America’s largest online retailer Amazon has joined forces with Twitch, the gamer-favorite streaming service, to deliver “Twitch Prime” combining free music and ad-free video streaming.
Users can choose to try out 30 free days of Twitch Prime at twitchprime.com, which will entitle them to game discounts on Amazon and exclusive in-game content for games such as Hearthstone and Smite. According to Emmett Shear, CEO of Twitch, the goal is to allow subscribers to save money while there’s a steady influx of money for streamers that work towards entertaining their audience.
Because there is an important emphasis on new games with the new subscription model, Twitch Prime will keep a record of the games users prefer to recommend newly released content as it becomes available for download.
Twitch Prime subscription comes with a free 30-day subscription to a Twitch channel, but users can always choose to support channels and streamers through donations and voluntary subscriptions. Twitch Turbo users will only need to link their Twitch and Amazon accounts to enjoy the service.
Amazon and Twitch will change the game
Twitch now also allows video uploads without having to stream the content first, allowing the platform to be a direct competitor to Youtube and its partnership system, which has been deemed as lackluster by many creators.
Streaming events and gaming on Twitch frequently raise thousands of dollars, either from donations or subscriptions, and the fact that the same service will allow uploading videos for unrestricted exposure will surely be the foundation of a new stage for Twitch in the field of online entertainment.
Amazon acquired Twitch back in 2014 and joining Twitch Turbo and Amazon Prime has been one of the most anticipated features that the company could provide. Because Twitch and Amazon are already partnered with game producers, both platforms will offer much more content than what they already do.
Twitch Prime members who play Hearthstone will obtain a new hero Tyrande Whisperwind, and they will also be eligible for Streamline, a newly-released indie game. Twitch’s announcement reads that discounts on new releases are a fact, on both pre-order and launch periods. Twitch Prime will also provide unique emotes for Twitch’s wild chat service alongside a distinctive badge next to the user’s name.
So far, Amazon Prime lets members enjoy free shipping on millions of products sold by Amazon, although benefits vary depending on the buyer’s country of residence. Prime also includes movies, TV shows, free music streaming, and soon there will be much more to offer. Amazon Prime members can activate Twitch Prime here.
Twitch Prime was announced alongside a Hearthstone event, which will extend all the way through October up to November 6. Players will be streaming Hearthstone and discussing the new changes that the metagame will endure as new balancing patches are released.
Twitch Prime was also announced with GameChanger’s Charity event, which seeks to raise Twitch subscriptions for charity. GameChanger is a charity organization that raises money for children with cancer and their families. Every 100,000 new subscriptions will have Twitch Prime donate $100,000 to GameChanger.
Source: Twitch