I (and many others, apparently) thought Beam was a way better name, but Microsoft’s Twitch competitor is now called “Mixer.” It is not clear why they changed the name, but it does come with a couple of new features that include cooperative streaming (up to 4 players can combine their streams into a single viewer experience) and support for a “Mixer Create” app that lets you stream live gameplay from your mobile device. The team argues that you should give their streaming option a shot because it features lower latency and greater viewer interaction.



We chose Mixer as our new name because it represents what we love most about the service…how it brings people together”, wrote Matt Salsamendi, Co-founder and Mixer Engineering Lead. Microsoft also highlighted how Mixer is better than other game live streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. On Mixer, the viewers can not only enjoy the stream, but they can also interact with streamers and play together in near real-time. Minecraft team inside Microsoft is experimenting with the interactivity that Mixer offers as a possibility for official game integration. Mixer’s livestreaming is actually LIVE, compared to the 10 – 20 second latency you typically get on other platforms.

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Source: [H]ardOCP – Microsoft’s Interactive Game Streaming Service “Beam” Renamed to “Mixer”