youtube.com/gaming

Even if you get bored watching other people play video games, chances are you will find this review engaging to read. Why? Because ten years ago, watching other streamers play didn't make much sense to me. Like the majority of viewers, I had a change in perspective and got addicted to watching gaming videos. If you're not yet into it, don't worry; just keep reading because chances are that by the end of this blog, you'll develop an affinity towards the gaming community and YouTube Gaming in particular. YouTube Gaming is one of the biggest gaming platforms in the world, and its content is very popular with both creators and viewers. Many people consider watching gaming content to be the best use of their internet data, so YouTube Gaming offers an endless number of live streams and pre-recorded videos for users to watch. You can also broadcast your own live stream or pre-recorded video on this platform.

Cut-throat competition or Saturation?

Microsoft?s Mixer is a gaming streaming service that allows users to broadcast, watch, and join gaming sessions with friends. For many years, Twitch has been at the forefront of the gaming revolution. However, with the rise of YouTube Gaming and Microsoft's Mixer, things are becoming increasingly challenging for Twitch. 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 streaming service that allows users to broadcast, watch, and join gaming sessions with friends.

Let?s talk numbers

As far as subscriber numbers go, YouTube gaming has 83.3 million subscribers. However, its 22,000 creators have produced only 460,000 hours of content as compared to Twitch?s 64,000 users? 1.9 million hours of live video content. In terms of numbers, YouTube Gaming still has a lot of catching up to do. But 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 offers on-demand and live video game content. The revamped platform features existing game videos and allows users 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 dedicated playlist sections that list relevant games. The revamped YouTube Gaming platform has made it a visually appealing and powerful tool for catching up on popular gaming titles. From League of Legends to Street Fighter, you can find almost all the major titles on the platform here.

Design

The developers have put a great deal of effort into this, and it really shows. The page has been designed to be strikingly different from the standard YouTube interface. The developers have put a lot of effort into the page, and it definitely shows. The hero section is especially impressive. There are five sliding bars with each carrying an individual video that plays seamlessly. Underneath these games is a small text area which says, ?You are following _____.?, where _____ is the game you are following. As you scroll down a gaming banner with a Subscribe button to the right appears. The banner has curated playlists underneath it that include different headings such as "Top Live Games," "Top Live Streams," and "Recommended." Scrolling further down you'll see the list of games that you follow, in my case it's "PES 2020," "EA Sports FIFA 20," "PUBG," "Minecraft," and "Sekiro." Beneath these games is a small text area that tells you: "You are following _____.

Upon clicking on any of the titles, you will be taken to a new page with a 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.

Just below that, you'll find seven options - Home, Live, Recent, Explore, Let's Play, Official and About. When clicking any of these options, the playlist under the header will be updated to your preference. The live comments and suggested videos have a more prominent focus with a darker color scheme. The main page is filled with on-air streams and mostly covers the most popular channels or videos. You can customize the profile and get a recommendation of games that you care about.

Content

YouTube Gaming?s user interface is not cluttered and it is easy to find the video you are looking for. YouTube gaming's content must 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 on YouTube Gaming's user interface. YouTube Gaming's user interface is not cluttered and it is easy to find the video you are looking for. You can watch content at a resolution of up to 4K if the original quality is HD or better. Most gaming streams are in HD quality or better, so make sure you have either Wi-Fi or a good data connection with at least 5mbps of speed.

fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. The range of content encompasses four different categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama.

Let?s Plays

Let's Plays are fun to watch games, wherein the gamers are just testing out a particular game with strategy. This category is specifically for an audience group interested in buying a game but wants to learn more about it via YouTube.

Reviews

You will find a great deal of gaming review content on YouTube. That is because many 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

Let?s Plays are different from walkthrough videos. The videos are structured well, and are mapped out properly. Viewers can enjoy the game - experience the events, characters, and side quests which they might otherwise have missed.

Reactions

OzzyMan Reviews has redefined reactions and commentary on YouTube platform with their reaction videos. They are spontaneous and fun to watch, just like Snoop Dogg's commentary on animals.

Desktop/Mobile experience

For the consumers, YouTube Gaming makes it easy to find and watch videos that they are interested in. Just type in a specific game or keyword and start watching the subsequent videos related to that game. Active Voice Streamers can easily connect with the fans - chatting with them and making 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 aspect of this platform that is harsh is its music policy. Streams on Twitch where a copyrighted song is presented are muted rather than taken down on YouTube.

Plans & Pricing

The platform is completely free to use for both viewers and content creators. You can support your favorite YouTubers through Patreon or Kickstarter, and you can even donate when they are live streaming. However, YouTube does not charge viewers anything for watching the streams.

Suggestions I have for YouTube Gaming

The platform is excellent. There are no complaints with regard to streaming quality. The majority of the features are top-notch. My only suggestion would be to create an individual platform with a unique appeal. This would be difficult, but if done correctly it could attract millions of users. YouTube's content property feels the same because of the dark layout.

Conclusion

YouTube Gaming is a great platform to stream endless gaming content. I love watching walkthroughs on the network and spend a considerable amount of time watching BrendenPlayz's WWE gaming content. Apart from his channel, I often watch MGH, TheRadBrad, Chris Smoove, and ShuffleGamer.