Microsoft

Method

Microsoft buys Seattle streaming startup Beam in August 2016 for an undisclosed sum, months after it won TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield, and rebrands it Mixer in May 2017. In 2019 it signs Ninja from Twitch from August 1 and Shroud in October on exclusive contracts reported in the tens of millions of dollars. Concurrent viewers fall despite more hours streamed. On June 22, 2020 Microsoft announces Mixer will close on July 22, 2020, releases the streamers from their contracts and hands users to Facebook Gaming. It is the clearest case of a platform buying creators without buying an audience.

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The path: money and goods moving

• acquiredMixerMicrosoft announces the Beam purchase on August 11, 2016 for an undisclosed sum, runs it as Mixer from May 2017, announces the closure on June 22, 2020 and shuts the service on July 22, 2020, moving users to Facebook Gaming.2016
• acquiredLinkedInMicrosoft acquires LinkedIn for 26.2 billion dollars, closing on December 8, 2016.2016
• sponsoredNinja (Tyler Blevins)Microsoft signs Ninja to stream exclusively on Mixer from August 1, 2019 for a reported 20 million to 30 million dollars and releases him when Mixer closes in July 2020. (partly verified)2019 to 2020