Amazon's Twitch acquires Bebo to expand its esports business

Amazon’s video streaming platform, Twitch, has just bought Bebo, the early social media network founded in the UK in 2005.

Bebo was once the UK’s largest social media network but, following a series of pivots, the business now produces software that allows users to stream themselves playing video games.

Together the businesses will work on growing Twitch’s esports business, especially Twitch Rivals.

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Often dubbed as the ‘YouTube of gaming’, Twitch allows users to stream themselves playing popular video games.

It has been instrumental in popularising esports and was bought by Amazon in 2014 for $970mn.

The financial terms of the latest acquisition deal were not disclosed but sources told TechCrunch that Twitch paid “up to $25 million” for Bebo’s technology and the 10-person team.