Mixer Shuts Down, Announces Partnership With Facebook Gaming
In a shocking turn of events, Mixer shut down its operations division and announced a partnership with Facebook Gaming.
The streaming platform announced the change on Twitter saying, “Mixer Partners, streamers, and community – today, we’ve got some very big news for you. While we’ve decided to close the operations side of Mixer, we’re officially partnering with Facebook Gaming and we’re cordially inviting all of you to join.”
Mixer Partners, streamers, and community – today, we’ve got some very big news for you.
While we’ve decided to close the operations side of Mixer, we’re officially partnering with @FacebookGaming and we’re cordially inviting all of you to join.
📰 https://t.co/E1eMDvjYQb pic.twitter.com/554hHAXfaB
— Mixer (@WatchMixer) June 22, 2020
Mixer’s tweet was a shocker, but it was followed up quickly by a confirmation from Facebook. Facebook Gaming stated, “No matter where you choose to stream, the world is better with your gaming content in it/ As the operations side of Mixer is closing, we are inviting the Mixer Community to Facebook Gaming.”
No matter where you choose to stream, the world is better with your gaming content in it. As the operations side of @WatchMixer is closing, we are inviting the Mixer Community to #FacebookGaming. More details: https://t.co/fRI2CBlTbZ pic.twitter.com/FVRTF9APVD
— Facebook Gaming (@FacebookGaming) June 22, 2020
Understandably, many Mixer streamers and partners were angered and confused by the sudden change.
One of Mixer’s early partners and a very visible personality in the Mixer community, Miss Henley, had a strong reaction to the news in a now-deleted tweet.
She stated, “F*** you Mixer. You had the opportunity to help us bring changes to the industry and instead you f***ing crumble. F*** you. See you on Twitch tomorrow.”
https://twitter.com/MissHenleyTV/status/1275138419581227008
It’s easy to sympathize, as this move theoretically puts any former Mixer partners in the position of starting over brand new on a platform they didn’t even choose to be a part of.
Years or months of work, instantly negated.
Make no mistake, this is a blow to the streaming community as a whole.
Facebook Gaming has yet to really catch on, and Mixer was looked at as being reliable.
Mixer has added some details for its former streamers and partners, indicating there will be some accelerated incentives if they make the move to Facebook.
They explained that if Mixer Partners choose to join Facebook Gaming they “will be offered Partner status with them and all existing Partner agreements will be honored and matched as closely as possible.”
For Mixer Partners: If you choose to join @FacebookGaming, you will be offered Partner status with them and all existing Partner agreements will be honored and matched as closely as possible.
— Mixer (@WatchMixer) June 22, 2020
In addition to partnered status, apparently anyone already monetized will receive monetization status on Facebook, but this is hardly solace.
The streamers who were grinding their way to partner or were not monetized yet on Mixer, are left out in the cold.
As for the superstar streamers on Mixer’s roster, Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek issued a statement to Twitter saying, “I appreciate the Mixer community and everything I’ve been able to do on the platform. I love you guys and am figuring out my next steps.”
I appreciate the Mixer community and everything I’ve been able to do on the platform. I love you guys and am figuring out my next steps. 💙
— Michael Grzesiek (@shroud) June 22, 2020
Ninja, aka Tyler Blevins, made a brief statement on the matter as, thanking fans and saying he had “decisions to make.”
He wrote, “I love my community and what we built together on Mixer. I have some decisions to make and will be thinking about you all as I make them.”
I love my community and what we built together on Mixer. I have some decisions to make and will be thinking about you all as I make them.
— Ninja (@Ninja) June 22, 2020
Both Shroud and Ninja walked away with big paydays as they both exercised buyouts on their contracts, according to Rod Breslau.
Breslau reported that Ninja made approximately $30 million from Mixer and Shroud walked away with $10 million.
Sources: Facebook offered an insane offer at almost double for the original Mixer contracts of Ninja and Shroud but Loaded/Ninja/Shroud said no and forced Mixer to buy them out. Ninja made ~$30M from Mixer, and Shroud made ~$10M
Ninja and Shroud are now free agents
— Rod “4475 SR & Immortal peak” Breslau (@Slasher) June 22, 2020
The immediate next step for the countless other Mixer partners and smaller streamers will likely be a jump to Twitch.
Many Mixer streamers previously had Twitch channels that can be opened back up.
However, it will still require hard work and grinding to rebuild an active fanbase and community on Twitch for the majority who aren’t sponsored superstars like Ninja or Shroud.
It remains to be seen how the fallout from this merger will land, but the early returns on this move can only be described as a dark day for the streaming community as a whole.
What are your thoughts on the Mixer/Facebook Gaming merger?
Share them with us in the comment section below.
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