Xbox maker Microsoft was among the interested parties in acquiring video game streaming service Twitch, according to sources speaking to The Verge. YouTube, which is owned by Google, eventually finalized its billion-dollar deal and is currently working with Twitch to determine how independent the company will remain, the site's sources went on to say.

The Verge's sources said Microsoft, and other unspecified companies, made "serious" bids for Twitch, but the streaming service sided with Google/YouTube because they were deemed the company that would allow Twitch to realize its potential. Another source said Twitch had "plenty" of offers from venture capitalists for more money, but Twitch needed a stronger infrastructure to help it handle its technical processes, something Google was capable of providing.

Neither Twitch nor Google have commented in an official capacity regarding the rumored buyout. We will of course continue to monitor the story as new information becomes available.

Google's rumored buyout of Twitch is not a done deal and it's possible that the United States Justice Department could see the acquisition as anticompetitive in the online video market. That's because YouTube is already the most popular platform for Internet videos.

Twitch may not be a household name, but it has a massive reach. A report from February showed that Twitch ranked fourth in peak Internet traffic in the United States, ahead of major companies like Facebook, Hulu, and Valve.