Amazon shows increasing interest in eSports

Amazon subsidiary Amazon Game Studios has launched a new eSports free-to-play fighting game titled Breakaway that includes an in-game currency innovation branded Stream+ that can be used for wagering on streamed eSports games through an interactive system.

Launched during the annual Twitchcon expo in San Diego this week, the new currency will integrate directly with Twitch as the retailer looks to chase monetisation with the promotion of the currency.

“We wanted to create more ways for viewers, broadcasters and players to interact with each other on Twitch, so various teams within Amazon Game Studios are building new features that enhance the experience between players, broadcasters and viewers,” explained Adam Wong, managing editor for Double Helix, a game development company that was acquired by Amazon and played a key part in developing Breakaway.

Our readers will recall that the Twitch streaming service was bought by Amazon two years ago for a billion dollars. It appears that the new Amazon game will be used to test Stream+ in a practical environment.

It is not yet clear whether Twitch users will be able to trade or purchase Stream+ credits, which are earned as loyalty points and by watching other Twitch streams, taking part in polls…and betting.

Several eSports industry observers have opined that the latest development is an indication that Amazon is intent on expanding its presence and influence in the eSports arena.

Other features integrated into Breakaway include Metastream, which provides real-time statistics; Broadcaster Spotlight, which is a player notification and information system; and Broadcaster Builder which helps organisers fill spots in Breakaway matches and stream these competitions.

Twitch is growing at a meteoric rate and is clearly a popular vehicle for millennials; last year it recorded an average of 1.7 million broadcasters streaming monthly who logged a total of 241,441,823,059 streamed minutes (459,366 years).

Breakaway is currently in the alpha testing phase, but Youtube has a promotional vid on the new game here: