Bad news for would-be Xbox One streaming broadcasters, as Microsoft confirmed that it will not offer the Twitch app at launch. A new Xbox Wire post runs through the features of the console’s Twitch app, ending with a note that the users should be able to broadcast their gameplay by sometime “during the first part of 2014.” For those who are keeping score at home, this is an advantage for Sony’s PlayStation 4, since Twitch streaming (as well as Ustream) is a built-in feature.
Now, to be clear: this doesn’t mean you won’t have any way at all to stream Xbox One gameplay. Xbox 360 users got on perfectly fine without built-in Twitch streaming using capture cards and capture devices. We’re expecting similar setups to work with the Xbox One, though we won’t be able to test it with our own Elgato Game Capture until the console review embargo lifts.
You can read more about what Microsoft is planning for the Twitch app in the new Wire post. We’ll update this post accordingly when we can confirm one way or another if third-party streaming solutions continue to be an option.
