Azubu and Hitbox merge and relaunch as Smashcast

Streaming companies Hitbox and Azubu have come together and relaunched as Smashcast, the largest independent esports broadcaster outside of Asia.

Smashcast comes from a mergers between Hitbox and Azubu, with a new platform live at www.smashcast.tv. The platform is also available on the App Store and Google Play, boasting new features like better user interface and experience, but also the slightly comedic Hype-O-Meter that lets esports fans cheers for their favourite teams during tournaments.

“We’re excited to announce the new company name and brand resulting from the merger of Hitbox and Azubu,” said Mike McGarvey, CEO of Smashcast. “Smashcast will launch with a new hype feature for viewer engagement which represents just the first step in our long-term vision to create the best broadcaster-to-viewer experience in the world of esports and competitive gaming.”

The company have also launched a 4K-ready content production outfit in Vienna, Asutria, which is looking to ensure not just that the company are looking to the future of esports, but also that their content streaming on the service will be as high quality as it can be. The plan is not just for full 4K video but also 360-degree VR support, which would differentiate Smashcast from competitors like Twitch, and instead, bring them into competition with people like ESL who are trying to set up their own high-quality 4K and 360-degree VR streams.