Amazon acquired Twitch in 2014 for about $970 million.
Twitch began as Justin.tv, a general live-streaming service founded in 2007 by Justin Kan, Emmett Shear, Michael Seibel, Kyle Vogt, and Kevin Lin. The gaming-focused section became so popular that the company rebranded as Twitch Interactive in 2011. Amazon announced its acquisition of Twitch in August 2014, and the transaction closed in September.
The deal was widely viewed as a move into online video and gaming, areas where Amazon wanted a stronger community presence. Twitch continued operating as a distinct service after the purchase, with its own brand and creator ecosystem. It streams gameplay, esports, music, and other live content.
A frequent confusion is the price: reports commonly cite about $970 million in cash, rather than a multibillion-dollar figure. Twitch is also different from Mixer, Microsoft’s former streaming service, which Microsoft shut down in 2020 after partnering with Facebook Gaming.