Mixer co-founder James Boehm departs Microsoft

James Boehm, co-founder of the streaming platform Mixer, has announced his departure from Microsoft. Recently appointed to the board of directors for GamerGoo, a lotion company marketed to gamers, Boehm said he’ll shift his focus to new ventures and investments within the games industry.

“I’m proud of my achievements with the Mixer team and my time at Microsoft,” Boehm said in a statement. “I’ve learned so much from so many talented engineers and designers; it’s such an amazing team and I’m so humbled to have been a part of it. I’m excited about the future of the mixer platform, but now I’m giving my focus to new projects I’m involved in, with the aim of continuing to develop the industry and its communities.”

Along with Matt Salsamendi, Boehm co-founded Mixer in 2014 under the name Beam. Following its victory at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2016, Microsoft purchased the company and rebranded it as Mixer. Since then—while still trailing Twitch and YouTube as preferred streaming platforms—Mixer has enjoyed steady audience growth. Recent business moves have seen it attempt to bolster that growth; the acquisition of Ninja and the launch of its “season 2”, as well as news that Project Scarlett will include a 4K camera, are the most substantial efforts to compete in the game streaming wars.

Mixer came under fire not long ago thanks to its controversial clothing guidelines that appear to specifically target female-presenting streamers, which kicked off a heated discussion on social media. 

“Mixer is committed to maintaining a positive, inclusive and diverse community alongside transparent Rules for User Conduct,” a company representative told GameDaily in August. “We are always listening to feedback to ensure we uphold a friendly and welcoming environment for our community.” As of now, the streamer clothing requirements haven’t publicly changed to reflect the disquieted attitudes towards the restrictions.

On Twitter, Boehm reflected on his time at Mixer and briefly touched on his plans for the future:

“When we started Mixer over five years ago, [Matt Salsamendi] and I could have only dreamed it would grow into the globally known brand and amazing community it is today,” Boehm wrote. “I’ve had the honor to work with some of the smartest and most passionate colleagues I have ever been on a team with. Although, I will be leaving Mixer, this community and what we’ve built together, will always be a part of who I am.”