What happened?
Activision Blizzard (ATVI) has announced that it will launch a new video game live-streaming platform as part of its MLG.tv streaming platform, which the company acquired earlier this year. The game maker is also introducing enhanced viewing, which provides statistics and competitive leaderboards in real time based on the competition being watched.
The company is collaborating with Facebook (META -10.56%), bringing live streams to the social network's 1.6 billion monthly active users. In a statement, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships Dan Reed said, "E-sports is an exciting space and continues to be a growing priority for us."
Does it matter?
Twitch's incredible growth and subsequent acquisition by Amazon showed just how big live-streaming e-sports has become. Alphabet responded in kind with YouTube Gaming, and Activision's acquisition of MLG.tv shows that it wants to be a player, too.
Meanwhile, Facebook has made live-streaming an important strategic priority in recent months, as it attempts to encroach on one of Twitter's few strengths. Facebook has been investing heavily in live-streaming technology, so it makes plenty of sense for the social network to get into live-streaming e-sports considering the growing popularity.
