Microsoft have acquired interactive live-streaming service, Beam

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Beam's interactive service blurs the lines between player and spectator, giving viewers the opportunity to alter the rules of the stream they are watching.

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by Chris Brand

@pass_controller

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It works in a similar fashion to #IDARB's Twitter/Twitch commands, enabling on-lookers to participate by making real time choices that affect the streamer's gameplay using a simple visual interface.

Check out the video below:

There aren't a ton of interactive games at present, but some of what's there may surprise you. Beam is designed to work with any game, so we expect others to pop up soon.

The most popular title so far, Minecraft, allows viewers to vote on minor things - like time of day and weather conditions - for free. More significant alterations (like summoning a zombie apocalypse or healing the streamer) will cost Sparks, an in-Beam currency.

Signing up earns you 500 Sparks and more can be earned by either watching or broadcasting streams. It can seem a little slow, each minute spent on a stream will earn you only 2 Sparks but, like Twitch, you can still have fun interacting with folk in chat.

If this sounds like your thing, you can have a look for yourself.

What games do you think will work well with Beam? Let us know in the forums or leave a comment below.

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