Raptr's video-sharing service expands with ESL, Wargaming deals

Plays.tv, the game video clip recording/sharing service launched earlier this year by Raptr, has made notable inroads into the eSports business by striking strategic partnerships with the ESL and World of Tanks developer Wargaming.

This marks the fruition of plans Raptr founder Dennis Fong laid out to Gamasutra earlier this year to turn Plays.tv into a sort of "showcase" for eSports broadcasters, clearing a spot for it to co-exist in the market alongside game video platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. 

"Plays.tv, by contrast, is asynchronous, short-form, and anyone can be a creator/contributor," Fong told Gamasutra. "Every gamer's memorable moments are interesting, especially if they're distilled down to just the best parts."

Unlike established eSports broadcast platform Twitch, Plays.tv focuses on quickly providing gameplay clips recorded from player perspectives, like this thirty-second clip from a Counter-Strike: GO tournament held at Gamescom this summer. 

The company expects to provide similar clips and highlight reels during the Wargaming League North America Season 1 Finals World of Tanks competition happening this weekend, though its partnership with Wargaming is ultimately aimed at integrating its video-sharing service more directly with the company's games.