YouTube is “reportedly making a play to acquire” S.F.-based Twitch, a “hugely popular platform for video gamers that specializes in online live streaming so viewers can tune in as games are being played,” according to Chang & Rodriguez of the L.A. TIMES. According to reports that emerged over the weekend, Google-owned YouTube is “close to buying” Twitch for more than $1B. A deal is “said to be imminent once the two sides hammer out final details” and would help YouTube “secure its foothold in the rapidly growing game-play video market.” The deal also would “further YouTube's ambition to grow into a major alternative to cable and broadcast television, attracting not only viewers but big advertising dollars as well.” With more than 45 million gamers monthly, Twitch “caters to an attractive demographic: typically young, tech-savvy men who have time on their hands and money to spend” (L.A. TIMES, 5/20). In N.Y., Nick Wingfield notes the growth of Twitch “parallels the rise of competitive gaming leagues,” like N.Y.-based Major League Gaming (NYTIMES.com, 5/19).
