Update: A post on Twitch's website confirms the rumors: Amazon.com is buying the streaming site .
In the statement on Twith.tv, CEO Emmett Shear writes: "We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster. We're keeping most everything the same: our office, our employees, our brand, and most importantly our independence. But with Amazon's support we'll have the resources to bring you an even better Twitch."
Remember last month when it came out that Google was buying Twitch for $1 billion? It looks like those reports may have been premature, as the word on the street now is that Amazon is "late-stage talks" to acquire the company.
The reports are unconfirmed but according to the Wall Street Journal , "a person who has been briefed on the matter" has stated that Amazon has made a deal to acquire Twitch for more than $1 billion. Google's buyout of Twitch had previously been reported as "confirmed," but other sources said talks between the two companies had recently "cooled."
The jockeying between Amazon and Google for control of Twitch demonstrates the perceived long-term value of the service, which is easily the most popular livestreaming platform on the internet, drawing in more than 45 million users per month. A buyout by Google, the parent company of YouTube, would have given it control of the two largest video platforms on the internet; VentureBeat , which initially reported the Google acquisition, says the agreement between the two had actually been signed but not announced, which may have been what allowed Amazon to make its counter-offer.
