Microsoft Announces Mixer to Shut Down; Ninja and shroud Both Free Agents Following Reported Buyout
By Liz Lanier
Mixer users and streamers will soon be transitioned to Facebook Gaming in a move from Microsoft which sees the closure of its Mixer streaming platform, which Mixer itself revealed Monday in a blog post.
The surprise decision from Microsoft to shut down its popular streaming platform was related to the company's concern over scaling growth of its community. Mixer will continue to run until July 22, after which it will redirect users to Facebook Gaming's landing page.
Sources familiar with the deal have informed me that while Facebook did try and negotiate to keep their big partners both Shroud and Ninja opted out. They have received their full payments and as of midnight yesterday were free to engage in talks with other platforms. Game on.
— Richard Lewis (@RLewisReports) June 22, 2020
Microsoft Announces Mixer to Shut Down; Ninja and shroud Both Free Agents Following Reported Buyout
"Ultimately, the success of Partners and streamers on Mixer is dependent on our ability to scale the platform for them as quickly and broadly as possible," the post stated. "It became clear that the time needed to grow our own livestreaming community to scale was out of measure with the vision and experiences that Microsoft and Xbox want to deliver for gamers now, so we’ve decided to close the operations side of Mixer and help the community transition to a new platform."
The transition will perhaps most strongly impact streamers. Mixer Partners will be able to transition to partner status with Facebook Gaming and will match previous agreements "as closely as possible." Mixer streamers who were in the open monetization program will be able to monetize their streams via the Facebook Gaming Level Up Program.
Mixer encouraged users who have remaining balances of Embers and Sparks on the platform to use them this month as Partners will receive double payouts for earnings. It was noted that viewers with outstanding balances of Mixer currencies/subscriptions after closure will receive an Xbox gift card credit.
Richard Lewis and Rod "Slasher" Breslau each reported on the standing of Tyler "Ninja" Blevins and Michael "shroud" Grzesiek after the Mixer announcement.
Sources: Facebook offered an insane offer at almost double for the original Mixer contracts of Ninja and Shroud but Loaded/Ninja/Shroud said no and forced Mixer to buy them out. Ninja made ~$30M from Mixer, and Shroud made ~$10M
— Rod "4475 SR & Immortal peak" Breslau (@Slasher) June 22, 2020
Ninja and Shroud are now free agents
Both state that the streamers are free agents and free to move to any streaming platform of their choice. According to Breslau, sources said Facebook put forward an insane offer at almost double of what Ninja and shroud were offered in their original Mixer contracts. Both streamers decided to decline. Breslau states that Ninja and shroud made around $30 million and $10 million respectively from the buyout.