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Microsoft Ends Mixer Project and Teams up with Facebook Gaming

In a surprising move, Microsoft decided to terminate its latest and most ambitious project and partner with a rival. The decision to shut down Mixer, the videogame streaming platform came as a surprise for the players who just embraced it, but also prominent streamers. Ninja and Shroud are two shining examples of famous streamers whose highly anticipated and celebrated agreement didn’t come to fruition. They are both likely to join Facebook Gaming and take the cohort of enthusiastic fans with them.

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Twitter @Shroud / @Logitech

Mixer’s Growth Failed to meet Expectations

Microsoft decision to shut down Mixer is the result of the videogame streaming platform failing to meet the expectations for growth. The partnership with Facebook Gaming is a bit surprising, but it makes sense as the two companies want to challenge Amazon for the lead. As for the worth of the deal itself, the sum is still a secret, with officials only highlighting the fact that this is a partnership rather than a merger. The intellectual property rights will belong to Microsoft and Facebook will assume the rights to the trademark.

This move represents the end of a project that started back in 2016, when Mixer went by the name of Beam. For many years it failed to capture the eye of streamers and their fans, trailing both Twitch and YouTube at a distance. What brought it into the spotlight was Ninja’s decision to jump on the bandwagon and sign an exclusive deal with Microsoft. Apparently, this partnership was short-lived, as the Fortnite star will now make the transition to Facebook Gaming.

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Robert Reiners/Getty Images

Twitch and YouTube still Dominate the Market

Facebook Gaming has the resources, technology and willingness to bring more streamers into the fold, but it faces steep competition. Twitch and YouTube are the premier streaming platforms and the vast majority of people watching live games go to these platforms. Microsoft was quick to realize the fact that with Mixer downloads failing in 2020, the odds of closing the gap were remote. Instead, the company will focus on is Xbox games and hope that the partnership with Facebook will yield the desired results.

Mixer is officially gone, but it will take nearly a month for the apps and sites to redirect users to the new platform ran by Facebook Gaming. This will begin on July 22 and the company hopes that prominent streamers such as Ninja, King Gothalion, Shroud and Ewok will tag along. There is still a great deal of uncertainty, but Facebook’s experience and resources could be put to good use to create a successful streaming platform based on Mixer.