After just four years, Microsoft is sending its game-streaming platform, Mixer, to the graveyard. The news was revealed in an article posted to Xbox Wire today by Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, who explained that Mixer could not scale to the demands of its partners and streamers. Therefore, it’s being terminated, the community of which will be transitioned to – drum roll, please – Facebook Gaming.
“Beginning today, Facebook Gaming will make it easy for anyone in the Mixer community to join, if they choose to do so,” Spencer wrote. “We will work to transition the Mixer community over the next few weeks. Starting on July 22, all Mixer sites and apps will redirect users to Facebook Gaming. For Mixer Partners, streamers, and viewers, we expect you’ll have many questions – you can find more details on how we will support the transition to Facebook Gaming on the Mixer blog here.”
Those details are as follows:
- Mixer Partners will be granted partner status with Facebook Gaming, and the platform will honor and match all existing Partner agreements as closely as possible. Mixer Partners will receive an update from Mixer today on how to kickoff the sign-up process.
- Streamers participating in Mixer’s open monetization program will be granted eligibility for the Facebook Gaming Level Up Program, where you can continue to grow and monetize your streams. Facebook Gaming will also fast-track onboarding for eligible streamers.
- We encourage all Mixer viewers to spend their remaining Embers and Sparks to help support your favorite Mixer Partners and streamers. Mixer Partners will receive double-payment for all of their earnings in the month of June – so your support of Embers, Sparks and channel subscriptions for Mixer Partners will go even further during the rest of this month.
- Viewers with outstanding Ember balances, channel subscriptions or Mixer Pro subscriptions will receive Xbox Gift Card credit as a thank you for your engagement on the platform. Details on what you can expect can be found at this FAQ.
- The Mixer service will continue to run through July 22, 2020. After that, Mixer.com will redirect to fb.gg, Facebook’s desktop home for gaming video, Mixer broadcasting on Xbox One will be temporarily disabled and the Mixer apps will notify or redirect viewers to continue watching their favorite streamers at Facebook Gaming.
- For more details on what this means for you, check out this FAQ.
Mixer fans claim that the service has been doing pretty well and improving at an appreciable rate, so the decision is somewhat surprising. Its technology will live on in Microsoft Teams, which will leverage the developments it’s made on ultra-low latency video streaming, real-time interactivity, and video distribution technology.