Amazon.com Inc.’s video game streaming platform Twitch has been attacked by an anonymous hacker, who claims to have exposed sensitive source code and detail on payouts to content creators, according to multiple media reports.
The leak also exposed Amazon’s plans to launch a digital gaming distribution platform, a potential challenger to Valve Corp.’s dominant Steam storefront. Bloomberg has reported previously on Amazon’s plans for a digital game store.
The hacker posted a link with 125 gigabytes of data to 4Chan, the internet messaging board supported by conspiracy theorists. The hacker said the purpose of the leak was to “foster more disruption and competition in the online video streaming space,” which he described as a “disgusting toxic cesspool,” according to industry website Video Games Chronicle.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but several media sites said Twitch was aware of the breach and confirmed that it was legitimate.
Seattle-based Amazon acquired Twitch in 2014. Since then, it has tried to combine it with other Prime services, like Amazon Music and Prime Gaming, once called Twitch Prime.
Twitch is the leading broadcaster of video gameplay, a live streaming platform that attracts millions of viewers. The company offers streamers a share of advertising revenue, and occasionally finds itself in bidding wars with rivals like YouTube for the exclusive services of closely watched streamers.
The leaked data allegedly details how much the platform’s top streamers have earned via payouts from August 2019 to September 2021, with some channels raking in as much as $9.6 million during the period, according to Gamesindustry.biz.
