Noice, a new livestreaming platform that aims to allow viewers to ‘play the stream, not just watch’ a channel, has entered its closed beta.
It will initially allow gamers to participate in the livestreams of Fortnite and Apex Legends content creators, with other titles possibly coming during the closed beta.
The idea is to allow viewers to predict what will happen next, ‘turning the stream into an engaging multiplayer experience’ and converting lurkers into engaged viewers, with them making an impact without having to sub or donate. They can then rank up, unlock new prediction cards and level them up for bigger scores. Viewers can get limited edition Creator Cards from their favourite streamers and show off their achievements with their 3D avatar.
The platform has raised $27m to date, including investment from founders from Unity, Supercell, Wolt, King, Remedy, Seriously and Playfish.
All streamer revenue on the platform is divided at a 70/30 ratio on net revenue, with 70% directed to the creator and the remaining 30% allocated to infrastructure costs and platform development.
To eliminate ‘dull moments between games’, the platform provides an interactive tour of a virtual arena. This tour lets streamers ‘explore your gaming environment, watch your fans come alive, and keep the energy high throughout your stream’.
A Clipping feature is currently under development and not available during the closed beta, and official browser support during the beta is limited to Google Chrome.
The platform also promises increased retention due to no forced ads, with ads instead available on an opt-in basis.
Noice features ‘Creator Cards’, in-game items that can be crafted by the streamer and sold around top moments caught on stream, providing customisation options. See more in the currencies and tokens section below.
There isn’t a full public launch date beyond beta just yet, but the platform said to ‘expect big things in 2024’, with additional revenue streams expected for creators, including Avatar Merchandise and Arena Sponsors.
Noice uses Google Cloud Platform for its servers.
Which streamers are on Noice?
On its first day of its Closed Beta, gamers had the opportunity to watch creators such as RichHomieQuinn, Stormen, LuckyShots and TiltedWinnie.
And UK-based streamers on the platform include Fnatic Stallion, BlondeChipmunk, TheZoeNova and more.
Noice stream currencies and tokens
Noice offers optional currencies and items in the store, with purchasing and earning options. Users can acquire these items through regular use and by watching optional advertisements.
The Platform store is where players can buy card bundles, reshuffle tokens, and credits.
Card bundles are bought using the platform’s soft currency – Noice Coins – which are the main currency for the Noice Card Game. Coins can be earned by completing Daily Goal Cards as well as through Match Rewards and watching incentivized adverts. Channel Currency, another soft currency at the channel level, is mainly used for acquiring channel-specific consumables, such as crowd and chat interactions.
Reshuffle tokens allow you to switch out your card hand and are bought using the platform’s hard currency – credits (although they can also be obtained via Daily Goal Card). These credits can also be used for a wide range of purchases, including premium social interactions.
Aside from reshuffle tokens, Noice credits are used to purchase Premium Card Bundles, Social Features (such as highlighting a message in chat), and standing out in the crowd. Weekly Goals provide some credits, as do watching adverts. The primary means of acquiring credits, however, is via real money purchases. Credits, then, are the last thing you can buy from the store.
How a CSGO esports match viewed on Twitch was the inspiration behind Noice: Founder Jussi Laakkonen shares his story
Jussi Laakkonen, Noice CEO and Co-Founder, has co-founded and been CEO of Applifier, and went on to beocme Executive Vice President of Unity Technologies, after Applifier was acquired by Unity.
Jussi led the rapid growth of Unity Ads, reaching several hundred million euros in gross revenue from 2014 to 2016. After a sabbatical in April 2018, Jussi co-founded the new livestreaming platform alongside Jenni Wilson (Creative Director and Co-Founder), a seasoned game designer with experience at companies like Seriously and Next Games, and Jaakko Lukkari (CTO and Co-Founder), who, like Jussi, played a pivotal role in the success of Unity as part of its game technology endeavours.
Jussi Laakkonen said he was watching his favourite CSGO team Ence play in the Intel Extreme Masters against Astralis in March 2019. They had a good run to the final, but ultimately lost 2-0 to Astralis.
“I was watching this match on Twitch and it was an emotional rollercoaster. I was immersed and engaged, but felt disappointed. I wanted so badly to be part of that incredible experience, to live those thrilling moments together, but all I could do was to watch alone from behind a glass pane.”
Jussi Laakkonen, Noice
“Being forbidden the opportunity of participating. That disconnect between being immersed and engaged but yet left wanting so much more, it wouldn’t let me go. So I started building this idea in my mind that this could be so much more, we started building this in April 2019.”
“We’ve been building this for over four and half years – so I am extremely excited on both a personal and a professional level to invite creators and viewers to our closed beta to experience what we’ve built for them.
“We believe [the platform] is a huge win for gamers who love watching creator streams because now they can ‘Play the Stream’ – and a huge win for creators, who get a more engaged community that plays with them.”
To sign up for the Closed Beta, viewers and streamers can visit Noice.com to register their interest.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
