Microsoft has given a surprise US$100 (AUS$161) gift to partner streamers of Mixer, the company’s live streaming service.
Microsoft said the surprise cash gift given on April 3 to its partner streamers on Mixer is a form of assistance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the U.S.
Various companies have been coming up with different ways to ease some of the adverse effects of the pandemic. Many companies have been pitching in whether its telecommunication companies opting to extend due dates on bills, or banks pushing back loan repayment dates.
Praises from live streamers
While the cash gift may not seem like much compared to the money that some of the more famous Mixer partners make, it will go a long way for some part-time streamers affected by the outbreak, who may have day jobs.
Mixer has humbly decided to remain quiet about the whole thing, though the generous gift was met without resounding praise from the partners who received it.
Any gesture is helpful and so kind. Who knows what Mixer partner $100 could be make or break for ❤️ https://t.co/bOtW7X8LDC
— Gothalion (@Gothalion) April 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/Greenskull/status/1245815769851625472
Some partners even decided to pay the kindness forward by donating their gift to non-partnered streamers so everybody could feel some love.
Thank you @WatchMixer for sending the partners a little supply drop.
I'm going to spend all $100 donating to non-partners.
Drop some of your favorite non-partnered Mixer streamers below and I'll hit them up with some love!
— PathOfExellion (@Vaskanders) April 2, 2020
A small contribution from @WatchMixer ! They sent us Partners 100$ in these troubling times! Can't say thank you enough! What a Platform! Will be giving most of it on to non partnered streamers! Some great content creators out there in need of support!!!#mixer #love #family
— RioTheDrunken🍄 (@DrunkenRio) April 3, 2020
What is Mixer?
Mixer was originally named Beam upon its launch in 2016. The company was co-founded by Matthew Salsamendi and James Boehm and was renamed after Microsoft acquired it.
The service was meant to place emphasis on audience interaction with live streamers by providing minimal delay between the original broadcast and when it would be received by users.
While not quite as famous as Amazon’s live-streaming juggernaut Twitch, Mixer has recently been picking up steam following the acquisition of several prominent streamers from its competitor.
‘Ninja’ gets into Mixer
The first big break for Mixer came in July 2019, when world-renowned video game streamer Tyler “Ninja” Brevins made it public that he would be shifting platforms exclusively from Twitch to Mixer.
This move put Mixer on the map since Ninja would bring along an estimated 14 million followers.
The live streamer however made it clear that money was the last thing on his mind, and attributed the move mainly to his unshakable feeling that Twitch-as a company–did not respect his desire to grow his brand outside of gaming.
A few months later, two more notable Twitch streamers – “Shroud” and “Gothalion” – would follow suit by also entering an exclusively agreement with Mixer.
Featured image courtesy of Mixer.