Report: Google pushing through $1bn acquisition of Twitch

Google is set to acquire game streaming service Twitch for $1bn, according to a report.

Sources “familiar with the matter” have told VentureBeat that the deal has now been signed following earlier rumours of the purchase. It is not clear however when the news will be made public, or the specific price.

The acquisition is being led by the YouTube division, which itself was bought for $1.65 billion in 2006.

Twitch has proved immensely popular since it was launched in 2011. In 2013 alone, Twitch spectators watched 12 billion minutes worth of game content each month. The site attracted some 45 million unique viewers per month, more than double the number of users in the previous year.

The service has been snapped up by Sony and Microsoft for the PS4 and Xbox One as a key part of each console’s game sharing initiatives.