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What is Stream+? Other than a new, Twitch-specific currency that will be used to bet on Twitch streams, we’re not entirely sure.
TwitchCon, the annual convention dedicated to its namesake’s popular game-streaming service, kicked off on Thursday evening with an event hosted by Amazon Game Studios. There, the game publisher announced that Twitch will begin doling out a form of currency called “Stream+,” which will debut in the upcoming sports-brawling multiplayer game Breakaway.
An Amazon Game Studios rep mentioned the currency while describing various ways the new game will “integrate directly” with Twitch (which makes a certain level of sense, since Amazon acquired Twitch in 2014). The reveal included a brief snippet of Breakaway action that confirmed viewers’ ability to wager on matches and “earn Stream+ Coins by watching.”
The reveal was otherwise scant on Stream+ details. Amazon didn’t confirm exactly how the coins could be spent and what they would unlock, either within Breakaway or throughout the Twitch ecosystem, not to mention whether Stream+ currency could be bought, sold, or traded. Gambling watchdog groups will surely keep a careful eye on this implementation, especially in light of a major gambling scandal that dogged the Steam gaming marketplace thanks to enterprising users finding workarounds to trade and monetize in-game currencies and items.
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Source: Ars Technica – Amazon Game Studios reveals Twitch’s first currency, betting systems