Schlagwort: esports

  • Top 10 PS4 Games: for when you’re stuck at home

    Top 10 PS4 Games: for when you’re stuck at home

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Being stuck at home can become dreary for just about anybody, after a while. This is why we’ve decided to give you our ‘remedy’ for the couch-potato boredom mode you might be facing. What might that be? A fantastic complication of 10 of the best PS4 games you can play to boost your mood during these interesting times.

    Yes we know, they might not be everyone’s favourite games, but as some smart people say, don’t knock it before you try it!

    1. Red Dead Redemption 2 

    For lovers of Westerns, watch out! This game will have you hooked. Seriously though, it’s spoken of as Rockstar’s greatest achievement to date and we’d honestly be crazy to disagree. A gripping Western tale set in an impressive open world, Red Dead defies everyday game concepts and delivers an appx. 60-hour story experience like no other. Pop on your couch/bed/chair (whatever) grab a blanket, a snack and prepare to be immersed in the past. Yeehaw!

    2. The Last of Us Remastered

    With Sony announcing its latest project ‘the Last of Us’ TV show, it’s the perfect excuse to go back to, or play for the first time, this incredible game. It’s truly hard to believe that the initial release date was all the way back in 2014, time certainly flies! Remastered from the PS3 to the PS4, the Last of Us gained fans for a lifetime with its deeply captivating apocalyptic story. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Ellie and Joel’s relationship? If you love killing zombies, being stealthy and kicking some major ass, this game is definitely right for you.

    3. The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

    If we could explain this game in 3 words, we’d probably say; sorcery, gore, and sex and that would probably be a pretty accurate summary. Jokes aside, the Witcher has captured the world’s attention following the recent Netflix series I may or may not have binge-watched in one night. Incredible scenery, multi-dimensional fighting, brutal quests and a romance here or there will have you set for hours on end. What better way to de-stress than chopping the head off a wolf, dragon or creature straight from your darkest nightmares?

    4.God of War (2018)

    What does this all mean to you?’ ‘It’s everything.’

    No, it’s not a secret how much I personally love the 2018 God of War game and I’ll defend it til the day I die. I am not a dramatic person, but besides Assasin’s Creed, God of War touched my very soul with its immense beauty and depth. Receiving an incredible amount of awards, this is considered to be one of the greatest games of the decade. Stunning views, satisfying fights, a father-son relationship to cry over, and gameplay seemingly unmatched, every little detail seems to have been created by the gods themselves. If you haven’t played God of War yet, self-isolation just gave you a reason to get it (if there isn’t anything else).

    5.Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019)

    Call of Duty is nearly one of the most rage-inducing multiplayer games I’ve ever played, but arguably one of the most fun, even with the masterful campaign. Filled with many nostalgic maps and modes, the 2019 Call of Duty title has an estimate of 20 million players across PS4, PC, and Xbox. The most recent update: Warzone, an epic addition that offers 2 core modes, Battle Royale and Plunder. Warzone just adds an incredible element for people tired of the standard multiplayer modes and is unlike any other BR out there.

    6.Assasin’s Creed Odyssey

    Imagine Greek Mythology, history, breathtaking scenery, immersive storytelling, and incredible battles. Have that in your head? You’ve just imagined Assasin’s Creed Odyssey. This is by far one of my favorite games and as someone who loves history and exploration, it ticked all the right boxes. This title takes you deep into Ancient Greece where you’ll encounter many mythological beasts like the Minotaur and Medusa, solving puzzles, killing and traveling around. With extensive skill builds and gear, the game is very customisable and not one person’s experience will be the same as the other. It’s a massive game and definitely one to go for while you’ve got the chance.

    7.Grand Theft Auto V

    GTA is very nostalgic for me as it was the very first game I ever owned on a PlayStation. This game is really anything you want it to be, though offers you 3 unique perspectives from characters you either hate or love; Trevor, Franklin, and Michael. Trevor is likely the funniest and most aggravating of the three, but he makes the game complete. If you’re not interested in the campaign, you can always opt for the multiplayer mode to enjoy a little bit of fun. It’s a crazy game, but one that will definitely put you in a good mood (doesn’t every hit and run?).

    8.Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

    The final title in Naughty Dog’s Uncharted legacy, a Thief’s End takes us on the last epic adventure with the beloved Nathan Drake. From daring heists, ruins, volcanic plains, and the islands of Madagascar, you’ll explore and fight for survival in an incredibly beautiful semi-open world. It is fun and engaging, especially if you’re a treasure-hunting extraordinaire. It has its let-downs, but overall it’s a great way to spend your time at home.

    9.Marvel’s Spider-Man

    As a fan of Marvel comics and of course the movies, I was pretty hyped to hear that a Spider-Man game was in the cards. Swinging around the glistening, vice-filled city of New York is oddly satisfying and with the heart-pounding fights in flight, you really feel immersed in the world of Spider-Man. Who doesn’t want to be a neighbourhood superhero? It’s got some great storylines and exciting gameplay, though in some areas it can become a bit dreary. Our vote, it’s the perfect game to play when you just want to chill with some quality gameplay.

    10. Fifa 20

    I’m including this here for all the sports lovers out there. If you’re not in the mood for a story-based video game, why not pour a pint, grab yourself some crisps and rage over losing the match because we all know you likely will (kidding). It’s a very simple game to explain, the developers have in essence taken the beloved sport of footbal and transported it inside, to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home and might I add, they’ve done this very well. It has good and bad reviews but it’s a fun game to play with anyone you may be stuck in isolation with. Game on!

    It’s certainly an unsettling and uncertain time, though for all the gamers (like me) self-isolation might not be a bad thing. Delve into an incredible world of games that you’ll certainly fall in love with and if you’ve played them before, why not enjoy a bit of nostalgia.

    Don’t forget to let us know which game is your favourite directly below in the comments! We’d love to know your thoughts.

    Website: LINK

  • Top 10 PS4 Games: for when you’re stuck at home

    Top 10 PS4 Games: for when you’re stuck at home

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Being stuck at home can become dreary for just about anybody, after a while. This is why we’ve decided to give you our ‘remedy’ for the couch-potato boredom mode you might be facing. What might that be? A fantastic complication of 10 of the best PS4 games you can play to boost your mood during these interesting times.

    Yes we know, they might not be everyone’s favourite games, but as some smart people say, don’t knock it before you try it!

    1. Red Dead Redemption 2 

    For lovers of Westerns, watch out! This game will have you hooked. Seriously though, it’s spoken of as Rockstar’s greatest achievement to date and we’d honestly be crazy to disagree. A gripping Western tale set in an impressive open world, Red Dead defies everyday game concepts and delivers an appx. 60-hour story experience like no other. Pop on your couch/bed/chair (whatever) grab a blanket, a snack and prepare to be immersed in the past. Yeehaw!

    2. The Last of Us Remastered

    With Sony announcing its latest project ‘the Last of Us’ TV show, it’s the perfect excuse to go back to, or play for the first time, this incredible game. It’s truly hard to believe that the initial release date was all the way back in 2014, time certainly flies! Remastered from the PS3 to the PS4, the Last of Us gained fans for a lifetime with its deeply captivating apocalyptic story. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Ellie and Joel’s relationship? If you love killing zombies, being stealthy and kicking some major ass, this game is definitely right for you.

    3. The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

    If we could explain this game in 3 words, we’d probably say; sorcery, gore, and sex and that would probably be a pretty accurate summary. Jokes aside, the Witcher has captured the world’s attention following the recent Netflix series I may or may not have binge-watched in one night. Incredible scenery, multi-dimensional fighting, brutal quests and a romance here or there will have you set for hours on end. What better way to de-stress than chopping the head off a wolf, dragon or creature straight from your darkest nightmares?

    4.God of War (2018)

    What does this all mean to you?’ ‘It’s everything.’

    No, it’s not a secret how much I personally love the 2018 God of War game and I’ll defend it til the day I die. I am not a dramatic person, but besides Assasin’s Creed, God of War touched my very soul with its immense beauty and depth. Receiving an incredible amount of awards, this is considered to be one of the greatest games of the decade. Stunning views, satisfying fights, a father-son relationship to cry over, and gameplay seemingly unmatched, every little detail seems to have been created by the gods themselves. If you haven’t played God of War yet, self-isolation just gave you a reason to get it (if there isn’t anything else).

    5.Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019)

    Call of Duty is nearly one of the most rage-inducing multiplayer games I’ve ever played, but arguably one of the most fun, even with the masterful campaign. Filled with many nostalgic maps and modes, the 2019 Call of Duty title has an estimate of 20 million players across PS4, PC, and Xbox. The most recent update: Warzone, an epic addition that offers 2 core modes, Battle Royale and Plunder. Warzone just adds an incredible element for people tired of the standard multiplayer modes and is unlike any other BR out there.

    6.Assasin’s Creed Odyssey

    Imagine Greek Mythology, history, breathtaking scenery, immersive storytelling, and incredible battles. Have that in your head? You’ve just imagined Assasin’s Creed Odyssey. This is by far one of my favorite games and as someone who loves history and exploration, it ticked all the right boxes. This title takes you deep into Ancient Greece where you’ll encounter many mythological beasts like the Minotaur and Medusa, solving puzzles, killing and traveling around. With extensive skill builds and gear, the game is very customisable and not one person’s experience will be the same as the other. It’s a massive game and definitely one to go for while you’ve got the chance.

    7.Grand Theft Auto V

    GTA is very nostalgic for me as it was the very first game I ever owned on a PlayStation. This game is really anything you want it to be, though offers you 3 unique perspectives from characters you either hate or love; Trevor, Franklin, and Michael. Trevor is likely the funniest and most aggravating of the three, but he makes the game complete. If you’re not interested in the campaign, you can always opt for the multiplayer mode to enjoy a little bit of fun. It’s a crazy game, but one that will definitely put you in a good mood (doesn’t every hit and run?).

    8.Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

    The final title in Naughty Dog’s Uncharted legacy, a Thief’s End takes us on the last epic adventure with the beloved Nathan Drake. From daring heists, ruins, volcanic plains, and the islands of Madagascar, you’ll explore and fight for survival in an incredibly beautiful semi-open world. It is fun and engaging, especially if you’re a treasure-hunting extraordinaire. It has its let-downs, but overall it’s a great way to spend your time at home.

    9.Marvel’s Spider-Man

    As a fan of Marvel comics and of course the movies, I was pretty hyped to hear that a Spider-Man game was in the cards. Swinging around the glistening, vice-filled city of New York is oddly satisfying and with the heart-pounding fights in flight, you really feel immersed in the world of Spider-Man. Who doesn’t want to be a neighbourhood superhero? It’s got some great storylines and exciting gameplay, though in some areas it can become a bit dreary. Our vote, it’s the perfect game to play when you just want to chill with some quality gameplay.

    10. Fifa 20

    I’m including this here for all the sports lovers out there. If you’re not in the mood for a story-based video game, why not pour a pint, grab yourself some crisps and rage over losing the match because we all know you likely will (kidding). It’s a very simple game to explain, the developers have in essence taken the beloved sport of footbal and transported it inside, to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home and might I add, they’ve done this very well. It has good and bad reviews but it’s a fun game to play with anyone you may be stuck in isolation with. Game on!

    It’s certainly an unsettling and uncertain time, though for all the gamers (like me) self-isolation might not be a bad thing. Delve into an incredible world of games that you’ll certainly fall in love with and if you’ve played them before, why not enjoy a bit of nostalgia.

    Don’t forget to let us know which game is your favourite directly below in the comments! We’d love to know your thoughts.

    Website: LINK

  • Latest Ps4 Games to Try in 2020

    Latest Ps4 Games to Try in 2020

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    PlayStation 4, or PS4, is one of the most renowned consoles released by Sony. It already has a couple of versions to date, but regardless of whether you have the original or the pro version, you can still have an ultimate gaming experience nonetheless.

     Resident Evil 2 Remake
    Fans of Capcom’s Resident Evil have long anticipated the release of its remake. According to the gaming enthusiasts behind GGRecon Esports News, there is even a third series in this saga with a pre-launch demo available for gamers to play. Surely, you will be enticed with the enhanced graphics of the game that will make you agree that the game is done perfectly. It is supported in the PS4 Pro but you need to have a 4K resolution at 30fps, or a lower resolution with a higher fps.

    Red Dead Redemption 2
    This game fulfills the fantasy of those engrossed in a Western theme setting. Red Dead Redemption 2 will keep you engaged in playing because of numerous story missions, mini-games, as well as activities and side-quests. The best thing about this game is that you can even team up with other players and enjoy the game with your friends. The game has enhanced graphics and optimized performance, which is evident in the PS4 Pro console.

    Marvel’s Spider-Man
    Marvel’s Spider-Man is regarded as one of the best comic book-based video games ever created for the PS4 console. Perhaps this is because of the character of Peter Parker who is also the heroic Spider-Man that is excellently portrayed in the game. If you have tried playing Spider-Man 2 on PS3, and you found it enjoyable, wait ‘till you play Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4 and you will definitely be more amazed.

    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
    This RPG, or role-playing game, is one of the best ones created and played through PS4. This is because you will find yourself constantly entertained all throughout the game, with a universe that incorporates the supernatural. Once you find yourself playing the game, you may also want to check out the Witcher TV series to gain a better insight and understanding of the theme of the game.

    Apex Legends
    Apex Legends, developed by Respawn Entertainment, is known to be the top battle royal game for PS4. You are sure to have a dynamic experience with this game because of the different classes and abilities involved in the game, coupled with limited time events that adds to the challenge of conquering it. Unfortunately, though, this game is not supported in the PS4 Pro, but only on the original PS4 console.

    There are already several games released for the PS4 console, but as a gamer, you need to brace yourself because there are still many more to come. While some games may not surpass the level of the existing games already offered exclusively for PS4, for sure there are new games that will exceed your expectations. So go ahead, venture out into some of these latest games and achieve pure quality gaming entertainment.

    Website: LINK

  • Latest Ps4 Games to Try in 2020

    Latest Ps4 Games to Try in 2020

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    PlayStation 4, or PS4, is one of the most renowned consoles released by Sony. It already has a couple of versions to date, but regardless of whether you have the original or the pro version, you can still have an ultimate gaming experience nonetheless.

     Resident Evil 2 Remake
    Fans of Capcom’s Resident Evil have long anticipated the release of its remake. According to the gaming enthusiasts behind GGRecon Esports News, there is even a third series in this saga with a pre-launch demo available for gamers to play. Surely, you will be enticed with the enhanced graphics of the game that will make you agree that the game is done perfectly. It is supported in the PS4 Pro but you need to have a 4K resolution at 30fps, or a lower resolution with a higher fps.

    Red Dead Redemption 2
    This game fulfills the fantasy of those engrossed in a Western theme setting. Red Dead Redemption 2 will keep you engaged in playing because of numerous story missions, mini-games, as well as activities and side-quests. The best thing about this game is that you can even team up with other players and enjoy the game with your friends. The game has enhanced graphics and optimized performance, which is evident in the PS4 Pro console.

    Marvel’s Spider-Man
    Marvel’s Spider-Man is regarded as one of the best comic book-based video games ever created for the PS4 console. Perhaps this is because of the character of Peter Parker who is also the heroic Spider-Man that is excellently portrayed in the game. If you have tried playing Spider-Man 2 on PS3, and you found it enjoyable, wait ‘till you play Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4 and you will definitely be more amazed.

    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
    This RPG, or role-playing game, is one of the best ones created and played through PS4. This is because you will find yourself constantly entertained all throughout the game, with a universe that incorporates the supernatural. Once you find yourself playing the game, you may also want to check out the Witcher TV series to gain a better insight and understanding of the theme of the game.

    Apex Legends
    Apex Legends, developed by Respawn Entertainment, is known to be the top battle royal game for PS4. You are sure to have a dynamic experience with this game because of the different classes and abilities involved in the game, coupled with limited time events that adds to the challenge of conquering it. Unfortunately, though, this game is not supported in the PS4 Pro, but only on the original PS4 console.

    There are already several games released for the PS4 console, but as a gamer, you need to brace yourself because there are still many more to come. While some games may not surpass the level of the existing games already offered exclusively for PS4, for sure there are new games that will exceed your expectations. So go ahead, venture out into some of these latest games and achieve pure quality gaming entertainment.

    Website: LINK

  • Stop by the Rockstar Games area of the Twitch Prime Booth at TwitchCon

    Stop by the Rockstar Games area of the Twitch Prime Booth at TwitchCon

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Robert Busey

    Learn about Social Club x Twitch Prime benefits — plus look out for Rockstar t-shirt giveaways while supplies last!

    Stop by the Rockstar Games area of the Twitch Prime booth at TwitchCon 2019 where you can learn about all the exclusive benefits you get in Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online when you link your Twitch Prime and Rockstar Games Social Club accounts.

    We’ll have Twitch Prime booth staff on hand to help walk you through account linking and get you set up quickly to be luxuriating in your new free Penthouse at the Diamond Casino & Resort in GTA Online, beginning your new role as a relentless Bounty Hunter in Red Dead Online, and much more. Also be on the lookout for some Rockstar t-shirt giveaways behind handed out by Twitch Prime booth staff throughout the weekend while supplies last!

    Don’t Miss Out on the Next Set of Benefits

    Rockstar Games Social Club x Twitch Prime linked accounts get free, in-game rewards, bonuses, and exclusive discounts for both GTA Online and Red Dead Online. Link your accounts today so you don’t miss out on any of the benefits available just in time for TwitchCon.

    Twitch Prime Members: Get started as a Bounty Hunter in Red Dead Online

    On September 10, the world of Red Dead Online evolved with the introduction of Frontier Pursuits, featuring three new Specialist Roles to progress through, each with their own unique paths and activities to help you forge new directions and carve out a life for yourself on the frontier.

    Choose to become a Bounty Hunter and hunt down dangerous criminals. Licensed Bounty Hunters can pick up work by visiting bounty boards located near law offices, post offices and train stations across the states. Twitch Prime members who link their accounts can get the Bounty Hunter License for free and up to 15% extra Gold Bars with purchases of Gold Bars. Get started here.

    More Membership Perks in GTA Online

    There’s a reason why the latest update from the Grand Theft Auto Online, the Diamond Casino & Resort, has been the biggest launch in the online game’s history–and there’s never been a better time to start playing.

    Starting September 26, members receive all current offers in GTA Online, including:

    · Free Master Penthouse from The Diamond Casino & Resort
    · A full rebate on the Lago Zancudo Bunker after purchase
    · A full rebate on the Fort Zancudo Hangar 3499 after purchase
    · GTA$250,000
    · Extra GTA$ on purchases of Shark Cash Cards
    · Exclusive Discounts on Premium Items like 75% off the Chernobog and 80% off the Brute Armored BoxvillePlus, an additional 10% off weekly discounts listed on the Rockstar Newswire

    Get started here.

    Stay tuned to Twitch Prime social channels for more details on Rockstar Games & Twitch Prime at TwitchCon 2019 San Diego!

    Website: LINK

  • Get Twitch Prime IRL Benefits & Watch Our Livestream @ TwitchCon this weekend!

    Get Twitch Prime IRL Benefits & Watch Our Livestream @ TwitchCon this weekend!

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Joveth Gonzalez

    TwitchCon is almost here, and we’re happy to announce that Twitch Prime will be there to give you IRL benefits at the show along with a live show each day from our booth, hosted by Lucy Mae.

    Those of you attending TwitchCon that have registered as Prime members can stop by our booth (#600) and check out the following:

    • Free $10 Food & Drink Voucher and $10 Loot Cave Voucher: Show us the crown icon on your badge (indicating that you are a Prime member) and we’ll give you a Prime Quest Book containing $20 total in vouchers for you to spend on food & drinks and at the Loot Cave on official Twitch merch.
    • Exclusive Quest: Grab a Prime Quest Book and finish all assignments to get an exclusive Twitch Prime shirt. Plus, you have the chance to get other prizes as well.
    • Streaming Schedule: We will be broadcasting from 11AM-1PM PT Friday through Sunday on twitch.tv/twitchprime . Tune in for panels, competitive play, Let’s Play segments, and more from developers including Rockstar, Psyonix, Tencent Games, and Wargaming. You won’t want to miss our special announcement with Psyonix on Friday. Be sure to follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) for the most up-to-date programming schedule.
    • Ask Me Bar: Twitch Partners will be available to answer any questions that you may have about all-things streaming and how Prime can enhance your streaming experience.
    • Play Rocket League, PUBG Mobile, and World of Tanks: Our booth will include dedicated play areas for these titles.

    More about Twitch Prime

    Twitch Prime is Amazon Prime’s home for gamers, and is included with Prime. Benefits include in-game loot, free games, a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch AND all the benefits of being a Prime member — including unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, deep discounts at Whole Foods Market, and unlimited free two-day shipping on more than 100 million items.

    You can try it free right here, and when you do, you get all the Twitch Prime benefits instantly just by linking your Twitch account to your Amazon account.

    Website: LINK

  • Tales from the Twitch Extensions Commerce Pilot: Three companies building amazing experiences

    Tales from the Twitch Extensions Commerce Pilot: Three companies building amazing experiences

    Reading Time: 3 minutes
    AJ Glasser

    Last year, Twitch invited a handful of merchandise vendors and charity donation platforms to build Twitch Extensions, powered mainly by Amazon Pay checkout, as part of a Commerce in Extension pilot program. These experiences entitled Twitch streamers to sell shirts and raise funds for charity.

    The pilot program developers raised almost $1M for charity and sold thousands of shirts, hats, mugs, and plushies to fans on Twitch streams. For a first-time experiment, it’s a positive financial result, but more meaningful is how these experiences made Twitch a more fun place to stream and watch.

    Here are a few examples of awesome moments brought to you by Commerce in Extensions:

    Teespring: Sub-only Merch and Buying Sprees

    Longtime Twitch partner Teespring knows more than anyone about what people love about merch. Joining us for the Commerce pilot, they innovated on the concept of subscriber-exclusive goods creators can sell on their channels. While not the right choice for every channel, Teesprings knows creators need more than one way to build their brand and connect with their viewers.

    One of the best ways to forge that connection is through creating moments. Whether it’s in a game, in the Chat, or happening IRL on stream, creators and viewers thrive on the moments they make together.

    To make that creating moments a part of merch, Teespring tested a new overlay alert system that shouts out the fans supporting the stream through merch purchases. The slick new on-stream shoutouts were a hit with Janellwheeler’s channel, causing a spontaneous mug-buying spree:

    DonorDrive: Charity for one and all

    Supporting a charity is always rewarding, but charity streaming on Twitch takes it to a new level. In the last 10 months alone, we’ve seen streams drive $1.5M to charities through the pilot.

    DonorDrive built a suite of Extensions to power charitable donations live on stream. Their flagship Extension, Extra Life Charity Fundraising, has been used by over 16,000 Twitch creators since launch. Creators and viewers can see donation updates from the Extension in real time — and creators are even able to shout out individual followers who donate.

    “They might get a shout out from the broadcaster, but undoubtedly, [it’s] the personal satisfaction of doing something good that powers the experience,” says Ben Clayton, Integration Developer at DonorDrive.

    DonorDrive has already partnered with ASFP, Doctors Without Borders, Wounded Warrior, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Stack Up, Mercy Corps, and American Association for Cancer Research, with more to come. They are excited to help build the presence of charities in the Twitch Extension library by giving nonprofits their own Extension that displays on creators’ streams and profiles.

    Fnatic: Limited-edition Drops

    Last year, esports organization Fnatic debuted a limited-edition hoodie collaboration with Champions to celebrate their second-place win in the League of Legends 2018 World Championship tournament held in Seoul, South Korea. Based on fans’ enthusiasm for this iconic hoodie, Fnatic brought back 500 of them for sale exclusively through Twitch.

    Rather than just offer them up, Fnatic created mini-games fans had to play for a chance to buy the hoodie. Earning a high score won them the right to buy the hoodie while supplies lasted.

    “For limited-edition items, you usually enter a raffle to be allowed to buy, or you need to be the fastest to click when it goes on sale,” says Benoit Pagotto, Brand Manager for Fnatic. Coming from French street fashion boutique Colette, Pagotto explains the psychology of streetwear and how he adapted it to a native Twitch experience. “[We] wanted people to compete to be allowed to buy the hoodie. It was based more on skill than luck or randomness.”

    Under the hood, the mini-game is a straightforward click-reaction game: Clickable icons of different sizes and values spawned on stream over time. The more (and bigger) icons you click, the more points you score. Winning a minimum of 5,000 points unlocked the hoodie for purchase with a special access link. To prevent cheating, Fnatic disabled link sharing in Chat and canceled purchases for anyone caught distributing the link.

    Skill speaks volumes. In just one hour, Fnatic drove 3.5x more revenue than the next-nearest by revenue merchandise Extension drove in the entire month of July.

    These are just a few examples of successful Commerce in Extension pilots. If you’re interested in learning more about Commerce in Extensions or have an idea for your own, fill out this form and our team will get back to you.

    Website: LINK

  • Watch the CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS live stream

    Watch the CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS live stream

    Reading Time: < 1 minute
    Robert Busey

    Tune in on September 21st to the Twitch Prime channel on Twitch.tv to watch 8 streamers go head to head in CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS!

    Watch The Stream

    iAmLucyMae will host a Q&A with Executive Producer Nobuya Nakazato who has been part of CONTRA’s legacy for over 20 years! Then watch our 8 streamers go head to head in PVP battles and a timed race to take down a new challenge in a world premier boss battle in Contra Rogue Corps. Featuring:

    Velokk_tv
    Witwix
    Cyr
    Spaceboy
    Buddha
    Flamehopper
    SirLarr
    BuffaloPrime

    CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS is a twin stick, third-person action game drawing upon its roots in fast and focused combat developed for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (STEAM). From the director of CONTRA III: THE ALIEN WARS and CONTRA: HARD CORPS, Nobuya Nakazato instils more than 25 years of franchise pedigree into CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS with enormous crazed enemies, over-the-top violence, and a cast of diverse playable characters that add to the irreverent tone of the game.

    The game releases on September 24th! Buy it now.

    Website: LINK

  • Introducing Free Mobile Game Content with Prime: First up, PUBG Mobile!

    Introducing Free Mobile Game Content with Prime: First up, PUBG Mobile!

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Joveth Gonzalez

    Starting today Amazon Prime members will now be able to get free mobile game content in addition to all the great Twitch Prime benefits already available for PC and console gamers (you can read more about Twitch Prime at the end of this blog), beginning with in-game items for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile), the battle royale sensation from Tencent Games.

    Take down enemies in style with this exclusive offer. Prime members can claim the Infiltrator Jacket, Infiltrator Pants, and Infiltrator Shoes to complete the Prime exclusive set, plus the Black Magma Parachute and brand new Blood Oath — Karabiner 98K.

    PUBG Mobile loot schedule:

    • Drop 1, 9/20/19–10/3/19: Infiltrator Mask (permanent item)
    • Drop 2, 10/04/19–10/17/19: Infiltrator Jacket (permanent item)
    • Drop 3, 10/18/19–10/31/19: Infiltrator Shoes (permanent item)
    • Drop 4, 11/01/19–11/14/19: Infiltrator Pants (permanent item)
    • Drop 5, 11/15/19–11/28/19: Epic Level Gun, Blood Oath — Kar98 (30-day use token)
    • Drop 6, 11/29/19–12/12/19: Epic Level Black Magma Parachute (30-day use token)

    *Please note, this content is not available in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, or embargoed countries.

    Mobile loot content can only be claimed in-game. If you have PUBG Mobile installed on your mobile device, please make sure that it is updated to the latest game version and then launch the game. Once you’re in PUBG Mobile, you will see a banner showcasing this offer that you can tap to claim. If you do not see this banner, go to ‘Events’ and tap on the Amazon Prime promotion to claim.

    If you do not have the game installed on your mobile device, please visit the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) to download the game. Once you have the game on your device, launch the game to claim PUBG Mobile loot.

    You will need an Amazon Prime subscription to claim this offer. If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, simply start PUBG Mobile on your mobile device to claim this content. If you do not have an Amazon Prime subscription, simply click the “Start your free 30-day trial” and begin your free trial, once you have completed this step you can claim the current offer in PUBG Mobile.

    To learn more about PUBG Mobile and this exclusive Prime offer, please visit www.amazon.com/pubgm.

    More about Twitch Prime

    Twitch Prime is Amazon Prime’s home for gamers, and is included with Prime. Benefits include in-game loot, free games, a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch AND all the benefits of being a Prime member — including unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, deep discounts at Whole Foods Market, and unlimited free two-day shipping on more than 100 million items.

    You can try it free right here, and when you do, you get all the Twitch Prime benefits instantly just by linking your Twitch account to your Amazon account.

    Website: LINK

  • Prime Members: Share the Love by Gifting Free Loot to the Community

    Prime Members: Share the Love by Gifting Free Loot to the Community

    Reading Time: 5 minutes
    Joveth Gonzalez

    Prime members, you’ve just received a major upgrade to your Amazon Prime membership.

    You can now share select Twitch Prime loot with the community on Twitch and give viewers who aren’t yet Prime a sneak peek of some of the awesome content they can expect to get from Twitch Prime.

    Starting today, Prime members can gift up to 3 extra copies of Dauntless loot, which unlocks the complete Desperado armor set, a purple dye, the “Outlaw” title, and a helpful supply pack with 30 Patrol Chests. Be on the lookout for additional loot to gift in upcoming weeks, including World of Tanks, Rainbow Six Siege, and more.

    So, how do you share the joy of Twitch Prime loot? See below for instructions in English.

    Instructions for other languages can be found in the links here:

    Step 1: Keep an eye out for the Community Gift Chest widget on Twitch streams
    When you’re watching your favorite streamer on Twitch, keep an eye out for the Community Gift Chest widget above chat (see image below). Streamers will have to activate this feature in order for it to appear. For more information about the streamer experience, please see the Streamer FAQs section further down in this blog.

    Step 2: Click on “Gift” in the new Gifting Center
    Once the Community Gift Chest widget is visible, Prime members watching the stream will see the following announcement in chat which allows them to gift Twitch Prime loot. Click on “Gift” up to 3 times to contribute Twitch Prime loot to the Gift Chest.

    Step 3: Watch as other Prime members in chat gift their Twitch Prime loot too
    Other Prime members in chat can also gift during this time, and you can watch the total number of gifts in the Community Gift Chest grow.

    Step 4: Gift Distribution by the Twitch Streamer
    The streamer will then decide when there are enough gifts and will push the “Distribute Gifts” button on their dashboard. This will release all the gifts randomly to members of their Twitch community that are tuning in. Viewers are eligible to receive a gift as long as they’re logged into their Twitch account, not a current Prime member, and haven’t already received one before.

    Step 5: How to Redeem Twitch Prime Gift Loot
    Gift recipients are notified when they receive a gift and can redeem their gifts by following instructions that can be found via email (an email will be sent to the account associated with their Twitch username). More detailed instructions will be found in this email, and in the FAQ below.

    What can Prime members put in a Gift Chest?
    A. Members will be able to share up to 3 extra copies of select Twitch Prime loot that is gifting-eligible. Since these are extra copies of loot, you will still be able to claim the content for yourself.

    Can Free Trial members use this?
    A. Unfortunately, no. Loot Gifting is a benefit for paid members only.

    When can I gift content?
    A. When a streamer enables Loot Gifting, you will see a Community Gift Chest widget above chat. A button at the bottom of chat will also appear, allowing you to gift up to 3 extra copies of select Twitch Prime loot to the Gift Chest.

    How will Prime members know they have gifts to contribute?
    A. Whenever Prime members are in a Twitch channel with an active Gift Chest, they will see a private announcement at the bottom of chat showing the content they have to gift. The private announcement also has a button that allows members to contribute gifts with a single click.

    How often will Prime members receive new gifts to contribute?
    A. Usually gifts are better as a surprise. But since you asked, we’re expecting to have new giftable loot about every two weeks.

    Will people see if I have gifted Prime loot?
    A. Yes, the Community Gift Chest widget above chat will show the Twitch username of the last viewer who donated a gift.

    Will all Prime members have the same gifts to share with their communities each period?
    A. Yes.

    What happens if I have more gifts collected than eligible recipients?
    A. Any leftover gifts that don’t get distributed are automatically carried over to the next Gift Chest that you open.

    What happens when gifts are distributed?
    A. There will be a celebration in chat! Up to 100 messages will be sent out, highlighting the Twitch usernames of your viewers that donated a gift and received a gift.

    Why should I try this?
    A. Because unless you’re the Grinch, giving gifts is fun! And the members of your community that aren’t yet Prime members will be able to get a sneak peek of Twitch Prime loot without even needing a credit card.

    How do I activate a Gift Chest?
    A. In the Creator Dashboard under the Live tab, you will see the Community Gift chest widget (image below). Click “Start Collecting Gifts” to enable the feature.

    When can streamers distribute gifts?
    A. Streamers choose whenever they want to distribute gifts. They are able to distribute with as little as one gift in the Community Gift Chest and can distribute until the end of the gifting window (shown in the Community Gift Chest widget in your Creator Dashboard).

    Can a mod/editor release the chest for me?
    A. Not at the moment, but you’re not the first person to ask! We love hearing feedback and will look into incorporating it into future improvements.

    Can I schedule a Gift Chest to be opened in advance?
    A. Not at the moment. We recommend creating a chatbot command that notifies chat of when they can expect the Gift Chest to be opened.

    Can I choose my gift recipients when gifting to the community?
    A. Not at the moment, but you’re not the first person to ask! We love hearing feedback and will look into incorporating it into future improvements.

    How and when can I redeem a gift?
    A. If you received a gift, you will receive a redemption email (the one that is associated with your Twitch account) that includes a redeem by date, and a button that links to the Twitch Prime website to collect the gift.

    You will need to either sign in with or sign up for a free Amazon account (Amazon Prime is not required). In addition, you may also be prompted to link the Amazon account to your Twitch account, and your Twitch account to your game account.

    What is Twitch Prime?
    A. Twitch Prime is the Amazon Prime home for gamers, and is included with Prime. Benefits include in-game loot, free games, a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch AND all the benefits of being a Prime member — including unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, deep discounts at Whole Foods Market, and unlimited free two-day shipping on more than 100 million items.

    You can try it free right here, and when you do, you get all the Twitch Prime benefits instantly just by linking your Twitch account to your Amazon account.

    Website: LINK

  • Twitch Prime members: Get to Bamboozlin’ with exclusive Mirage and Kraber Skins

    Twitch Prime members: Get to Bamboozlin’ with exclusive Mirage and Kraber Skins

    Reading Time: < 1 minute
    Ray Galicia

    Who watches the man that no one can see? Time to find out when you grab these exclusive Mirage and Kraber skins, free with your Prime membership. Mirage has trouble written all over him in his electric-blue Holo Man skin (that’s only kind of a joke), and by the time the enemy spots your Night Watch Kraber skin, they’ll already be dead.

    Holo Man Mirage and Night Watch Kraber are available September 9 — October 9. Visit twitch.amazon.com/apexlegends to claim your Apex Legends content.

    What is Twitch Prime?

    Twitch Prime is Amazon Prime’s home for gamers, and is included with Prime. Benefits include in-game loot, free games, a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch AND all the benefits of being a Prime member — including unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, deep discounts at Whole Foods Market, and unlimited free two-day shipping on more than 100 million items.

    You can try it free right here, and when you do, you get all the Twitch Prime benefits instantly just by linking your Twitch account to your Amazon account.

    Website: LINK

  • Are you ready for some Thursday Night Football?

    Are you ready for some Thursday Night Football?

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Evan Freitas

    Get ready to experience the NFL in a whole new way, because Thursday Night Football is returning to Twitch. And this season, we’re bringing more of your favorite streamers along to co-stream than ever before.

    Starting September 26 when the Eagles visit the Packers, every Thursday night game will be broadcast live, and for free, on /primevideo. So get ready to metaphorically scream your lungs out for whoever you root for, it’s gonna be a wild season indeed.

    Here are the games we’ll be featuring this season:

    You can catch the official stream on /primevideo, but if you’re looking for a more unique spin on the broadcasts, we’ve got all sorts of co-streams lined up. Here’s who’s lined up to co-stream this season:

    Week 4 (Eagles v Packers): AngryJoe, NateHill, Problemwright, Gutfoxx, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 5 (Rams v Seahawks): AngryJoe, NateHill, FemSteph, sinister1, Problemwright, Gutfoxx, BJPofficial, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 6 (Giants v Patriots): AngryJoe, NateHill, FemSteph, sinister1, Problemwright, Gutfoxx, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 7 (Chiefs v Broncos): AngryJoe, NateHill, sinister1, Problemwright, Gutfoxx, BJPofficial, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 8 (Redskins v Vikings): AngryJoe, NateHill, sinister1, BJPofficial, TimTheTatman

    Week 9 (49ers v Cardinals): AngryJoe, NateHill, FemSteph, sinister1, BJPofficial

    Week 10 (Chargers v Raiders): AngryJoe, NateHill, runitup, FemSteph, BJPofficial, TimTheTatman

    Week 11 (Steelers v Browns): AngryJoe, NateHill, runitup, Gutfoxx, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 12 (Colts v Texans): AngryJoe, NateHill, runitup, TimTheTatman

    Week 14 (Cowboys v Bears): AngryJoe, NateHill, runitup, FemSteph, TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS

    Week 15 (Jets v Ravens): AngryJoe, runitup, TimTheTatman

    And don’t forget, before things kick off on Twitch, you can catch Thursday Night Football action on 9/12 and 9/19 exclusively on the NFL Network.

    • 9/12 8PM ET — Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
    • 9/19 8PM ET — Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

    Whether you tune in to the official broadcast on /PrimeVideo or the co-stream of your choice, we’ll see you on Thursdays!

    Website: LINK

  • Big News from Twitch Prime and Madden NFL 20

    Big News from Twitch Prime and Madden NFL 20

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Robert Busey

    Twitch Prime Crown Cup feat. Madden NFL 20

    Twitch Prime and EA Sports are teaming up to bring an exciting Twitch Prime Crown Cup event to the NFL 2019 season kickoff on September 5th in Grant Park, Chicago. The event will be live streamed at twitch.tv/twitchprime and will begin around 3:45pm ET (2:45pm CT). Fans attending the NFL kickoff festivities in Chicago can stop by and watch NFL greats like Chad Johnson, and Michael Vick, music superstars Lil Yachty and Juice Wrld and top Twitch streamers compete. The athletes, musicians and streamers will also team up with a few lucky fans to see who can reign as the kings of the gridiron.

    Be sure to tune in on September 12th, 19th, and 26th for continued Twitch Prime Crown Cup streams leading into each of the Thursday Night Football games at twitch.tv/twitchprime.

    More Twitch Prime Content

    Starting on September 3rd, Twitch Prime members can get their second content drop for Madden NFL 20. Claim today to get an Elite Player pack and an exclusive uniform. The legendary Jim Brown content is also still available to Prime members to claim through 9/8. Get your content today and dominate the gridiron here!

    New Madden Mode

    Madden NFL 20 will also be releasing a major new mode on September 3rd. This mode is called ‘Superstar KO’, which is a new and fun way to play Madden. Players can pick their coach, uniform, draft their superstars, and then compete in a 5–10 minute game experience that has unique rules and lots of fun moments. You can play on your own our team up with friends.

    Madden Free-To-Play Weekend

    Want to play Madden for FREE? Starting on 9/6 and lasting through the weekend, Madden NFL 20 will be available to play for FREE! Be sure to try it out here.

    What is Twitch Prime?

    Twitch Prime is the Amazon Prime home for gamers, and is included with Prime. Benefits include in-game loot, free games, a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch AND all the benefits of being a Prime member — including unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, deep discounts at Whole Foods Market, and unlimited free two-day shipping on more than 100 million items.

    You can try it free right here, and when you do, you get all the Twitch Prime benefits instantly just by linking your Twitch account to your Amazon account.

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month on Twitch

    Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month on Twitch

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Twitch

    Twitch is home to an amazingly diverse set of creators and communities and, this September in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re shining the spotlight on some of our favorite Hispanic and Latino streamers. Join the celebration!

    No matter what kind of stream you’re looking for, from competitive gaming to creative arts, our featured Hispanic and Latino streamers will be doing what they do best all throughout the month on the front page. Tune in to your favorites or check out a new stream for the first time! Here’s a full schedule of who we’re featuring and when:

    Sept. 1st, AndrewArcade, 12–2PM

    Sept. 2nd, Tocata, 1–3PM

    Sept. 3rd, Marielitai, 12–2PM

    Sept. 4th, Katykoart, 3–5PM

    Sept. 5th, TheMexicanRunner, 10AM-12PM

    Sept. 6th, hotted89, 9–11AM

    Sept. 7th, SavinTheBees, 8–10PM

    Sept. 8th, Unrooolie, 2–4PM

    Sept. 9th, Selenityy, 10AM-12PM

    Sept. 10th, Angels_piano, 8–10AM

    Sept. 11th, Lulaboo, 1–3PM

    Sept. 12th, DeerNadia, 6–8PM

    Sept. 13th, Nikatine, 9–11AM

    Sept. 14th, Kitanya, 10AM-12PM

    Sept. 15th, JeffBrutlag, 2–4PM

    Sept. 16th, YourPrincess, 1–3PM

    Sept. 17th, MarDCaos, 2–4PM

    Sept. 18th, SleepyMia, 8–10AM

    Sept. 19th, ChicaLive, 2–4PM

    Sept. 20th, Elix9, 6–8PM

    Sept. 21st, AlfredoPlays, 4–6PM

    Sept. 22nd, SimpleFlips, 4–6PM

    Sept. 23rd, Towelliee, 6–8AM

    Sept. 24th, Fedmyster, 6–8PM

    Sept. 25th, gabyspartz, 2–4PM

    Sept. 26th, Castro_1021, 9–11AM

    We’re featuring streamers just ahead of the official start of National Hispanic Heritage, as the end of September brings a strong focus on TwitchCon San Diego. We wanted to ensure our featured creators and their communities are given the full length of time to celebrate their content, so we’ve opted to use the full month of September for National Hispanic Heritage Month on Twitch.

    Website: LINK

  • You’re a What? The Life of a Developer Relations Intern

    You’re a What? The Life of a Developer Relations Intern

    Reading Time: 5 minutes
    Sonia Sachar

    This summer, I had the pleasure of interning on the Developer Relations (DevRel) team at Twitch in San Francisco. Being a DevRel intern is a unique experience, as many companies don’t offer internships (or even junior roles for that matter) in this space. I’m humbled that I received this opportunity at Twitch and was a part of the inaugural intern cohort #BleedPurple.

    Outside of Twitch, I’ve also had an incredible experience being in the Bay Area and constantly being surrounded by so many smart and passionate people working to build impactful technology. I loved meeting these people at local tech meet-ups and conferences and learning about all the various projects they were working on.

    However, while introducing myself at these events, I was consistently met with the same confusion and questions: “You’re a what?” “You mean you’re not a software engineering intern?” “Wait, so what do you do?” I realized that because a DevRel internship is so rare, many people don’t understand what it is. Fortunately, I’m here to answer some of those questions.

    But first: how did I get here?

    Let’s start from the beginning. Once upon a time, I was in high school. To learn computer science skills, I did two things 1. I enrolled in community college classes at the age of fourteen to study computer science 2. I went to hackathons. Hackathons were cool and fun, and I learned a lot! I didn’t try to win anything or even demo my projects, but I went to workshops and picked up skills.

    Fast forward to college. I stopped going to hackathons, but I still wanted to be involved in the hackathon community. I found the perfect way to do this by being a Coach at Major League Hacking (MLH) where I could truly give back to the community that had supported me for many years. Through this role, I was able to mentor hackers and support organizers at various hackathons across the country. I loved being able to teach and empower students to continue to learn, build, and share their passion for technology.

    My introduction into the wonderful world of DevRel

    While coaching at hackathons, I began to interact with the sponsor representatives from different companies who introduced themselves as “Developer Advocates” or “Tech Evangelists.” Underneath these mysterious titles, I soon learned that these representatives were full-time community advocates. Their main purpose was to empower developers to create new technologies and equip them with the right toolkit to do so (usually through their company’s developer tools and resources).

    It essentially was what I was doing in my part-time job of coaching at hackathons but on a whole new scale. It wasn’t just helping out hackers one weekend a month; it was thinking about how to help developers all day, every day. And it extended way beyond hackathons. It included creating good documentation, speaking at conferences and leading technical workshops, relaying user feedback to respective product teams, and interacting with the developer community through hackathons, meetups, and even online forums. But at the end of the day, I loved how the sole focus of this type of job was to help community developers, and I wanted to experience this role first hand.

    Hey, you over there, can you open the door into DevRel for me please?

    While researching ways to break into the DevRel space, especially as an intern, I was met with futile Google searches and zero job postings. It seemed like the only way to get into DevRel was to start as a software engineer, become an experienced developer, and then move into DevRel.

    While my job prospects in DevRel were not looking good, I still continued to send cold-call emails to companies who had DevRel teams and talk to people in the field. Just when I started to consider software engineering opportunities, I got an email from a Developer Advocate at Twitch (who eventually became my manager) explaining a new DevRel internship they were setting up. I was ecstatic about the potential opportunity to spend the entire summer learning about DevRel — and a month later, after loads of interviews, I accepted an offer as a summer intern on the DevRel team at Twitch! (Side note: Applications are now open for Summer 2020 internships at Twitch.)

    Presenting at Intern Capstone Presentations

    So what did I actually do as a DevRel intern at Twitch?

    During the first couple days in my internship, I quickly realized that this would be a fantastic experience. This summer would be my first time working in Developer Relations, working for a company as big as Twitch, and working in the live streaming and gaming industry. As a non-gamer and non-streamer, I definitely felt a bit intimidated by the huge learning curve. However, I believe I brought fresh eyes that were able to empathize with new developers, understand their pain points when using Twitch products, and relay this information to respective teams.

    By attending DevRel Con SF in June, I got a crash course in all things DevRel and learned how differently each company treats DevRel. At Twitch, developer advocacy’s mission is to educate developers about Twitch developer products and act as liaison for long-tail users or third-party developers. I began to think of advocacy as bringing awareness of products to developers, enabling them to build on the developer platforms, and making them feel successful — while also sharing in that success.

    As an intern, my work focused on Extensions, one of the Twitch developer products. Extensions are live apps that provide more engaging and interactive experiences for both streamers and viewers. Specifically, my project focused on creating an “Extension Education Journey.” I built technical tutorials to create a better onboarding experience for developers and teach them how to build Extensions. This work involved interacting with the developer community to better understand their needs, and then figuring out how to address these needs by working cross-functionally across many internal teams, including developer advocacy, solutions architecture, technical documentation, design, and product management.

    The only thing I loved more than the work I was doing was interacting with all the various office puppers that provided me with endless love and support. Fun fact: Twitch is very dog-friendly 🐕

    Milo and Gracie, two of my favorite Twitch puppers!

    And that’s a wrap!

    I hope I answered all your burning questions about my journey into Developer Relations and my experience at Twitch. I only touched upon a few of things as part of my experience — if you would like to learn more, feel free to reach out to me at @sonia_sachar on Twitter. However, to be honest, I don’t actually tweet: I just use Twitter to learn more about the world and communicate with people.

    Also, that content that I created? The Extension Education Journey? Yeah, that’s coming out very soon 👀 I don’t want to unveil too many details yet, but stay tuned for announcements!

    What to learn more about Twitch internships? Go here!

    Website: LINK

  • SUBtember is back and it’s better than ever

    SUBtember is back and it’s better than ever

    Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Twitch

    Since SUBtember was introduced in 2017, the amount of support and love you have shown for your favorite streamers during the annual month-long celebration has continued to blow us away.

    Today, we’re happy to announce the third annual SUBtember, which is bigger and better than ever thanks to our partner Subway® restaurants.

    Beginning September 3 through September 24, in partnership with Subway, we’re offering 50% off new Tier 1 subscriptions made on a web browser or our desktop app, so you can support even more of the streamers you follow on Twitch! Any new Tier 1 subscription (not including gifted subs) on web or desktop app is eligible for this promotion unless you cancel a subscription in that channel after September 3. If you have any active gift subs or Twitch Prime subs, you can also continue your subscriptions for 50% off.

    As in prior years, streamers will continue to receive the full value of a subscription, and there is no limit on the number of times you can subscribe using the SUBtember half-off promotion.

    As a subscriber, depending on the channel, you get cool stuff like:

    • Access to custom emotes that you can use across all of Twitch
    • Subscriber badge that changes the longer you stay subscribed
    • Ad-free viewing (with limited exceptions)
    • Exclusive subscriber content, such as a sub-only games, sub-only streaming, Q&A, sub-only chat rooms, and other benefits that streamers may offer only for subscribers

    Get the discount by logging into Twitch and clicking the Subscribe button on your favorite streamers’ channel pages. As always, there is no minimum commitment and you can cancel your subscription at any time by visiting the Subscription Management Page.

    But wait. We said this SUBtember would be the biggest and best one ever, and we weren’t kidding. We’re leveling up SUBtember with Subway and offering even more benefits. Make sure to keep a lookout for:

    • Bonus Bits! Subway is throwing in 10% more Bits when you Cheer 10 or more in any Affiliate or Partner channel. There’s even a limited-time sub sandwich Cheermote you can cheer with.
    • Sub Gifting! Subway will be gifting subscriptions in various channels — make sure to tune in throughout September.
    • Subway on Twitch! Tune in when Subway launches their very own Twitch channel to livestream with their favorite streamers.

    We look forward to seeing all the fun ways the community celebrates SUBtember this year!

    Note: SUBtember is a limited time offer and subject to all Twitch terms and policies, including the Bits Acceptable Use Policy. Promotions will go live at 01:00PM PT on 9/3/19 and will run through 11:59PM PT on 9/24/19. The 50% subscription discount is only available through a web browser (twitch.tv or subs.twitch.tv) and the desktop app, but not on the Twitch Mobile Apps. This Promotion is only available for new Tier 1 subscriptions (excluding gifted subs), unless your existing recurring subscription to the channel ends between September 3, 2019 to September 24, 2019. Promotion is not applicable for team subscriptions and custom subscriptions. After one month, the subscription will renew at the normal price. Twitch reserves the right to modify or cancel the offer at any time. Total Bonus Bits will be awarded up to a maximum of 25 million Bits.

    Website: LINK

  • New Partner Hype!

    New Partner Hype!

    Reading Time: < 1 minute
    Mary Kish

    There’s almost nothing greater than watching a channel hit Partnership, and the path to Partner is certain a journey for every streamer. We interviewed freshly Partnered streamers CurtisRyan_, GetMeowth, and benjamin_wheeler about their path to Partnership and what it took to get that coveted purple check mark. As they reflected back to the moment they found out they got partnered live on stream, they offered some great advice to up-and-coming streamers.

    Getting Partnered isn’t just exciting for the Partner, it’s a momentous occasion for the whole community — staff included! Discovering they’ve hit their goal live on air is heartwarming, emotional, and an epic ton of Pog.

    We’re excited to share some of these captured live moments with you, as well as give you insight into some of these newly Partnered channels. You can check them on our front page over the next week, as well as click through below to visit their channels. Congrats on achieving another #bleedpurplestep in streaming on Twitch.

    CurtisRyan_

    GetMeowth

    benjamin_wheeler

    Alouette

    NickTew

    NiceWigg

    xLie

    Nakkida

    lockandloadliv

    Website: LINK

  • USA Basketball’s road to the Olympics is only on Twitch

    USA Basketball’s road to the Olympics is only on Twitch

    Reading Time: < 1 minute
    Evan Freitas

    Basketball history is filled with incredible duos. Jordan and Pippen. Stockton and Malone. Shaq and Kobe. And now, USA Basketball and Twitch.

    We’re excited to announce that USA Basketball is bringing their talents to Twitch for the run up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and we’ve saved courtside seats for you.

    Twitch will be Team USA’s home for everything from player camps and practices, exhibition games against other national teams, and even a first look at the new 3 on 3 format coming to the Olympics next year. It’s all going down on /NBA, but everyone is also invited to co-stream everything with your communities.

    The first featured exhibition game is against Team Australia on August 22 at 7:30PM PT. Make sure to follow /NBA to get reminders before Team USA goes live.

    Website: LINK

  • USA Basketball’s road to the Olympics is only on Twitch

    USA Basketball’s road to the Olympics is only on Twitch

    Reading Time: < 1 minute
    Evan Freitas

    Basketball history is filled with incredible duos. Jordan and Pippen. Stockton and Malone. Shaq and Kobe. And now, USA Basketball and Twitch.

    We’re excited to announce that USA Basketball is bringing their talents to Twitch for the run up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and we’ve saved courtside seats for you.

    Twitch will be Team USA’s home for everything from player camps and practices, exhibition games against other national teams, and even a first look at the new 3 on 3 format coming to the Olympics next year. It’s all going down on /NBA, but everyone is also invited to co-stream everything with your communities.

    The first featured exhibition game is against Team Australia on August 22 at 7:30PM PT. Make sure to follow /NBA to get reminders before Team USA goes live.

    Website: LINK

  • Just add Time Travel: Building your Games for Both Streamers and Viewers

    Just add Time Travel: Building your Games for Both Streamers and Viewers

    Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Andrew McPherson

    Twitch Extensions empower new interactions and collaborations between streamers and viewers. Our friends at Amazon Games explored this with their experimental top-down shooter The Collaborative.

    The Collaborative is both a game and a Twitch Extension. While the streamers are playing the game, the viewers are using the Twitch Extension. While the streamers are strafing and shooting deadly robots, the viewers are stamping the world with pixel art to ward off the deadly robots.

    Let’s take a look at the Twitch video player and how it appears to the viewers.

    What is happening here? Each of those lasers is a pixely stamp being sent from a viewer’s browser into the streamer’s game.

    As a viewer, you can use the canvas on the right to design your stamp, and once you’re satisfied, you click anywhere on the stream to place it in the game world. Click on the wall, drop a stamp on the wall. Click on the floor, drop a stamp on the floor.

    From the comfort of your browser, you can graffiti the game with your stamps by clicking anywhere in the game. And once it is in the game, the streamer can find it, play with it, and share it with the rest of the stream!

    With the magic of Twitch Extensions! From within a video overlay Extension, we listen for the viewer to click anywhere on the stream. When clicked, we capture the position, time, stamp, and username. We send all this data to the streamer’s game.

    From within the game, we fire a raycast from the camera’s position.

    The biggest problem with this approach is that the player and the camera move over time, and a Twitch stream has some latency. If we naively raycast from where the camera is currently positioned, it’ll appear a few seconds ahead of where we wanted to stamp it. Each and every viewer has a variable amount of latency!

    In this example (seen below), the viewers are always two seconds behind the streamer: When the streamer is interacting with the new Purple 6, the viewers are still interacting with the old Green 4!

    Fortunately for us, we can check their viewer latency in the Twitch Extension Helper’s onContext method. The `hlsLatencyBroadcaster` is the amount of seconds between the viewer and the streamer.

    So to account for the latency between streamer and viewers, we instruct the game to maintain a history of all the previous camera positions for the last 30 seconds. We then have the Extension include their latency with each stamp they send. When the game receives the stamp, it rewinds the camera position to account for the latency and performs the raycast.

    Also, because our timeline between the viewer and streamer is lagging, it means viewers don’t see their stamp dropped into the world right away. Even though the game has updated almost immediately with the stamp, the viewers won’t see it until the stream has caught up. So to ensure the viewer that their stamp is working, we render a loading bar. We run this loading bar long enough to account for the `hlsLatencyBroadcaster`.

    And just like that, we have an end-to-end interactive Twitch experience. Viewers can interact directly with the streamer through Twitch!

    Watch The Collaborative Automaton #0059 Trailer from Collaborative on www.twitch.tv

    If you’re interested in The Collaborative, play it on Twitch today!

    For more information on building Twitch Extensions, visit dev.twitch.tv/build or join the TwitchDev Community Discord. Or Ready to build interactive experiences on Twitch? Start now!

    Website: LINK

  • Just add Time Travel: Building your Games for Both Streamers and Viewers

    Just add Time Travel: Building your Games for Both Streamers and Viewers

    Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Andrew McPherson

    Twitch Extensions empower new interactions and collaborations between streamers and viewers. Our friends at Amazon Games explored this with their experimental top-down shooter The Collaborative.

    The Collaborative is both a game and a Twitch Extension. While the streamers are playing the game, the viewers are using the Twitch Extension. While the streamers are strafing and shooting deadly robots, the viewers are stamping the world with pixel art to ward off the deadly robots.

    Let’s take a look at the Twitch video player and how it appears to the viewers.

    What is happening here? Each of those lasers is a pixely stamp being sent from a viewer’s browser into the streamer’s game.

    As a viewer, you can use the canvas on the right to design your stamp, and once you’re satisfied, you click anywhere on the stream to place it in the game world. Click on the wall, drop a stamp on the wall. Click on the floor, drop a stamp on the floor.

    From the comfort of your browser, you can graffiti the game with your stamps by clicking anywhere in the game. And once it is in the game, the streamer can find it, play with it, and share it with the rest of the stream!

    With the magic of Twitch Extensions! From within a video overlay Extension, we listen for the viewer to click anywhere on the stream. When clicked, we capture the position, time, stamp, and username. We send all this data to the streamer’s game.

    From within the game, we fire a raycast from the camera’s position.

    The biggest problem with this approach is that the player and the camera move over time, and a Twitch stream has some latency. If we naively raycast from where the camera is currently positioned, it’ll appear a few seconds ahead of where we wanted to stamp it. Each and every viewer has a variable amount of latency!

    In this example (seen below), the viewers are always two seconds behind the streamer: When the streamer is interacting with the new Purple 6, the viewers are still interacting with the old Green 4!

    Fortunately for us, we can check their viewer latency in the Twitch Extension Helper’s onContext method. The `hlsLatencyBroadcaster` is the amount of seconds between the viewer and the streamer.

    So to account for the latency between streamer and viewers, we instruct the game to maintain a history of all the previous camera positions for the last 30 seconds. We then have the Extension include their latency with each stamp they send. When the game receives the stamp, it rewinds the camera position to account for the latency and performs the raycast.

    Also, because our timeline between the viewer and streamer is lagging, it means viewers don’t see their stamp dropped into the world right away. Even though the game has updated almost immediately with the stamp, the viewers won’t see it until the stream has caught up. So to ensure the viewer that their stamp is working, we render a loading bar. We run this loading bar long enough to account for the `hlsLatencyBroadcaster`.

    And just like that, we have an end-to-end interactive Twitch experience. Viewers can interact directly with the streamer through Twitch!

    Watch The Collaborative Automaton #0059 Trailer from Collaborative on www.twitch.tv

    If you’re interested in The Collaborative, play it on Twitch today!

    For more information on building Twitch Extensions, visit dev.twitch.tv/build or join the TwitchDev Community Discord. Or Ready to build interactive experiences on Twitch? Start now!

    Website: LINK

  • Fireworks! A Sample Extension Using Bits

    Fireworks! A Sample Extension Using Bits

    Reading Time: 5 minutes
    Braxton Lancial

    It’s always a good time for fireworks! And fireworks are even better when they’re digital and in a Twitch Extension. Recently we published a new sample Extension on the GitHub, which allows viewers to exchange Bits for an immaculate fireworks display in a video overlay. It leverages several of our Bits-in-Extension APIs, the Extension Configuration Service, and a lightweight Extension Backend Service. If you’re interested in how we built this Extension, and want to learn more about what tools Twitch offers to enable you to build a similar Extension yourself, you’re in the right place.

    Bits in Extensions enable you to build and manage a catalog of items and experiences in which viewers can exchange Bits. We provide a helper function to prompt the Bits transaction flow, and our callbacks allow your Extension to react accordingly to a transaction. The first step to manage your catalog of offerings for viewers is setting up the SKUs that will be included in your catalog. SKUs can be setup using the Developer Rig. After creating a new project or opening an existing project in the Developer Rig, you can navigate to the “Monetization” section on the left, and then click the “Live Products” tab. Here you can add new products as well as manage items after they’ve been created. In this example we’ve created two items — a Small Fireworks item at an amount of 10 Bits, and a Large Fireworks item at an amount of 100 Bits.

    Another useful feature utilized in this sample is the Configuration Service. This service enables developers to store Extension-specific and channel-specific data. In our fireworks example, we allow broadcasters to select one of two items they would like to be available to exchange for Bits — either Small Fireworks, or Large Fireworks. Upon selection, the configuration page saves that selection into the broadcaster configuration service segment. This choice ultimately determines what SKU will be presented to viewers. The Extension retrieves this broadcaster configuration and displays a button allowing viewers to exchange Bits for the selected SKU. While simple, this is an example of how easy it can be to empower broadcasters to tailor the Extension experience to their liking within your predetermined boundaries.

    function saveSettings() {
    var radioBtns = document.getElementsByName('firework');     for (var i = 0, length = radioBtns.length; i < length; i++) {
    if (radioBtns[i].checked) {
    twitch.configuration.set("broadcaster", "", radioBtns[i].id);
    log("saveSettings() fired, broadcaster-selected sku set to: " + radioBtns[i].id);
    break;
    }
    }
    }

    We’ve set up our SKUs, we’ve implemented the Configuration Service to manage our catalog per broadcaster, now we’re ready for viewers to actually exchange their Bits for some digital fireworks. There are a variety of APIs and callbacks available through the Extension Helper relevant to the Bits transaction flow. In our sample, our overlay presents a very simple interface which presents a button to the viewer that reads “Launch Fireworks!”. When a viewer clicks this button, we call the useBits(SKU) method from the Twitch helper. This method kicks off the Bits transaction flow for the specified SKU from your catalog. If the viewer does not have enough Bits in their account, they’ll be led to the Bits purchasing interface, giving the viewer an opportunity to purchase more Bits and move forward with the transaction. Assuming the viewer already does have enough Bits or has just purchased enough, they’ll be prompted with a confirmation dialog box.

    useBits = function () {
    if (sku == "") {
    log("no sku received from the configuration svc");
    return;
    }
    twitch.bits.useBits(sku);
    }

    In our example, if the viewer selected Small Fireworks, they will be asked to confirm exchanging 10 of their Bits. If the viewer selected Large Fireworks, they will be asked to confirm exchanging 100 of their Bits. At this point the user will either confirm or cancel the transaction. Both options invoke callbacks from the Twitch helper so you can handle their decision accordingly. We only care about handling the scenario where the user has successfully confirmed exchanging their Bits for (digital) fireworks. When the user completes this transaction, the onTransactionComplete(transaction) callback function is invoked.

    twitch.bits.onTransactionComplete(function (transaction) {
    log("onTransactionComplete() fired, received transactionReceipt: " + transaction.transactionReceipt);
    fetch("https://localhost:8080/api/fireworks", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
    "Authorization": "Bearer " + transaction.transactionReceipt,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ channelId: channelId })
    }).then(function (response) {
    if (response.ok) {
    log("ebs validated transaction")
    }
    else {
    log("ebs was unable to validate transaction")
    }
    });
    });
    twitch.listen('broadcast', function (topic, contentType, sku) {
    log("listen() fired, received sku via PubSub: " + sku + ". Shooting Fireworks!");
    launchFireworks(sku);
    });

    Here we do a quick validation with our backend (more on that later), which eventually invokes the listen() callback via PubSub. Now we can finally shoot off our beautiful display of pixelated fireworks on the overlay. Bits transaction complete!

    While the interface of the Extension and the fireworks themselves are the more exciting parts, the dirty work still has to be done somewhere. This is where our Extension Backend Service comes into play (EBS for short). Most (but not all) Extensions require some sort of backend to operate. In this sample, our EBS verifies the validity of a Bits transaction by verifying its Javascript Web Token (JWT), then sends out the purchased Bits SKU via PubSub.

    Verifying a JWT with Go

    We chose to write our EBS in Go, as Go is a very lightweight way of quickly spinning up a backend. Our Go server must be running before our frontend can interact with it. Once it is, you can see our frontend routes our request to the API endpoint we’ve configured at https://localhost:8080/api/fireworks. This endpoint requires a Bearer Token as an Authorization Header (which will come from the transaction receipt field), as well as a channelId (the broadcaster’s Twitch user id). Our EBS uses a JWT library to parse the token we received from the transaction to ensure this request is coming from our Extension on Twitch. If it arrives at that confirmation, we respond with a 200 status and continue.

    Using PubSub with our own JWT

    We now need to create our own signed JWT, so when we send our PubSub message, Twitch knows it is coming from us. We can do this easily as seen in the newJWT(channelID string) function, by again utilizing the JWT library (most languages have solid JWT libraries that will make your life easier). After generating our own token, we can broadcast a message through PubSub by hitting the messages endpoint, and specifying what channel the message should be sent to. Using PubSub allows us to send a message to all Extension client instances in a specified channel all at once. This is what ultimately triggers the listen() method from the Twitch Helper on the frontend, and will shoot off our fireworks.

    // newJWT creates an EBS-signed JWT
    func (s *service) newJWT(channelID string) string {
    var expiration = time.Now().Add(time.Minute * 3).Unix()
    claims := jwtClaims {
    UserID: s.ownerID,
    ChannelID: channelID,
    Role: "external",
    Permissions: jwtPermissions {
    Send: []string{"broadcast"},
    },
    StandardClaims: jwt.StandardClaims {
    ExpiresAt: expiration,
    },
    }
     token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256, claims) tokenString, err := token.SignedString(s.secret)
    if err != nil {
    log.Println(err)
    }     log.Printf("Generated JWT: %s\n", tokenString) return tokenString
    }

    Our Extension Backend Service has now validated the JWT from the incoming request to verify it was coming from our frontend, it has created its own JWT to send back to Twitch, and it has sent a PubSub message to the channel the request originally came from. Our EBS’s work here is done.

    Hopefully this Extension sample can help kickstart your Bits-enabled Extension development. Extensions come in many different flavors, so for more examples using other frameworks and languages, check out TwitchDev on GitHub. Visit the Twitch Developer site to begin developing your Twitch Extension. Happy building!

    Website: LINK