Microsoft Reveals Native Broadcasting, Custom Tournaments With 'Creators' Update

At today’s Windows 10 Event, Microsoft introduced some gaming features that will come with the new Creators Update, which is scheduled to arrive in the spring of 2017. These include a new, native broadcasting system as well as the ability to create custom tournaments.

For quite some time, Twitch has been the default choice for livestreaming content on the Xbox One or Windows 10 PC. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired a company called Beam, which also has its own livestream platform. With the Creators Update, Windows 10 players will be able to use that program to broadcast their gameplay. To bring up Beam on a Windows 10 title, all you need to do is activate the Game Bar (press the Windows and G keys together) and press the broadcast button.

The main difference between Twitch and Beam, however, is interaction. With the new program, viewers can make recommendations to the player as to what to do next in a game. Xbox’s Jenn McCoy showed this feature onstage with a livestream of Forza Horizon 3. While she watched her friend play the game, she “told” him what to do next by clicking on an option underneath the stream window. There’s also a cooldown period after she made a suggestion in order to prevent a slew of commands that come in one after another. Once you’re live, the system will also notify your friends so that they can watch the livestream.

It’s all about building your audience, and Microsoft believes that Beam can provide a more interactive experience than what’s currently available on the market.

For more competitive players, there’s also the ability to create custom tournaments. All you have to do is select a game and then create your tournament from a list of settings. You can give it a custom name, alter its privacy settings, dictate the tournament style and game mode, and set the start date. Once it’s ready, an invite is sent to your friends so that they can prepare for the upcoming competition.

The custom tournament is agnostic, so it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the game via PC or Xbox One. Players on both platforms can compete in the same tournament.

Obviously, this was just a sneak peek at what’s to come in the Creators Update for gamers. As we get closer the Spring 2017 release window, we’ll find out more details about Beam and custom tournaments in order to use them to their full potential.

  • First of all i don't have XBOX One and don't care about one, let alone junk called Data Mining OS Windows 10. It looks like Microsoft is so desperate trying to get people to Windows 10
    Reply
  • memadmax
    Friends don't let friends run Win10...
    Reply
  • DrBackwater
    Windows 10 not a bad os, its taken two years for me to upgrade, i used a vms to test win10, then installed it on seperate os but overall not bad, until anniversary came along.
    Reply
  • coolitic
    I only use windows 10 because of dx12 and when I built my pc, retail windows 7 was gone.
    Reply
  • I agree! Windows 10 is a disaster and the UI isn't even complete. There are TWO settings panels and both have different and redundant options.

    It is a more up to date system but it's just not ready yet. It was a free upgrade for a reason.

    I'm going to switch to Linux when there are more games and a bit more desktop standardized features.
    Reply
  • Plumboby
    nah 10pro is the best version around using it on about 10pcs or more no issues apart from the odd bug great for gaming the bs of ms stealing you info its not as bad as google apple facebook many other sites media used does the same thing wind 10 pro is the best os yet released by ms i recomend it as Linux & much other freeware isnt there yet where 10 is now its getting betters as they add more features as ms intened to
    Reply
  • JaMGeR20
    it always has bothered me how ppl bash w10 and goes all crazy with ''they are gathering data off me, they are spying on me, etc,etc,etc'' like who the hell they think they are that ms is going to spy on'em? lol..
    Reply
  • Maarsch
    Beam taking on twitch? Good luck. Hope it works better for you than Afreeca, hitbox, Azubu or youtube gaming.
    With a direct interface from the Xbox? They might have a leg up others didn't.

    Using the game bar . . . well, it might have improved since I last tried it. Definitely didn't use to be on par with xsplit and obs.
    Wonder if they'll allow 3rd party software for streaming or if they want to really lock it down to MS software.

    "The main difference between Twitch and Beam, however, is interaction" That's a game specific thing, not a streaming method/platform thing. And those games exist. Although, not quite that integrated, I believe.

    I hope there'll be serious competition to twitch, as that kind of thing tends to drive good service, innovation and whatnot.
    Reply
  • ADHDgaming
    any game can be made interactive on Beam
    Reply