Caffeine has received some major funding! 21st Century Fox has put $100 million into the service. As a reminder, Caffeine is a platform that focuses on positive, friendly, accessible streaming/community interaction. Streams are primarily video game focussed but other content, such as IRL streams, exist as well. It was in development for almost two years, prior to its official announcement back in January 2018.
Caffeine CEO Ben Kerighran talked about 21st Century Fox’s investment on Medium:
[This investment is] funding [a] new studio jointly owned by FOX Sports and Caffeine called Caffeine Studios that will create exclusive live broadcasts focused on esports, video games, sports, and entertainment content for the Caffeine platform.
We know streaming plays a large role in modern video game culture. From checking out current releases and binging Let’s Plays to getting industry news, Twitch dominates the market. (Though, others try to offer some competition.) Caffeine’s exclusivity could be the key to garnering some major attention.
Below are the three pillars of Caffeine’s vision, as highlighted on its website:
- A Personal Experience: Your feed shows what your friends are creating and watching. We surface the most relevant messages for each person in a broadcast, creating a friendly way to hang out and meet new people.
- Powerfully Simple: Broadcast a game in no time with our easy-to-use Windows app, or broadcast yourself from your browser or iPhone
- Earn Money: Everyone is eligible to make money – with no partnership program! Use 3D items that enhance broadcasts instead of distracting ads. Making money is easy and fun.
While Caffeine has an emphasis on video games, this partnership will open the door for plenty of expansions. For instance, “beginning in Q4 2018, Live Nation will bring weekly live concerts to Caffeine.”
Do you think Caffeine will make a name for itself in the video game streaming industry? Where do you go for live video? Share your experiences in the comments below.
[Source: Medium]
