What is Trovo Live? Tencent’s streaming platform for PC & mobile games

Trovo Live is one of the newest video game livestreaming sites out there, and it’s attempting to break into the market currently dominated by Twitch and YouTube, while avoiding the same fate as Mixer.

The new streaming site is owned by Tencent, the same company that owns PUBG and Riot Games, as well as having stakes in Epic Games, Ubisoft, and Activision Blizzard. Games from each company like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Destiny are all featured on the front page.

Right off the bat, the similarities to Twitch are obvious, with a similar “featured streamers” function up top and a tailor-made list of “recommended channels” as well.

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As mentioned, it features games like Fortnite, PUBG, and Call of Duty, but what could set Trovo apart is the focus on mobile gaming, with PUBG and CoD’s Mobile versions showcased prominently as well.

Trovo was initially named “Madcat” before it rebranded, and has been quietly testing in beta ever since, but now it looks ready to make some serious moves starting July 2020 with a $30 million creator partnership program in the wake of Mixer shutting down, which created an influx of siteless content creators.

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“We understand how difficult it is to rebuild on an entirely new platform and this is a burden we don’t want you to carry alone,” the site said in a press release on their partnership program. “Trovo strongly believes that monetization opportunities should be available to all streamers dedicated to making live streaming their career and we’re committed to helping support creators that support Trovo along the way.”

Trovo’s partner program allows viewers to subscribe to any streamer on the site, for a $4.99 subscription fee. Like Twitch, it comes with upgradeable subscription badges, and a number of customizable features to help you stand out in chat. For creators, it takes out the extra step of becoming officially partnered (as on Twitch) in order to cash in on subscriptions.

Viewers will also offer viewers a way to interact with streamers during broadcasts. Instead of bits and cheers on Amazon’s service, Trovo viewers will use Mana and Elixirs to purchase spells, which are emotes or other effects that appear on stream for the creator and everyone else to see.

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Only time will tell if the site’s emphasis on mobile gaming and a new partnership program will see Trovo last for the long haul. It is owned by Tencent, which is one of the largest and richest companies in the world, and one of the few capable of taking on the deep pockets of Amazon.

There are also plenty of streamers and content creators looking for a place to rebuild their communities after the fall of Mixer. For those trying to do something different besides YouTube or Twitch, Trovo – even though it’s still under the radar – just might be the answer.