Tag Archives: Microsoft

Microsoft updates Beam streaming to better compete with Twitch

The already speedy service is now faster and lets you log in with Xbox Live.

Microsoft is getting its newly-acquired Beam livestreaming service ready for Xbox and Windows with a big new update. Beam’s low-latency tech lets you rapidly interact with your favorite streamers, and even play along, compared to the more passive Twitch experience. It’s improved the already-quick latency by five times, increased the max bitrate to 10 Mbps and now supports 60 FPS render speeds at up to 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. Continue reading Microsoft updates Beam streaming to better compete with Twitch

Microsoft takes on Twitch with new game streaming tech for Windows 10 and Xbox One

At a Windows Creator event in New York City, the Redmond tech giant debuted new capabilities for Windows 10 and Xbox One that incorporate technology from Beam, the startup Microsoft acquired in August.

Beam lets players stream games from within Windows 10 and Xbox One with just a click of a button on the new “Game Bar.” Microsoft is focusing on creating a seamless experience for interactions between gamers and viewers.

Continue reading Microsoft takes on Twitch with new game streaming tech for Windows 10 and Xbox One

Microsoft’s New YouTube and Twitch Rules Don’t Apply to Minecraft

You can make YouTube videos with Microsoft’s games as long as they’re not lewd or Pornographic.

Microsoft has updated its Game Content Usage Rules page to explain how people can use its game content to create YouTube videos and Twitch Streams, but the new rules don’t apply to Minecraft, which Microsoft acquired last year for $2.5 billion.

The new policy states that Microsoft allows users to create derivative works based on its games strictly for personal, non-commercial use, as long as they follow a set of rules. Some of these rules prohibit users from reverse engineering games to “access the assets or otherwise do things that the games don’t normally permit,” or creating content that is “pornographic, lewd, obscene, vulgar, discriminatory (on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), illegal, hate speech, promoting violence, drug use or any illegal activity, promoting crimes against humanity, genocide or torture, or is otherwise objectionable.”

“Whether an Item is ‘objectionable; is up to us, but you can expect us to be concerned if a significant number of people in the game’s community or the public at large report the content as offensive,” Microsoft said.

You also can’t earn compensation with derivative works by selling it or through advertisements, unless you’re posting it to YouTube and Twitch.

The new rules apply to all of Microsoft’s products except Minecraft, which retains its own guidelines. The rules are not that different (mostly common sense in both cases), but Minecraft is a bit more lax, allowing users to create and sell whatever content they want as long as its clear that it’s not an official Minecraft product.