Google has signed a multi-year partnership deal with Activision Blizzard which means Google will power all of Activision Blizzard’s game hosting needs, among some other technical necessities. Importantly, though, YouTube will become the exclusive streaming partner for all of the game publisher’s big e-sports titles, including the upcoming season of the Overwatch League and the Call of Duty League.
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This is a massive get for YouTube, who has struggled in a very competitive game streaming market. In the last couple of years Twitch has dominated the streaming space, with Mixer making notable signings like Ninja and other top streamers to boost its user base as well. Twitch was the exclusive partner for these e-sports in recent years.
Of course, it all comes down to the amount of money that these platforms are willing to spend. With Google money behind it, YouTube Gaming has been making a big push in recent times. Firstly, by getting rid of superfluous apps that confused potential customers, and now going after talent and streaming partnerships like this.
“With more than 200 million gamers a day watching more than 50 billion hours of gaming content per year, YouTube provides gamers and their passionate fans with the most popular video gaming platform in the world,” Ryan Wyatt, YouTube’s head of gaming, said in a statement.
“Both the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League are the quintessential examples of world class e-sports content. As a former Call of Duty e-sports commentator myself, I couldn’t be more excited for Activision Blizzard to choose YouTube as its exclusive home for the digital live streaming of both leagues. This partnership further demonstrates our dedication to having a world class live streaming product for gaming.”
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