Google-Twitch deal nixed by antitrust concerns - Report
Two companies could not agree on breakup fee if regulators struck down proposed acquisition
Yesterday's news that Amazon is buying Twitch was surprising for a number of reasons, not least of which was that the video streaming service had reportedly reached a deal with Google months earlier. A Forbes report citing sources familiar with the Google talks says it was ultimately antitrust concerns that scuttled the original agreement.
Google already owns YouTube, the largest streaming site in the world and a competitor to Twitch when it comes to gaming content. One of Forbes' sources said the two companies couldn't reach an agreement on how large a breakup fee Twitch would be due if an acquisition could not be finalized.
The original Google deal was reported to be $1 billion. Twitch's eventual sale to Amazon was for $970 million in cash.