Microsoft Mixer adds an app for broadcasting on the go

Microsoft has just released Mixer Create, a new iOS and Android app for its recently rebranded game streaming service that lets streamers chat with fans, broadcast on location and even stream mobile games.

Separate from Mixer's primary app, which allows fans to tune in and interact with their favorite streams, Mixer Create is intended for broadcasters to help supplement their shows.

For starters, the big draw of Mixer Create is the ability to stream mobile games directly from your phone. Should you want to show off your Hearthstone decks or Clash Royale skills to the world, you can instantly start beaming gameplay (along with a camera feed of your face) without any extra add-ons or hardware.

Mobile game streaming is available for any software title on Android, though Mixer Create on iOS will only be able to stream games with the operating system's ReplayKit functionality turned on.

Never stop streaming

Mixer Create also gives broadcasters the ability to stream live video blogs using their mobile device's camera — even when they're away from their games. 

Be it at a convention or just out for a bite to eat, streamers can use the companion app to start an impromptu broadcast, check in on fans and even contribute to the conversation, similar to Facebook Live or, to a lesser extent, Twitch's latest app update.

Should you prefer the traditional method of broadcasting from your PC or Xbox One, Mixer Create also offers special controls to streamers to moderate the chat room, send out messages and even accept co-streaming invites from other users.

Additionally, should broadcasters need to make any changes while on the air, Mixer Create also lets users edit their profile or change settings without having to get up or stop streaming.

While Mixer Create's features (particularly in-phone streaming) are definitely huge conveniences for game broadcasters, it's uncertain if it'll be enough to make Microsoft's Mixer streaming service stand out against other big names, like Google's YouTube Gaming and Amazon's Twitch — especially if those services put out a similar companion app of their own one day.

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August 31, 2017 at 11:00PM
Parker Wilhelm