On the gaming side, the beginning of 2020 was marked by a strong announcement from YouTube: the acquisition of exclusive broadcasting rights for the main Activision Blizzard competitions. From now on, the Call of Duty League, the Overwatch League, the Hearthstone Grandmasters, and many others will only be available on YouTube's live streaming platform. Since the announcement, rumors have been circulating about the amount of such a contract. In a post published today, The Esport Observer announced, according to its sources, a $160-million contract.
The previous deal between Twitch and Activision Blizzard — which only concerned the Overwatch League — was valued at $90 million for the first two years of competition. By comparison, the sum of $160 million, for several exclusive licenses over 3 years, then seems much less advantageous. The future will tell us which of the two groups will really benefit from such an agreement.
The announcement of this deal wasn't unanimous. Some criticized the fact that they could no longer choose their broadcasting platform, while others were delighted that such contracts were ratified and would allow the development and sustainability of a still fragile competitive world.
In an increasingly crowded game streaming market, Nvidia GeForce Now stands out for allowing you to play the games you already own. However, titles from Activision Blizzard are no longer available on the platform.
