Google's giant video website, YouTube has officially launched Wednesday the new gaming hub, which is dedicated for gaming videos where gamers can post game plays and commentary. Now YouTube is stepping into the live streaming domain. Video games as spectators' sports became a success with underdog Twitch, which was acquired by Amazon for $970 million last year. YouTube Gaming is an app that will overtake that success.
According to VCPost, Google is expected to make live streaming even bigger and for broader audiences. Twitch has tech-savvy people broadcasting in their site, but YouTube popularizes live-streaming to the mainstream. YouTube Gaming doesn't only have live-streaming, which is the only thing offered by Twitch. YouTube gaming has other videos dedicated to gaming like cosplay, live-action, etc.
Overall, YouTube is considered by analysts as one of Google's best features. In 2013, Google reported that people watched YouTube for a total of 6 billion hours. YouTube Gaming has the most important feature that offers convenience in searching for video game content.
Daily Star said YouTube is creating an online arena devoted to video game play and challenging Amazon-owned Twitch. According to product manager Alan Joyce, YouTube Gaming will debut in Britain and the United States in the coming months. "YouTube Gaming is built to be all about your favorite games and gamers, with more videos than anywhere else,'' Joyce said in a blog post.
"Live streams bring the gaming community closer together, so they've put them front-and-center on the YouTube Gaming homepage," Joyce said. "In the coming weeks, YouTube will launch an improved live experience that makes it simpler to broadcast your game play to YouTube."
The popularity of online gaming has given rise to new genres of YouTube videos including watching play, walk-throughs, speed-runs, and even segments on cooking gamer-themed delectables. Along with the YouTube Gaming website accessible through web browsers, there will be an application for mobile devices.