The History and Evolution of Live Streaming
Live streaming captures the glamour of broadcasting and integrates it with the freedom and whimsy viewers enjoy. Interestingly, live streaming hasn’t always been what it is today. And to truly appreciate where we are today, it’s essential to take a step back and explore its roots.
So, here’s an overview of the history and evolution of live streaming—from humble beginnings to the remarkable present
The Humble Beginnings of Live Streaming
Live streaming has existed since the early 90s. However, it didn’t become well known until YouTube hosted its first live event in 2008. Back then, YouTube live events were few and far between. They only popped up for important occasions.
While the broadcasts were pretty high quality, they could still be considered bare bones compared to what is possible today. There weren’t guidelines or even achecklist of things to do before live streaming, as opposed to what we have today.
The game changed completely thanks to a small website originally known as JustinTV. It started as a small network of channels that could broadcast to an unlimited number of people. JustinTV later rebranded as Twitch in 2011, birthing a new era for online entertainment. Initially, the platform focused on gamers broadcasting their games and interacting with an audience.
However, the platform has grown over the years to include different content, and some popular platforms have since followed suit.
YouTube finally allowed users to live stream in 2013. Twitch was already ahead of the game, and new names like YouTube and Facebook had much catching up to do.
2016 was a massive year for live streaming. Mixer went live for the first time as Beam. In comparison, Facebook and Instagram both began to provide live streaming options.
The Fall of Mixer and the Beginning of Contracts for Streamers
Beam was one of the names that emerged when live streaming began to take off in 2016. Microsoft soon took over and launched Mixer as a Twitch alternative.
Microsoft was determined to take Mixer to the next level and showed their determination by signing two big names from Twitch. Ninja (Tyler Blevins) and Shroud (Michael Grzesiek) changed the game when Mixer signed them exclusively to the platform for tens of millions.
Other platforms followed suit and began to sign creators, giving them a streaming quota and other perks. Sadly, Mixer could not draw a larger audience even after bringing on big names in the streaming space.
This is because Twitch had too strong of a hold on the market. Twitch was so dominant that even a Microsoft-backed project couldn’t easily take it down. While Mixer didn’t last, it was a vital turning point in live streaming in terms of setting a precedent for creator contracts. Massive creators today have Ninja, Shroud, and Mixer to thank for setting the precedent of what was possible.
The Facebook Gaming Niche
Facebook was the premier social media platform for a long time. The platform has a long list of powerful features that promote creativity in expression. Facebook Gaming is an addition that came in 2016 with the live stream boom. It offers many of the same features as other services and is well-integrated with the platform.
One notable period in the Facebook Gaming saga was when they signed on Disguised Toast (Jeremy Wang). Toast surged in popularity with the rise of Among Us, a multiplayer social deduction game. Toast and his group of friends made waves in the game, going as far as helping to evolve it withthe addition of Among Us mods.
Toast’s enigmatic personality and sharp wit drew viewers to his Facebook streams. Sadly, that alone couldn’t help Facebook Gaming compete with Twitch. The platform remains a niche choice compared to live streaming giants like YouTube and Twitch.
YouTube vs. Twitch
Twitch facilitated the rise of live streaming. Its success put the medium on the radar of other platforms like YouTube. YouTube Live is the platform’s attempt to provide creators with the same avenues as Twitch. While Twitch was already ahead of the game, YouTube had prioritized improving its live stream offerings.
Not only that, but YouTube has also made moves to poach popular creators from the Amazon-backed live streaming platform, Twitch.
Some creators that have crossed over to YouTube include Valkyrae (Rachel Haffstetter), Sykkuno, Ludwig Ahgren, timthetatman (Timothy Betar), and more. The crossing of such big names made YouTube a viable contender in the streaming space.The rivalry between both platforms has kept both sides on their toes, causing the platforms to refine their creator and viewer experience continually. Consequently, the evolution of these platforms has made live streaming a great way tomake money playing games.
Kick and Censorship in Live Streaming
Live streaming began as a medium to allow people freely express themselves while entertaining a collection of eager watchers. Twitch was the first to understand this and provided a medium for creators and viewers to intersect.
However, the platform has been accused of becoming too corporate and creator unfriendly. Kick arose as a solution to this problem. Both platforms are built on similar codes but operate with different philosophies.
Twitch is tightly moderated and advertiser-friendly, while Kick enables better creator expression. The varying management styles sparked a debate in the community, questioning how much freedom creators should be allowed.
At the time of writing, Kick has seen its fair share of success. However, it is backed by an online casino, and many creators, advertisers, and critics are unconvinced about the site.
Bridging the Divide Between Viewers and Creators
Live streaming has become a big part of life for a good reason. We relish being able to engage with creators we find entertaining.
Thankfully, platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming continue to find new ways to improve this unique experience, igniting our hope for the future of live streaming.
Ready to start your own Twitch journey? Get the best gear to ensure you start creating the winning formula.
My iPhone does it all, but I still need my dumb phone.
This small feature makes a massive difference.
Windows is great, but adding this makes it unstoppable.
Freeing up vital memory on Windows only takes a moment, and your computer will feel much faster once you’re done.
Unlock a world of entertainment possibilities with this clever TV hack.
