Since its release in 2007, Twitch has been the go-to place for gamers to view their favourite games being played by the best players. Although the at-first newfangled idea of turning video games into a spectator sport confused a number of people, gamers and non-gamers alike, the website has grown exponentially since its early days, a success exemplified in 2014 when retail magnate Amazon bought the site for a cool $1 billion. Twitch is always on the lookout to increase its digital footprint, and has now made moves towards streaming live video poker matches on its netwaves.
Since January the site has been letting gamers host their own channels dedicated to video poker, the move being spearheaded by World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jason Somerville, and it seems to be proving a hit with viewers. Jason’s own channel, shortly after he began streaming poker matches, had and continues to draw in some 300,000 views per week, the average viewer watching the channel for a surprisingly long 45 minute time period.
45 minutes is a long time in the internet realm, but the secret to this trend-bucking span is the secret to Twitch itself; interaction. Whilst play is taking place, fans and players can talk to one another and interact via a chat feature that turns an otherwise passive experience into a social one. Poker streams have really taken advantage of this feature, offering tutorial sessions to green poker players alongside big name matches and tournaments.
So what does Twitch’s new video poker streaming spell for the online casino gaming industry, the gaming sphere at the forefront of online poker matches? Perhaps not all that much. Given that most poker matches on Twitch are between hardened poker pros, it’s unlikely that many players who enjoy a couple of online casino games at ca.royalvegascasino.com will be tempted to play via Twitch. Indeed, the fact that games are being broadcast at all may mean that players actually become better players thanks to there now existing an avenue with which they can learn more about the game!
With 100 million users logging on to the site every month, Twitch’s move is geared towards boosting advertising revenues, not teaching players how to improve their game. In the face of new gaming broadcasting services being released – Valve’s Steam Broadcasting beta was released in December last year – the company is doing all it can to diversify, much to the glee of the gaming viewership.
