Google to acquire Twitch

To boost up its YouTube site, Google Inc. has discussed acquisition of video service Twitch Interactive Inc.

After acquisition of Twitch, Google will have a platform which has over 45 million active viewers a month. Twitch is a social gathering site for video gamers to watch other players or discuss games. The San Francisco-based company is available on Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox One game and Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4 consoles.

The transaction might value Twitch at about $1 billion.

Recent acquisition of Maker Studios by Walt Disney has commenced a race among cash-rich companies to acquire or invest in online video companies which have a large viewer base. California-based Google is redoubling efforts to increase its video offerings because more and more users go online. According to ComScore Inc. YouTube was on top of the list of providers of video content in the United States during March.

Google on buying spree

To attract more users and to bolster services, Google has been on an acquisition spree. In February, the Web-search company acquired Nest Labs Inc. for $3.2 billion. It has also concluded many smaller acquisitions during the past few weeks which include Adometry Inc. as well as Stackdriver Inc. in order to boost its analysis services and Web measurement.