Mixer, the game streaming service that Microsoft acquired last year, unveiled mobile apps for iOS and Android that let players stream on the go and share experiences in their favorite mobile games.
The Mixer Create app, released this morning on the eve of the annual PAX West gaming convention in Seattle, lets people broadcast games, join streams with friends, pair with other devices like a PC or Xbox, engage in text chats and manage profiles. The app was previously in beta testing, but now it is widely available and works with all Android games and iOS games with the “ReplayKit” function enabled.
In a blog post announcing the news, Mixer painted the app as not only an extension of the core function of broadcasting games but also as a social outlet, similar to something like Facebook Live.
“Heading to PAX? Going on an adventure? Waiting in line for the latest new game? With Mixer Create you can now go live from anywhere and share your experiences with your community in real-time,” says the blog post.
Almost a year ago Microsoft acquired Mixer, then known as Beam. It was a member of the TechStars Seattle 2016 class, co-founded and led by Matt Salsamendi, then 18 years old. The deal gave Microsoft a rival to YouTube Gaming and Amazon’s Twitch, letting users livestream and watch games and other content.
Microsoft has integrated the service into Xbox One and Windows 10, with Salsamendi continuing to lead the product team. Mixer seeks to differentiate itself with features including low-latency streaming, the ability for up to four broadcasters to stream to a shared chat experience, and ways for viewers to interact with games as they’re streamed.
All these new features are important, but Salsamendi said earlier this month at the Casual Connect gaming conference in Seattle that he wants to protect the community aspect of the service as it continues to grow. Salsamendi also noted that Mixer will continue to team up with broadcasters when adding new features, with greater interaction in games as a priority.
“From a product perspective, you’re going to see more interactive games,” Salsamendi said. “That’s the most obvious thing. As game developers, that’s a little bit of a longer lead there, but you’re going to start seeing more and more games supporting this stream-first functionality. We’re at the forefront of that, and we’re going to continue to be. Those are ways that I’m excited to see it expand.”
