Now we know why Amazon spent $1 billion on a company that streams live video games (AMZN)
Amazon
Amazon is known for its robust online store, its ridiculously fast shipping, even its original programming.
But what of Amazon's efforts in video games?
Though Amazon's made major moves in the gaming space — from producing a game console-esque device in the Fire TV to buying game-streaming service Twitch for $1 billion — it's still not a household name in the realm of gamers.
With the announcement Wednesday of a new eSports league operated by Amazon-owned Twitch, that may be about to change.
The league is called "eSports Championship Series" and it's a more traditional twist on the world of professional eSports gaming.
"It will be the first professional esports league to offer teams co-ownership, like many traditional professional sports leagues," the league's announcement reads.
Ten teams from the US and 10 teams from Europe will form the initial base of teams/owners, and the first game to be featured is Valve Software's "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," a free-to-play first-person-shooter that puts two teams of players in a "deathmatch" scenario.
The "Counter-Strike" championship from ECS has a $3.5 million payout, and it begins on Wednesday, April 6 at 12:00 p.m. ET. The matches, as you might've guessed, will stream exclusively on Amazon's game streaming service Twitch. You can find them right here.