As Microsoft shuts down Mixer, the streamers left behind speak up

Mixer Source: Windows Central, Microsoft

Microsoft recently announced a withdrawal from the live-streaming space, with the closure of Mixer, its ambitious response to Twitch'southward soaring success. The manufacture looks more lucrative than always and is host to some of the hottest emerging digital talent, with online viewership on the rise. But Mixer winds downward operations on July 22, 2022, presenting its members only a cursory window to bound transport, before disappearing from the web.

That Monday afternoon, Mixer creators across the world stumbled on the single tweet thread — one that immediately uprooted their live-streaming careers. The announcement was unexpected and seen as callous by many, with one month to shift elsewhere ahead of the closure. The motility exposed the underlying volatility for any streaming career, leaving many top personalities speechless, following a year of soaring mindshare amid high-profile talent acquisitions.

Mixer never prevailed every bit a truthful Twitch or YouTube contender, only Microsoft managed to propel the service into the spotlight. With an existing Xbox presence as a vital springboard, the platform speedily scaled in an attempt to legitimize its standing, and its reported multi-one thousand thousand dollar contracts with top creators like Tyler "Ninja" Blevins and Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek. And while its culture appeared far from rosy behind the scenes, many creators expressed a sense of stability.

For prominent Mixer streamers, a sense of shock and disbelief

Mixer at E3 2022 Mixer occupies Microsoft'due south 20,000+ foursquare-foot "Xbox Plaza" in downtown Los Angeles for E3 in June 2022. Source: Matt Brown / Windows Key

The notice left many creators dazed, and many aired their reactions live to their audiences mid-broadcast. In improver to those tied to legal exclusivity contracts, the surprise struck streamers of all sizes, including those with livelihoods deep-rooted in the Mixer ecosystem. We reached out to Microsoft for details, simply the company declined to comment on its treatment of the announcement.

'To find out you're losing your job, through a tweet, it felt like a slap in the face.' — one-time Mixer streamer 'NVAD3'

"That mean solar day I was devastated, in tears all day," said sometime Mixer streamer, Chris Covent, in an interview with Windows Central. Covent established more 200,000 followers over four years, was among the virtually prominent personalities on the platform, and even moving to Washington to settle closer to Mixer'south Redmond HQ. "I couldn't believe it. I couldn't talk to my customs. I couldn't wait at annihilation. My phone was exploding, literally on fire, more than any other day. I was like, @#$%, what practice we practise?' Because we just re-signed this really expensive lease, and now our futurity is uncertain ... In that location's no fashion they could do this to us. No way. Just kept repeating it. I walked to my living room. I just sabbatum on the floor up against the wall, and I just stared at my phone. My whole world crashed. My whole world came tumbling. Information technology felt like 4 years of my life just gone."

Allan Shofner, known under Mixer alias "NVAD3," was also among those prominent names set to lose his near quarter of a million followers with the shutdown. "No i in the world expected that tweet to happen," Shofner said. "I was literally watching a friend's stream ... all the faces that were watching that announcement were just jaws broad open up. Like, 'You lot've got to be kidding me.' That was pretty much my reaction besides, which so turned into anger, which then turned into tears. We honestly could not believe it, that they only had, for lack of amend words, pawned information technology off."

Source: NVAD3 on Mixer

"It didn't really feel real, and it didn't actually sink in for a petty fleck," said former Mixer streamer "RunawayLobster," who also went full-fourth dimension before in this twelvemonth. "When you put all your effort and your time and your heart into a platform because you lot think it'southward gonna succeed, then they turn effectually on Twitter and then tell you that information technology's basically gonna shut down in a month without any heads upwardly or anything, it's really heartbreaking."

Microsoft's determination to shutter Mixer wasn't a surprise, but ...

The closure marks a radical alter for many, simply a share of that frustration hinges on its commitment, with Microsoft kickoff publicly outlining the decision through a series of tweets. Like many streaming platforms, Mixer had a long-standing partnership programme that allowed Microsoft to formally promote and foster relationships with its most prominent streamers, who best represented the brand. While Redmond briefed those tied up in exclusive contracts and pocket-sized groups of media, all but a few of its top partners and staff members were kept in the nighttime.

Microsoft announced the closure of Mixer on Twitter. Source: Windows Key

In retrospect, the writing was on the wall for Mixer's demise. While Microsoft hasn't extensively talked motives behind the shutdown, third-party numbers depict the likely reality. The COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders saw streaming viewership climb, with a StreamElements report suggesting triple-effigy year-over-twelvemonth growth for Amazon-owned Twitch and Facebook Gaming in Apr 2022. The same analysis put Mixer upwards just 0.2 percent, staying flat during what should've been an every bit historical surge.

StreamLabs' corresponding findings also country that in Q2 2022, Mixer streamers outnumbered those on Facebook Gaming and YouTube Gaming combined. The platform likewise saw more hours streamed than other rivals, simply bested past Twitch. Content output wasn't backside the downfall, and a failure to retain users to watch was the culprit. While this is only a narrow slice of contempo highs and lows for Mixer, it was far from the success story Microsoft hoped to achieve.

How Mixer went from experimental startup to SNAFU

Mixer Homepage Microsoft's Mixer live streaming habitation page, host to millions of viewers and streamers. Source: Windows Central

Microsoft commencement entered the streaming game through its acquisition of Beam, an contained venture from Matt Salsamendi and James Boehm, 18- and 20-twelvemonth-olds, respectively, in mid-2016. The platform discovered its phonation through interactivity and a community-oriented vision, which grew in tandem with new features under the Mixer rebrand.

Throughout its early days, Mixer was divers past its faster-than-calorie-free (FTL) technology, cut latency to deliver sub-second delays between streamers and their audiences. It released further features on the back of those video encoding triumphs, including multiple synchronized feeds dubbed "co-streams" and assuasive hosts to virtually "pass" the controller to Mixer users. While rivals were quick to react, soon reflecting those about influential oddities on other platforms, Mixer retained a community-geared brand image.

With Microsoft further investing in Mixer over the years that followed, a growing population discovered opportunities to secure full-time income. Talking with those endorsed by Microsoft through its Mixer partnership initiative, many saw the platform become their livelihood.

Source: Covent on Mixer

"I was on Twitch from 2022 to 2022," said Covent. "And then I caught wind that [Microsoft] was acquiring a platform. I went over to Beam and checked it out, and I enjoyed what I saw because they had the low-latency FTL applied science, and it was pretty revolutionary back in 2022. Because if you were used to watching a Twitch stream, information technology was like 20 to xxx seconds delay back and so."

'I picked upwards and moved from Detroit to Seattle [...] That was purely due to Mixer feeling safe to me.' — former Mixer streamer 'Covent'

Covent was among those who saw Mixer equally a full-fourth dimension career, along with his partner, who is likewise a dedicated streamer. He reflects on attending conventions across the U.Southward. with Microsoft, taking opportunities to correspond the platform at industry events like E3 and PAX. With several stable years and Redmond simultaneously pouring resources into building its talent pool, the broadcasting duo saw an opportunity to move cross-country for Mixer.

"In that location were a lot of staff who were similar, 'Dude, come up on out, man. If you and [his partner] Britni were out hither, and in the Seattle area, close to Mixer, we could do things with you lot. Yous could help us grow the brand in business firm. We could put yous on our shows. Nosotros could showcase you more ... [And so] I picked up and moved from Detroit, Mich., to Seattle, Wash., which is similar two,000 miles away ... That was purely due to Mixer feeling so safety to me."

Former Mixer Partner "BobDuckNWeave" was also among those who found Mixer during its formative months, initially fatigued to its unique features. The platform also opened unique opportunities for the group, with its co-stream feature enabling multiple perspectives of the aforementioned gameplay sessions. "I first started streaming on Mixer before it was acquired by Microsoft when it was notwithstanding Beam," BobDuckNWeave said. "I began streaming on Mixer due to its unique features like FTL (ultra low latency) and co-streaming, which is where your chat and up to four others is combined along with your broadcasts onto one single screen … My growth started to advance, and effectually this time my wife gave birth to my son, who has Down syndrome."

Source: RunawayLobster on Mixer

Due to the extra attention his son required, they moved from London and nearer to family unit, so he could work remotely and spend more time with his son. "A by-product of this was I was able to at present stream more and more due to the lack of work at my job … at that point, my wife and I decided that I should have some time off and try streaming full-time."

For some, a career with Mixer was unplanned, providing their offset total-time opportunity in content creation. "I went full-fourth dimension at the start of the year, so I think information technology was before lockdown," RunawayLobster said. "I actually quit my job, to go total time. Considering I also met my partner on Mixer, so I moved from North Wales, downwards to England, to be with them. I idea it was a really proficient opportunity to get full-time, and then move downwardly to somewhere new as well."

A tale of big acquisitions and mishandled allegations

Ninja Joins Mixer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins announces his motility to Mixer after signing an exclusivity contract with Microsoft. Source: Ninja on YouTube

Microsoft continued to scale its platform over the years that followed, but it was with the famed 2022 deal with Tyler "Ninja" Blevins that Mixer truly fell into the spotlight. Blevins, inarguably the most famous streamer of the moment, had become the face of Fortnite'southward awe-inspiring rise, pushing streaming into the mainstream. The deal betwixt the two parties saw Ninja stream exclusively on Mixer, and the partnership was reportedly valued between $xx to $thirty meg.

But even with the globe'southward hottest streamer already on its side, Microsoft followed up with only more than talent acquisitions. It onboarded Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek, Cory "King Gothalion" Michael and Soleil "Ewok" Wheeler, momentarily boosting its perception as a rising Twitch rival. And while the move prompted like deportment from Amazon and Google, all indicators suggest that for Mixer, the payoff wasn't in that location.

"I retrieve just streamers in general thought that once we acquired Shroud, Ninja, Gothalion, and Ewok — and a couple of other people I believe as well — that in that location was no way that Mixer wasn't going to be at least put on the map. That it wasn't going to create some blazon of waves," streamer Shofner. a.yard.a., NVAD3, said. "And the fact that with the recent reports, basically proving that it did admittedly nothing, is a tough pill to eat ... How does a platform go from being supposed to be known as a real community, to where it'south at now? If you had told me three years ago that this is where nosotros'd be, I would take laughed at you."

Xbox Phil Spencer Executive vice-president of Gaming at Microsoft, Phil Spencer, stands on-phase at its X019 effect in London. Source: Matt Brown / Windows Central

Mixer'southward final months brought light to rise internal tensions that were afterwards perceived as one of several attributes stifling the platform's growth. Mixer co-founders Salsamendi and Boehm, both departed in late 2022, following a wave of layoffs impacting content creators and producers. Morale appeared to hit an all-time depression, with existing problems further compounded by new leadership. Leaked footage from an internal Town Hall captured a potential glimpse into concerns, featuring Mixer head Shilpa Yadla downplaying employee frustrations.

Public-facing allegations of a toxic work culture surfaced just days before Microsoft's announcement, with former staff member Milan Lee and others corroborating instances of racist comments from leadership, including using slavery every bit analogy to draw partner relationships. Those actions reportedly went unchecked, though executive vice-president of Gaming at Microsoft and Xbox chief Phil Spencer did publicly respond on Twitter.

Microsoft declined to comment, instead referring us to previous comments information technology made to The Hollywood Reporter. "Nosotros take been in contact with Mr. Lee seeking to better understand his experience," a Microsoft spokesperson said. "We do non tolerate whatever grade of discrimination and thoroughly investigate all employee concerns and will have appropriate actions as warranted."

Mixer Studio, NYC Microsoft established its own dedicated studio for the Mixer platform in its New York flagship shop. Source: Matt Brown / Windows Central

Those grievances surfaced in parallel to allegations of sexual misconduct against several top Mixer partners. Microsoft reportedly turned a blind eye to concerns. These were the final catalysts that drove a call for a response, with its announcement to sunset Mixer already scheduled for just hours after.

"My initial reaction was 'no way,'" said Shofner. "If you're following what was going on, y'all empathize everything that was happening behind the scenes of Mixer. We all assumed, they're going to take intendance of the racial allegations and stuff. That's going to be taken care of. And and then the sexual predators that are being talked about on there, that's going to be taken care of as well. So now that Phil's getting involved, we're going to kind of start taking steps in the right direction ... [a]nd nosotros all kind of assumed that somewhere in a week that we'd get an announcement that, you know, she's been fired and that this person has been removed and kind of just make clean upward all the garbage that we had on our platform."

"I didn't think that was gonna accept information technology downwards," said Covent. "I was like, they're gonna take care of this. ... I believed they would do the right thing, fire that employee, make a statement that we don't tolerate this @#$%. That nosotros are moving on, we're moving frontwards."

"Maintaining a prophylactic, friendly, welcoming customs and environs is a priority at Mixer," a Microsoft rep said in a afterwards statement. "Nosotros take whatsoever accusations extremely seriously and conduct thorough investigations to determine the most appropriate grade of action."

Source: BobDuckNWeave on Mixer

For those speaking out, Microsoft's approach has left many leaving the platform with a lasting bitterness — not down to the closure itself, but the treatment of it. Microsoft as well has not however extensively responded to many allegations facing staff or those endorsed through its partner program. And while Mixer's fate was probable decided far alee of fourth dimension, the community climate fabricated for poor timing.

"The delivery of the announcement shows the complete lack of empathy you'd wait from a corporation like Microsoft." — former Mixer streamer 'BobDuckNWeave'

"[It was] worse than a breakdown via text from your other half of 5 years," said BobDuckNWeave. "I put in three years of fourth dimension and energy. For others, Mixer was their life. The delivery of the announcement shows the complete lack of empathy y'all'd expect from a corporation like Microsoft."

He's not the only ane who feels that style. "I retrieve it'due south shocking. I think they should have fabricated a argument about everything that happened commencement," said RunawayLobster. "They should take reached out to staff and partners kickoff. I retrieve they handled it really, really badly."

"For all of us, the people who helped build the platform, we had no idea. For us to find out you're losing your job, through a Twitter tweet, it almost felt like it was like a slap in the confront," said Shofner. "But then once again, it is Microsoft ... [a]nd they're cutthroat nearly it. That'southward how they've always been. I simply didn't think it was going to be that way in this situation."

An precipitous end for Mixer

For Mixer'due south streamers, it's fourth dimension to adapt. Microsoft has doubled all Mixer earnings pay-outs for the calendar month of June. The company has also proposed a streamlined onboarding experience at Facebook. However, many fomer Mixer streamers are gravitating to Twitch, voicing their distrust in Facebook and its business organisation practices outside of gaming. And while it is even so early on days, many have found initial support from their audiences amid the migration, some fifty-fifty nearing their previous numbers on Mixer.

But for Mixer, it's the end of the road.

Microsoft remains committed to closing up on July 22, 2022, redirecting traffic to the social media giant and concluding another chapter in its services. That's a shame given its once-unique voice and substantial backing from one of the world'southward largest organizations. If nil else, this story spotlights the ruthless nature of the hyper-competitive, fast-evolving streaming landscape.

Matt Brown

Matt Chocolate-brown

Matt Brown is a senior editor at Future for Windows Fundamental. Following 6 years of professional person consumer engineering science and gaming coverage, he's focused on the globe of Xbox and Windows PCs. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.