A few days back, big news broke regarding SOOP, a new live-streaming platform whose global beta will launch on June 5, 2024. The makers added that it 'targets esports and gaming fans, seeking to elevate the content creation landscape with intuitive features for streamers and users, and exclusive partnerships with esports athletes, gaming streamers, and game publishers.'
What has made things interesting is that the team behind this new site is the same as the one behind South Korea’s premier live-streaming service, AfreecaTV. As a result of their existing expertise, the project will 'include a wealth of features and technological advancements that promise an enriched and seamless live streaming experience.'
In more good news for fans of the community, it will be supported by the likes of Faker, BuZz, Knee, EscA, and Crocodile. It has also entered strategic partnerships with 'world-class esports and gaming organizations' like Valorant's DRX, with these personalities set to come up with live broadcasts and original content for a global audience viewing on their channels and AfreecaTV (for Korean fans).
For those not in the know, AfreecaTV is perhaps Korea's biggest platform after the big two, seeing a 6.6% rise in its watch time during the first quarter of the year compared to the last one of 2023. It continues to be a popular destination for esports fans of disciplines like League of Legends, with the exit of Twitch also helping it grow its content creator family.
Moreover, SOOP has teamed up with notable Thai creators like EDWIN, SuperBusS, and FifaTargrean to exclusively upload live streams and original content on the platform.
The upcoming streaming service is not just stopping here, as team-ups with game publishers and tournament organizers have also been confirmed. A noteworthy reveal regarding this development is that one of these partnerships will see SOOP exclusively produce and operate Riot Games' Valorant Challengers Thailand 2024.
It has also gotten hold of publishing and broadcasting rights in the Southeast Asian nation for multiple events, including the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT).
There's a lot more on offer for fans to sink their teeth into, like original content available for users at launch from broadcasts of the AfreecaTV Valorant League (AVL), Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB), AfreecaTV StarCraft League (ASL), Global StarCraft II League (GSL), and AfreecaTV Tekken League (ATL). The streaming service will also exclusively host influencers in numerous entertainment genres such as casual gaming, music, and talk shows.
Other features include hosting multiple channels under one account, integrated virtual avatar creation by leading 3D virtual avatar developer partner, MASCOZ, allowing streamers to become "virtual streamers" without any setup costs, and a real-time live stream translation feature that will launch before the end of June that enables creators to reach and grow their communities on an international scale.
Finally, for those interested in trying it out at the earliest, pre-registration for SOOP's mobile app began on May 21 on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. At release, it will initially be available in English, Thai, and Chinese for PC and mobile users. Those who pre-registered will get a notification when the platform is live and they can immediately explore its large live and on-demand content from the intuitive mobile experience.
