Online retailer Amazon.com Inc has acquired online video game platform Twitch Interactive for $970 million, a move that reflects Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' determination to transform his company into an online destination beyond its core retail operations.
"Watching online games is a global phenomenon, and Twitch has created a platform that brings together tens of millions of people who watch billions of minutes of gameplay every month," said Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.
According to the data, Twitch had more than 55 million unique visitors during the month of July who watched more than 15 billion minutes of online content.
The move, announced by the two companies on Monday, is the largest commercial deal in Amazon's 20-year history and will help the US company compete with Apple Inc and Google Inc in the fast-growing online gaming market.
The acquisition includes several separate agreements that essentially raise the acquisition amount to more than $1 billion, a source close to the deal told Reuters. The deal, which is expected to close in the second half of the year, is an unusual step for Amazon, which tends to build deals through smaller acquisitions.
Source: defencenet.gr
