NEWS: Microsoft Acquires Interactive Livestreaming Service Beam

Today, in a blog post on Microsoft News Center, it was announced that Microsoft has acquired Beam, an innovative and interactive livestreaming service that gives viewers the ability to watch and play along with their favorite game streamers in real-time. Beam has evolved game streaming from a passive, watch-and-chat experience into one with real-time participation by allowing the viewer to directly influence a streamer’s gameplay and live broadcast.

One of the best parts about Beam is that interactivity is easy for streamers to enable and customize, regardless of the game or platform. Beam is designed to work with any game, and will continue to offer broadcasts across all gaming platforms, just as it does today.

Beam remains committed to its mission of empowering users and streamers across platforms and will now be better positioned to grow and give more back to the community. “As part of the Xbox team, we’ll be able to scale faster than we’ve ever been able to before,” wrote Beam CEO Matt Salsamendi in a Beam blog post. “We’re expanding the team, bolstering our infrastructure, and, most importantly, continuing to grow the amazing community we’ve been lucky enough to build at Beam.”

To read more about Beam, check out Xbox Wire.

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BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE: Shank 2 is coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility today

In another of a string of sad Backwards Compatible releases, today we again are getting one backwards compatible game. If any more happen to be announced I'll update this post.

Shank 2 is coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility today

*As always, those that own these games digitally will be able to download them again for free from the "Ready to Download" section of the Xbox One. If you own Alan Wake on disc, you can also put this in and the necessary files required to make it work will be downloaded.

The fan-favorite 2D brawler is back in action with Shank™2. Shank is forced on the offensive wielding his trusty arsenal of weapons and combo moves to protect those close to him. Shank™2 raises the bar from the original, creating an amazing comic book visual style and combat system which redefines the 2D side-scrolling brawler.

BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY: Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Playable on the One Today

In another rather weak Backwards Compatible release.  It was announced that, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon is coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility today.

*As always, those that own these games digitally will be able to download them again for free from the "Ready to Download" section of the Xbox One. If you own Alan Wake on disc, you can also put this in and the necessary files required to make it work will be downloaded.

Playing Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon doesn't require a copy of Far Cry® 3. Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon is THE Kick-Ass Cyber Shooter taking place on a bizarre open-world island crawling with evil. Welcome to an 80’s VHS vision of the future. The year is 2007 and you are Sargent Rex Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando who’s fighting against a cyborg army gone rogue. Your mission: get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world. Experience every cliché of a VHS era vision of a nuclear future, where cyborgs, blood dragons, mutants, and Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, Navy Seals) collide.