Twitch's Desktop App Is Now Available

Twitch has launched its desktop app into Open Beta today and you can head to the software's website to it for yourself and give it a whirl. Twitch App is designed to be an all-in-one communication's hub for both streamers and viewers, featuring both a server creation tool—à la Discord—and Voice Chat. I've made an mmos.horseracingexpert.net Test Channel if you want to and see what it looks like.

You can watch a stream through the App as well, and then continue to talk in the chat-room when the stream goes offline. My prediction is it will help solidify Twitch communities, and will give some competition to Discord, which was used by streamers prior to act as a hub for their viewers.

The real long-term plan is likely for Twitch to sell games directly through their desktop app, based on the company's announced intentions last week. That initiative is supposed to start sometime late this Spring.

Have you had a chance to try the app?