Videogame-Streaming Service Twitch is reportedly desired to be acquired by Google's online video platform. YouTube has reached an all-cash offer to buy Twitch, a popular San Francisco-based videogame-streaming company, for more than $1 billion, according to sources, Variety reported. But some fans of the service think the potential acquisition may end up ruining the experience of video-game voyeurism.
According to Consumer Reports, Twitch viewers and broadcasters say they are anxious about YouTube's strict copyright infringement policy may end up forcing takedowns of videos that allegedly feature copyrighted music and in-game footage.
"YouTube's enforcement of the DMCA, which is vociferous, is highly sympathetic towards the accuser," said Richard Lewis, the editor-in-chief of Esports Heaven, a news site that covers the electronic sports industry.
Reportedly, Lewis believes Twitch broadcasters might share the fate of many YouTube users who have had to go through a long and convoluted process of reinstating their channels after receiving erroneous or malicious reports missing out on revenue they depend on for their livelihood.
According to the Variety, if the transaction will be completed, the acquisition would be the most significant in the history of YouTube, which Google acquired in 2006 for $1.65 billion. Google ad executive Susan Wojcicki was named CEO of YouTube earlier this year then the forthcoming acquisition comes. Representative for YouTube and Twitch declined to comment on the issue.
YouTube attends to more than 6 billion hours of video per month to 1 billion users worldwide. According to reports, the company expects the Justice Department to take a hard look at whether buying Twitch increases anticompetitive issues in the online-video market.
Justin Kan and Emmett Shear launched Twitch in June 2011. The duo are co-founders of Justin.tv, one of the first websites to host livestreaming user-generated video. Emmett Shear currently serves as CEO of Twitch.
