Amazon takes over gaming video community Twitch – Update 2

Amazon bought Twitch. That write several American media on Monday evening. Amazon is reportedly putting more than $1 billion on the table for Twitch, a service that allows gamers to stream gameplay footage.

The Information first reported Monday evening that Amazon and Twitch were in talks that sources say are already at an advanced stage. Later, The Wall Street Journal confirmed the report and reported that Amazon is taking over Twitch for more than a billion dollars, more than 757 million euros. Twitch confirmed the acquisition later in the evening and said it chose Amazon mainly because of its long-term vision.

The takeover of Twitch by Amazon is somewhat striking. American media mentioned Google as a candidate earlier this year, although the takeover talks were still at an early stage. The internet giant reportedly had $1 billion in cash for the service, which would be acquired by its subsidiary YouTube.

Twitch, which lets gamers stream gameplay footage from their console, has been around since 2011 and has grown significantly in that short time. A million people upload gameplay footage every month. Earlier this year, research found that Twitch accounts for 1.8 percent of US internet traffic at peak times. That’s more than what Facebook, Valve and Amazon are responsible for.

Update, 8.25 pm – The Wall Street Journal reports that the acquisition has been confirmed. Amazon would pay $1 billion for the service. The article has been adapted accordingly.

Update, 11 p.m. – Twitch confirms the acquisition. This has been added to the article.