Microsoft is bolstering its Xbox arsenal with the purchase of a startup specializing in letting people join in the fun while watching live-streamed game play.
"With Beam, you don't just watch your favorite streamer play, you play along with them," Xbox Live partner group program manager Chad Gibson said in a blog post.
"This acquisition will help gamers enjoy the games they want, with the people they want, and on the devices they want." Gibson said.
For example, Beam can be used to let viewers assign missions, summon adversaries, or select virtual gear in games being streamed online by broadcasters.
Post-acquisition, Beam will become part of Microsoft's Xbox team. The terms of acquisition were however not disclosed.
"As part of Xbox, we'll be able to scale faster than we've ever been able to before," said Beam co-founder and chief executive Matt Salsamendi in a blogpost. "We're continuing our focus on providing streamers with the tools they need to create the most interactive broadcasts around."
