Steam Broadcasting announced

Steam Broadcasting announced

Eric Johnson at Recode:

It’s pretty similar in that regard to Twitch, the game-streaming site acquired by Amazon for $1.1 billion in August. But there’s one big difference: Currently, Steam Broadcasting requires that both the broadcaster and the viewer opt in to the beta service from their account settings.

Valve’s announcement of the beta emphasizes the one-to-one benefits of game streaming —such as demonstrating for a friend how to beat a tricky level or just showing off — but it will also be possible to broadcast to strangers. After one friend requests access to a game stream, broadcasters are given the choice to open it up to just that person, many friends, or all Steam users.

The first tendency is to compare it to Twitch, but I think we’re better off comparing it to the built-in “social spectating” features on the Xbox One and PS4.