Microsoft is expanding its Arena platform by letting players create their own competitive gaming tournaments. First launched in preview back in October, Arena is an e-sports platform that lets players compete in organized tournaments through Xbox Live. Previously Arena tournaments were organized by Microsoft, game developers, and e-sports organizations, but today’s news means that eventually players will be able to start their own custom tournaments as well. “We want to give gamers the ability to create their own tournaments and challenges,” Microsoft’s Jenn McCoy explained. Microsoft says that the player-created tournaments will be available in 2017.
In addition to custom tournaments, Microsoft also showed off some robust new game streaming tools at the event. Game broadcasting will be a big part of the Windows 10 creators update, the company says, and Microsoft appears to be differentiating itself from services like Twitch through a streamlined setup and the addition of more interactive features. Players will be able to stream games from within Windows 10 with the click of a button, and thanks to new features integrated following the purchase of Beam, it will be interactive as well, as viewers can click buttons to offer suggestions for what the streamer does next in-game. Microsoft says these Beam features will be built into Windows 10 and Xbox One early next year.
