Justin.tv shuts down, users asked to switch over to Twitch.tv

By Konrad Krawczyk Published August 22, 2014

Justin.tv, one of the streaming video world’s most recognizable names, has shut down. Justin.tv made the announcement on its homepage.

According to the site, the company that runs both Justin.tv and Twitch.tv, the super-popular video game streaming site, decided that it was in its best interest to divert more resources towards Twitch.tv. As a result of this decision, Justin.tv appears to be the sacrificial lamb, providing even more sustenance for the monster that is Twitch, which was recently purchased by Google for a cool $1 billion.

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Justin.tv users will likely be displeased with most of the side effects that come about as a result of the shutdown. Justin.tv accounts have been suspended, and are inaccessible. On top of that, videos on Justin.tv can no longer be downloaded, though video archiving and VODs were disabled back on June 15. Pro account holders will get refunds shortly, if they haven’t already.

Justin.tv account holders can switch over to Twitch.tv by completing this form. You must complete and send it by September 5, 2014 in order to be eligible for an account transfer.

Keep in mind that even if you transfer your Justin.tv account over to Twitch, any non-Twitch channels you followed on Justin.tv won’t carry over to Twitch, unless that channel is also transferred. The same goes for your Justin.tv followers; they won’t appear in your Twitch.tv account unless they also transfer over.

Founded by Justin Kan, Justin.tv was a streaming video platform that featured multiple channels, including news, tech, gaming, music, and more. Like other, similar streaming sites, including UStream, Justin.tv provided anyone with a platform to watch and broadcast stuff that they cared about.

However, Justin.tv’s history is peppered with moments of darkness as well. Back in 2008, a troubled youth by the name of Abraham Biggs broadcasted his own suicide on the site. Some users reportedly even encouraged Biggs to take his own life. Others suspected that it was a hoax, while some tried to encourage Biggs not to take his own life. Justin.tv also had its problems with copyright infringement as well.

Though Justin.tv is gone, alternative services will no doubt absorb a significant amount of its user base. There’s the aforementioned UStream, along with LiveStream, and YouTube. Of course, Twitch.tv, which is solely focused on gaming, should see its subscription numbers spike as well.

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Computing Editor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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