youtube.com/gaming
Even if you're not into watching other people play video games, chances are that by the end of this blog, you'll develop an affinity towards the gaming community and YouTube Gaming in particular. Why? Ten years ago, watching other streamers play didn't make sense to me. But like the majority of viewers, I changed my perspective and got addicted to watching gaming videos. If you're not into it yet, don't worry; just keep reading because by the end of this blog you'll be a fan like me.
YouTube Gaming is one of the biggest gaming platforms in the world. It allows creators and viewers to watch an endless number of live streams and pre-recorded videos about video games. You can also broadcast your own live streams on this platform. So, whether you want to watch Markiplier play live or want to watch PewDiePie's pre-recorded videos, you'll find everything on YouTube Gaming.
Cut-throat competition or Saturation?
Microsoft?s Mixer is a new streaming service that allows gamers to watch live gaming sessions and chat with other viewers directly on their smartphones and tablets.
Twitch has been the center of the gaming revolution for years, but with the rise of YouTube Gaming and Microsoft's Mixer, things are becoming a bit more challenging for them. YouTube Gaming is Google's response to Twitch and other leading gaming streaming services that offer on-demand video or live-action and reaction videos covering YouTube's gaming sphere. Microsoft's Mixer is a new streaming service that allows gamers to watch live gaming sessions and chat with other viewers directly on their smartphones and tablets.
Let?s talk numbers
As far as numbers go, YouTube gaming has 83.3 million subscribers. However, the 22,000 creators who make content for the platform have produced only 460,000 hours of content as compared to Twitch's 64,000 users? 1.9 million hours of live video content. While YouTube Gaming still has a lot of catching up to do in terms of numbers, with the attention the platform is getting since the turn of the year, it will surely close that gap.
What is YouTube Gaming?
YouTube Gaming is an offshoot of YouTube that provides ondemand and live video game content. The revamped platform features existing game videos and allows you to find the best live streaming videos via a curated playlist. A couple of years ago, finding videos would be tumultuous, but not today. You get a complete list of top YouTubers who have played a particular game and thus you can find a dedicated playlist section.
YouTube Gaming has revamped its interface in order to be more appealing to gamers. From League of Legends to Street Fighter, you can watch almost all the major titles on the platform here.
Design
The layout is sleek and modern and the graphics are simply amazing. The hero section alone is worth your visit.
If you have not yet visited the page, you would presume that the page is not going to be any different from the standard YouTube interface. However, that is far from the truth because the developers have put a considerable amount of effort into the page. It has to be one of the most iconic pages on YouTube. Right away, the hero section catches my attention. There are five sliders with each carrying an individual video that plays seamlessly. The layout is sleek and modern and the graphics are simply amazing. The hero section alone is worth your visit.
The ?Recommended? heading is especially interesting as it includes games that have not been released yet or have just been released recently.
As you scroll down the page, you see a horizontal gaming banner with a Subscribe CTA button on the right. Under that, you'll find curated playlists with headings such as "Top Live Games," "Top Live Streams," "Recommended?" You'll find the list of games you follow, in my case there's "PES 2020," "EA Sports FIFA 20," "PUBG," "Minecraft," and "Sekiro." The "Recommended" heading is especially interesting as it includes games that haven't been released yet or have just been released recently.
When you click on any of the titles, you will be taken to a new page with vertical creative thumbnail on the left. Besides the thumbnail, you will find title, description, and keywords. And on the right side, you will find Subscribe and Watch Trailer buttons. My favorite part is the cover image with a transparent black design on the top. It looks fascinating. Little custom details such as this one make streaming on YouTube worth it - they never fail to capture the nuances.
Right below that is a row of seven options- Home, Live, Recent, Explore, Let's Play, Official and About. Once you click any of these options, the playlist will be updated based on your preference. The live comments and suggested videos have a darker color scheme and the main page is filled with on-air streams. You can customize the profile and get a recommendation of games that you care about.
Content
YouTube Gaming's content has to be its biggest strength. You can find titles such as Minecraft, PUBG, Sekiro, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Temple Run, Grand Theft Auto V, and Subway Surfers. This is not all, you can find almost any gaming YouTuber's particular game coverage by clicking on the search bar.
To watch content with a resolution of up to 4K, depending on the original quality that has been uploaded by the creator, you need Wi-Fi or an ample amount of data connection with 5mbps of speed.
political, news, sports, and entertainment.
The range of content available on the website is extensive, with four categories: political, news, sports, and entertainment.
Let?s Plays
The Let's Play videos are fun to watch games wherein the gamers are simply testing out a particular game with strategy. This category is specifically for an audience group interested in buying a game, but who want to learn more about it via YouTube.
Reviews
You will find a lot of gaming content on YouTube. That is because a lot of people rely on YouTube for honest reviews before spending $40-$100 on a game. There are many games in the market which can be quite overwhelming. Thus, watching reviews allows you to find the game most suitable for you.
Walkthrough
A walkthrough video is a type of video that helps viewers follow the game's story and complete tasks they may have missed. The videos are well-structured, with events and side quests clearly marked, making it easy for viewers to enjoy the game as if they were playing it themselves.
Reactions
Reactions to videos are very entertaining. Some people like to watch the reactions while others enjoy the video without any reaction. There is something attractive about reaction videos because channels such as OzzyMan Reviews has redefined reactions and commentary on YouTube platform. They are spontaneous and fun to watch just like Snoop Dogg's commentary on animals.
Desktop/Mobile experience
YouTube Gaming helps both creators and consumers to improve their experience. For creators, broadcasting themselves has never been easier. Simply click on the Go Live button at the top of the screen and you can also upload a new video or start streaming. Just make sure you have the proper gaming setup, such as Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming or other Open Broadcast Software.
Streamers can easily connect with their audience - chat with them and make money via the live stream. They can play advertisements and show a link to Patreon or Kickstarter pages where their community can support them financially. This is a huge plus for the creators as well as the audience, as together they can support each other by improving the overall quality of the channel.
The only downside to Twitch is its music policy. In Twitch, if a copyrighted song is played on a stream, the song is muted rather than taken down. YouTube, on the other hand, doesn't have this policy and clips containing copyrighted music can be removed.
Plans & Pricing
The platform is absolutely free to use for both viewers and content creators. You can support your favorite Youtubers through Patreon or Kickstarter and can even donate when they are live streaming. However, YouTube as a platform doesn't charge you anything for watching the streams.
Suggestions I have for YouTube Gaming
I like the platform. There are no complaints about streaming quality. Most of the features are excellent. My only suggestion would be to create an individual platform that has a unique appeal. Now, though that's challenging and might not be good advice, it'll surely attract millions of users if it's anywhere as good as the current streaming service. It's just that YouTube's content property feels the same because of the dark layout.
Conclusion
YouTube Gaming is a great platform to stream gaming content. I love watching walkthroughs on YouTube Gaming on my mobile and I spend a lot of time watching them. My favorite gaming YouTuber is BrendenPlayz and he generally streams WWE gaming content. Apart from his channel, I often watch MGH, TheRadBrad, Chris Smoove, and ShuffleGamer.
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