Microsoft Rebrands Its Game Streaming Service, Introduces New Features

Beam no more – Microsoft is looking to mix things up with its game streaming service.The [...]

Mixer

Beam no more – Microsoft is looking to mix things up with its game streaming service.

The publisher has announced today that it has retooled and rebranded its Twitch competitor as Mixer, taking the place of the more traditional Beam name. The change takes effect as of today, and, with it, Microsoft has a number of new features to go with it as well.

Probably the most noteworthy of these features, according to its official announcement, is the ability to "co-stream". What this basically means is that the service "enables multiple channel streams (up to four) to be displayed on a single Mixer page." This goes for whether you have four people playing completely separate games, or four buddies partaking in multiplayer with something like Battlefield 1 or Gears of War 4. We can't wait to test this feature out.

In addition, there are various tools being introduced to the service that will enable better "crowd interaction," according to the company, as broadcasts will be closer to live than ever before, instead of suffering from latency like other streaming channels. Developers will also have access to tools using the Mixer's Interactive 2.0 kit, if they feel like making custom services for the channel.

To celebrate the relaunch of the Mixer service, Microsoft has introduced a special Game-a-thon event, in which various livestreamers will be showcased playing a number of titles, including some Microsoft favorites.

It's going to be interesting seeing how well the Mixer service holds up alongside the likes of Twitch, especially considering its robust streaming community. It's sure to get some fans involved, though, especially with its hardcore Killer Instinct tournaments and Gears of War 4 competitions – not to mention what Microsoft could be introducing at this year's E3 event, which is just weeks away.

Check out the video below to get a better idea of what Mixer is all about. We certainly wish Microsoft the best of luck with this new service. It's got a lot to go up against, but with some interesting features, it should have no trouble drawing in an audience on Xbox One and Windows 10.

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