other online stores), the streamer will receive 5% and Twitch will, presumably, collect the rest.

That means if a game (or in-game content) is sold directly by a publisher or developer's own Twitch channel, that means the revenue could be as high as 75%.

The idea is that this will allow for direct-selling from publishers, and that it benefits both the platform and its users in ways that its rivals do not. Matt McCloskey, VP of Commerce at Twitch, describes it as "a win-win-win".

Another incentive for Twitch shopping is the introduction of Twitch Crates. By shopping via Twitch, the community will receive a free Crate that includes random items, such as emotes, chat badges and 'Bits for Cheering'.

GamesIndustry.biz managed to have some questions answered by Robin Fontaine, who is product marketing manager for Ecommerce at Twitch.

A lot more at this link.

SWAT me if old

 

[FelipeMGM]

this is pretty cool

 

[Raw64life]

I don't do digital, but this is very smart.

 

[SMD]

Well this is ripe for abuse. What safeguards will be in place and how will this comply with international laws, especially when it comes to advertising to children?

 

[GulAtiCa]

Very smart.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

It's very smart but somehow it makes me remember Home Shopping Network or one of those TV channels that sell stuff.

 

[kahi]

can I get a Borat "Very nice"

 

[sanstesy]

I don't think this is necessary?

 

[FullMetaltech]

Thats a pretty sweet deal for all.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

How will they be distributed? Still via Steam?

Does steam allow unlimited key generation for titles to sell elsewhere?

Just wondering as I know Apple for example only lets you generate a limited amount.

 

[Sylas]

And thus do streamers now fall directly onto the marketing side of a product. This is basically a way to hire a marketing associate/employee without actually having to pay them a wage.

I know most people considered a lot of streamers marketing in the past, but this really rubs me the wrong way. Admittedly it's not a lot of money.

 

[Poster#1]

SMART!

 

[Durante]

This is great.

Not that I'll ever use it, but if it becomes popular it's another good bulwark against PC software distribution ever being put under any form of central control.

 

[Quonny]

Super smart.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I hope this covers consoles and not just PC.

 

[LiK]

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

 

[idonteven]

its cool

but this is gonna turn streamers in even bigger money hungry people


and its already soooo bad

 

[Sword Of Doom]

How will they be distributed? Still via Steam?

Does steam allow unlimited key generation for titles to sell elsewhere?

Just wondering as I know Apple for example only lets you generate a limited amount.

From the many times I've heard of Steam running out of keys, I'm guessing it's limited. But my concern is streamers turning into salesmen for popular games and how that will effect streaming in general

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

Id stream games I know everyone will be buying anyways. (If I were a streamer)

 

[HMD]

Would it be like an Amazon referral thing or more of an actual store? Because a store would be dope.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Twitch looking to kill off the G2A sponsorships?

 

[StreetsAhead]

And thus do streamers now fall directly onto the marketing side of a product. This is basically a way to hire a marketing associate without actually having to pay them a wage.

I know most people considered a lot of streamers marketing in the past, but this really rubs me the wrong way.

Yeah, I can see your point. You're probably going to be more positive, or at least point out less flaws, if you know you could be making 5% back from selling the thing your playing.


It'll defintely be used as evidence of streams/let's players having positive impact on games' sales in dumb forum arguments.

 

[jediyoshi]

I don't think this is necessary?

Big and indie devs already target twitch streamers and get tons of exposure that way. Twitch leveraging that directly rather than devs making streamers point to another store front ideally works out better for everyone in that chain.

 

[Sylverstone14]

Seems interesting.

 

[onQ123]

They took our jobs

 

[franklyshankly]

Well this is ripe for abuse. What safeguards will be in place and how will this comply with international laws, especially when it comes to advertising to children?

I don't see how it's any different than youtube videos with a link to the store page underneath. Haven't heard of any legal issues from this sort of thing so far.

 

[Alucrid]

How will they be distributed? Still via Steam?

Does steam allow unlimited key generation for titles to sell elsewhere?

Just wondering as I know Apple for example only lets you generate a limited amount.

maybe with the twitch launcher they use for the twitch prime games

 

[Nzyme32]

Neat. Hope there are drm free options in there too.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

You mean they already aren't?

 

[Budi]

Twitch looking to kill off the G2A sponsorships?

This would be great tbh.

 

[LAM09]

Seems like a good idea

 

[Iadien]

Pretty smart idea. The rich get richer.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

This would be great tbh.

Yup.

 

[PeterGAF]

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

This is my biggest concern.

Also the streamer should make more than 5%. We can assume that twitch is making about 25% right? So the split should make something closer together IMO like 15%/15%, or at least 10%/20%.

 

[Kayo Police]

Ha this just means more sponsored streams and sponsored comments from streamers.

 

[freeofgreed]

Very interesting. This seem like a surefire way to become competitive with Steam, in a way all the other storefronts haven't been able too.

 

[WaterAstro]

I wonder what their refund policy is like. Maybe they just deal in Steam Codes?

 

[CryptiK]

Amazing advertising.

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

A lot of them do it through G2A anyway wont make things anyworse than now.

 

[Nozomi]

Good. And i hope that kills of some of the shity companies that are going around on twitch like G2A.

 

[Aaronrules380]

I don't do digital, but this is very smart.

This seems to only apply to PC games, and I really don't think many people still buy physical for PC

 

[Illucio]

I mean cool for Twitch streamers but I feel like this is going to grow the streamer industry in the wrong direction.

Its still a smart decision but my god please, streamers, don't become even huge cocky shots over this. I already can't stand the medium as it is.

 

[YuriLowell]

I wonder if this conflicts with any FTC rules.

Seems like they have to disclose the money they get from selling the game.

 

[PeterGAF]

You mean they already aren't?

There would be an actual incentive now though baked into the system.

I wonder if this conflicts with any FTC rules.

Seems like they have to disclose the money they get from selling the game.

They would likely have to disclose that the link to purchase the game gives them a kickback.

 

[Abilidebob]

From the many times I've heard of Steam running out of keys, I'm guessing it's limited. But my concern is streamers turning into salesmen for popular games and how that will effect streaming in general




Id stream games I know everyone will be buying anyways. (If I were a streamer)

I know that it's free to generate keys, although I don't know if it's unlimited. But publishers can sell Steam keys wherever they want.

 

[Slayer-33]

God damn, time to start streaming, Jesus.

People will be making a shit ton of money doing this lol.

 

[Raylan Targaryen]

Doesn't Twitch have some client to download from?

I remember people not wanting to download This War of Mine when they were giving it away for free if you had twitch prime

 

[Anno]

Sounds like a really smart move for Twitch. I wonder if they all just go into that Twitch launcher?

 

[The1Ski]

Hopefully it doesn't make streamers become super shills.

You know some will but we know they're already out there. There's plenty of streamers that spend a lot of time pushing sponsors. I suppose this is a logical progression

 

[Iadien]

Also the streamer should make more than 5%. We can assume that twitch is making about 25% right? So the split should make something closer together IMO like 15%/15%, or at least 10%/20%.

5% is better than nothing I guess. I've always wondered just how much influence big streamers like Lirik have on sales. Indies love it when top streamers like him play their games, so I'm assuming it's significant.

 

[sanstesy]

Big and indie devs already target twitch streamers and get tons of exposure that way. Twitch leveraging that directly rather than devs making streamers point to another store front ideally works out better for everyone in that chain.

Yes, great for everyone that makes more money out of this.

 

[chrominance]

This is my biggest concern.

Also the streamer should make more than 5%. We can assume that twitch is making about 25% right? So the split should make something closer together IMO like 15%/15%, or at least 10%/20%.

You know those two things are at least somewhat incompatible, right? Raising the revshare for a streamer only gives them more incentive to advertise, not less.

I guess it's too early to say exactly how this will affect the streamer landscape. This sort of thing already goes on behind closed doors and/or with other companies, but on the other hand building it into the platform is different from third parties offering affiliate programs. I am cautiously, uh, pessimistic.

Another thing that's interesting: the article leaves the door open for Steam keys (depending on how charitable your reading of "existing developer or publisher-owned systems" is) but implies that a lot will be done through their own storefront. Twitch already has a game library client ala Steam; they use it for their Twitch Prime game giveaways and the like.