Twitch is an American video live-streaming platform, primarily known for video games and esports, which launched in June 2011 as a spin-off of Justin.tv. It experienced explosive growth, attracting 45 million unique viewers by October 2013 and becoming the fourth-largest source of peak internet traffic in the United States by February 2014. In August 2014, the service was acquired by Amazon for $970 million, solidifying its dominance in the gaming space. By 2015, it had over 100 million monthly viewers, and as of January 2025, it ranked as the 30th-most-visited website globally, with millions of daily active users. However, in late 2023, Twitch announced it would cease operations in South Korea in 2024, citing prohibitive network fee costs. Today, it remains a cultural powerhouse for live content, offering everything from competitive gaming to music and "in real life" streams.