Twitch switches Justin.tv off amid Google acquisition reports
August 6, 2014
The pioneering live video streaming platform Justin.tv is signing off.
Cofounded by "proto-lifecaster" Justin Kan in 2007, Justin.tv allowed users to broadcast videos online and led to the establishment of Twitch.tv, the popular gaming-focused streaming platform.
Last February, the parent company of Justin.tv and Twitch.tv was rebranded as Twitch Interactive, signaling the company's refocusing of its resources on the latter platform.
And now, Justin.tv has shut down. Its homepage now serves as a FAQ page most notably including a brief explanation of its termination:
Justin.tv pioneered live video on the Internet and spawned one of the largest video platforms ever: Twitch. Justin.tv was officially renamed Twitch Interactive Inc. in February of 2014 and Twitch is now the focus of the company's resources. Unfortunately that means we need to shut down Justin.tv. We thank all of our broadcasters and viewers for 7 years of live video memories.The homepage also includes a video tribute to Justin.tv. Take a look: If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here. All of Justin.tv's products and services, including its website, mobile apps, and APIs, are no longer available. Justin.tv accounts, however, can be transferred to Twitch by submitting requests for transfer by Sept. 5, 2014. Justin.tv's shutdown comes just about a couple of weeks after Twitch was reported to have been acquired by Google's YouTube division for $1 billion.
