Microsoft, at at least its Xbox division, appears to heading into the live streaming arena. The company's blog recently confirmed that it has agreed a deal to acquire Beam. For those unfamiliar with Beam, it's a Seattle-based live streaming platform that allows viewers to control the outcome of video content in real-time.

An extension of current services like YouTube Gaming and Twitch, Beam delivers a "watch-and-chat" experience, letting the viewers talk directly to the live streamer and potentially determining the actions they take while gaming.

The agreed upon price for the acquisition has not been disclosed, but the deal is set to be finalised in coming days. Microsoft plans to integrate Beam's platform, as well as its design team, into the Xbox Live platform. While the company did not detail how it fully intends to use Beam's service, it did offer up the example of Minecraft and Sea of Thieves, both of which would thrive in cooperative gameplay modes.

For now, Beam has only been included in the Xbox fold, with plans to launch the platform under the Xbox Live moniker likely arriving sometime next year.