Microsoft’s Mixer streaming platform will soon give its streamers another way to earn money. With Direct Purchase, you can promote the games you play during a session and receive a small cut of the revenue from every copy bought through your channel. Ben Favreau, Mixer’s product marketing manager, provided additional details on the feature on the service’s blog page.
When activated, the new feature will appear at the top of the page next to your channel name. Viewers can see the name of the game or downloadable content featured on the stream as well as its price. They can then click on the price tag, which will produce a pop-up window with a direct link to the game’s store page. Favreau said that 5% of the revenue from each purchase will go to the streamer.
Mixer’s streaming rival Twitch employed a similar feature last year in the form of Twitch Games Commerce, which is available for Partner- and Affiliate-level streamers. Similar to the Direct Purchase program, Twitch Games Commerce gives its streamers a 5% cut when viewers purchase a title featured on a stream. The feature works with games from Ubisoft, Vlambeer, and Paradox Interactive, just to name a few publishers.
Because Mixer is a Microsoft-owned brand, any game on the Microsoft Store (which includes Xbox, Windows 10, and Xbox Play Anywhere titles) will work with Direct Purchase. Streamers can also choose to display downloadable content, consumable items, and game bundles next to their gameplay. Promoted items can be managed via the Manage Channel section within the Account Settings page.
It also seems like anyone streaming on Mixer can use Direct Purchase. For comparison, Twitch Games Commerce requires you to be an Affiliate or Partner, which means that you have to meet a set of criteria before attaining either status.
The addition of Mixer is the latest method by the service to compete against Twitch. Microsoft is betting on the vast number of games in its store as a way to lure streamers into promoting different titles, and more importantly, finding additional avenues to generate more money. Other platforms are attempting to differentiating themselves from Twitch in other ways. For instance, Caffeine is touting its simple solution for streaming by automating the setup process, providing a "near real-time" experience for chatting with viewers, and prioritizing the messages of friends within your social circle.
Because it’s still a new feature, Microsoft will look for feedback about Direct Purchase. Streamers and viewers alike can share their thoughts on the subject on Mixer's Twitter account or Feedback page. You can also see how this plan will play out in the future by seeing just how many streaming personalities will promote their Mixer page more often than their Twitch channel.
