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| (Image Source: Inven Global/SOOP) |
SOOP, a new live streaming platform, officially launched its global beta on June 5, 2024 for web and mobile app experiences. Following its launch, the platform has quickly attracted streamers broadcasting a wide variety of content, ranging from popular eSports and multiplayer titles and “Let’s Play” single player gaming sessions, to virtual avatar and “IRL” (In Real Life) streamers. In its efforts to empower aspiring streamers to take the spotlight and embark on their live streaming journey, SOOP provides a wealth of content opportunities ranging from eSports and sports broadcasts to entertainment programming and an impressive monetization program that incentivizes newcomers and experienced streamers alike.
SOOP has developed strategic partnerships to equip streamers with a wealth of content to excite viewer communities. Working with game publishers, tournament organizers, and leading entertainment providers to host unique and exclusive content, streamers are empowered to safely and seamlessly host watch parties and reaction streams to some of the world’s most popular programs. In partnership with Riot Games, SOOP is poised to broadcast several of the world’s most thrilling eSports tournaments. VALORANT fans can catch all the eSports action of live broadcasts like the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific and VALORANT Challengers Thailand, as well as the Thai qualifiers and main event of the AfreecaTV Valorant League (AVL) which saw North American powerhouse Sentinels victorious in its 2023 edition. Additionally, partnerships with famed teams like DRX will have fans treated to exclusive streams by eSports athletes to go behind the curtain and discover more about their favorite players. League of Legends (LoL) fans can look forward to broadcasts of the League of Legends EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Championship (LEC) alongside exclusive streams from famed League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) rosters that include T1, Gen.G, DRX, Kwangdong Freecs, BRION, and more. Fans of competitive RTS (real time strategy) and FGC (fighting game community) titles can also expect thrilling competition with live broadcasts of the Global StarCraft II League (GSL), AfreecaTV StarCraft League (ASL), and AfreecaTV Tekken League (ATL).
Beyond eSports, users are provided with a world of sports and entertainment content to explore. Sports fans will have access to broadcasts of Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) League (streamed exclusively on SOOP for fans outside of South Korea) and Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) matches, while viewers seeking to escape in reality entertainment can enjoy rolling live streams of sensations like K-pop contest, U2U: Up To You, hilarious physical challenges like Special Fox, and other original content series. With a world of content to co-stream, react to, and host watch parties for – and intuitive tools to help make it their own and build communities with – SOOP seeks to elevate the opportunities afforded to streamers by providing unparalleled access to take the spotlight. Additionally, SOOP’s team of production professionals and studio capabilities extend support to streamers’ needs, ranging from technical support and infrastructure for projects, to fielding creative pitches and providing funding for streamers’ bespoke projects. To celebrate its launch, SOOP is running a three-month-long promotion that invites users to monetize their channels by streaming for just one hour before August 31, 2024. The initiative is designed to lower the barrier to entry for aspiring streamers while encouraging exploration of the numerous content avenues that are available to users to kickstart their content creation journey.
The platform categorizes streamers into three distinct tiers, with varying requirements and benefits: “Rookie", “Affiliate" and “Partner". During the promotional period, users will be eligible to become Affiliate streamers after achieving just one hour of cumulative streaming, enabling monetization and access to the SOOP Revenue Program. This opportunity allows content creators of any size to seize the moment and start earning from live streaming on SOOP. After September 1, 2024, users will need to stream for five hours cumulatively (in the last 30 days), have at least 30 followers, and have an average of three viewers on stream (in the last 30 days) to be eligible for monetization in the Affiliate tier. Users who stream for 30 hours cumulatively (in the last 30 days), have at least 10,000 followers, and have an average of 1,000 viewers on stream (in the last 30 days), are eligible for Partner review.
Users in the SOOP Revenue Program will initially benefit from two monetization methods: Gems and Subscriptions. Gems are items that users can purchase and gift to their favorite streamers, providing an interactive way for viewers to show their support on streams. Subscriptions grant users special access to a streamer’s exclusive features and content, providing an avenue to support their favorite streamers on an individual or recurring basis while enjoying personalized perks. Gems can be purchased in denominations of 10 gems for US$1.10. Affiliate streamers earn US$0.60 per 10 gems while Partner streamers earn US$0.70 per 10 gems. One-month subscriptions cost US$3 with Affiliate streamers receiving 70% of subscription fees and Partner streamers receiving 80% after deduction of platform fees. (Users based in Thailand are subject to separate pricing and revenue share for Gems.) In addition to gems and subscriptions, advertising revenue share solutions are in development for future release to further grow streamers’ monetization opportunities, alongside in-game drops and game account integration to enhance interactivity for viewers.
SOOP is available in English, Thai, and Chinese for PC users via its web platform at sooplive.com and mobile users via respective apps for Android and Apple devices.
