youtube.com/gaming
Even if you get bored watching other people play video games, chances are you will find this review fun to read. This is 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 a popular gaming platform that's enjoyed by creators and viewers alike. Many people claim watching gaming content to be the best use of their internet data. YouTube Gaming allows users to watch an infinite number of live streams and pre-recorded videos of video games. Plus, it also allows you to broadcast your own livestreams. This makes it great for watching Markiplier play live or for watching PewDiePie's pre-recorded videos.
Cut-throat competition or Saturation?
Since YouTube Gaming was created, Twitch has had to face competition from the newer platform. YouTube Gaming offers a more feature-rich experience that lets you watch gaming content just like you would watch any other video on YouTube. Additionally, Mixer is Microsoft's own streaming service that is specifically designed for gaming and allows users to chat with one another while watching content.
Let?s talk numbers
According to YouTube's latest report, gaming content on the platform has 83.3 million subscribers, but creators have produced only 460,000 hours of content - compared to Twitch's 64,000 creators who have produced 1.9 million hours of live video content. However, with the attention YouTube is receiving lately, it will surely catch up to Twitch in terms of numbers.
What is YouTube Gaming?
YouTube Gaming is a new service that offers on-demand and live video game content. You can find top YouTubers who have played a particular game, as well as curated playlists of their best videos. A couple of years ago, finding videos would be tumultuous, but not today.
YouTube Gaming has revamped the entire interface, making it visually appealing and great for functionality. From League of Legends to Street Fighter, you can catch up almost all the major titles on the platform there.
Design
There are also two buttons, play and forward, that allow the viewer to control how much they want to see.
If you haven't yet visited the page, you would probably presume that the page won't be any different from the standard YouTube interface. However, that's 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. There are also two buttons, play and forward, that allow viewers to control how much they want to see.
You can also find your subscribed channels and recent activity.
As you scroll down the page, you see a gaming banner with a Subscribe button on the right. Underneath that, you'll find well-curated playlists with headings such as "Top Live Games," "Top Live Streams," "Recommended?" You'll also find the list of games you follow, in my case there's "PES 2020," "EA Sports FIFA 20," "PUBG," "Minecraft," and "Sekiro." You can also find your subscribed channels and recent activity.
As you click on any of the title's thumbnails, a new page will load with vertical creative thumbnail on the left. Besides the thumbnail, you'll find title, description, and keywords. And on the right side, you'll find Subscribe and Watch Trailer buttons. My favorite part is the cover image with a transparent black design on 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 header, 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 as per your preference. The live comments and suggested videos have a bigger 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 content is its biggest strength. Titles such as "Minecraft," "PUBG," "Sekiro," "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," "Temple Run?" and "Grand Theft Auto V?" are all available. You can also find most game coverage for any gaming YouTuber by clicking on the search bar.
Depending on the quality of the original content, you can watch content at a resolution up to 4K. Most gaming streams are in HD quality or better, so make sure you're either on Wi-Fi or have a good data connection with at least 5mbps of speed.
There are four different types of content on the website: entertainment, news, education, and lifestyle.
Let?s Plays
Let's Plays are fun to watch because 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 also wants to learn more about it via YouTube.
Reviews
You'll find a lot of gaming content on YouTube. That's 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 is 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 could have missed otherwise.
Reactions
I find reaction videos to be very entertaining. Though some of the creators can often get a lot of heat for them, there is something attractively spontaneous about reaction videos. Sites like OzzyMan Reviews have redefined reactions and commentary on YouTube, making them more spontaneous and fun to watch. Just like Snoop Dogg's commentary on animals.
Desktop/Mobile experience
YouTube Gaming is a great tool that both creators and consumers can use to improve their experience. Creators can simply click on the "Go Live" button to start broadcasting themselves, and you can also upload new videos or start streaming. Just make sure that your gaming setup is up to par--such as a Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming--and you'll be good to go!
Streamers can easily connect with their fans and make money from live streams by playing advertisements and showing 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.
This platform has no harsh policies on music; instead, copyrighted songs are muted on Twitch but not taken down on YouTube.
Plans & Pricing
You can use the free YouTube platform for both viewers and content creators. You can support your favorite YouTubers through Patreon or Kickstarter, and you can even donate when they're streaming. However, YouTube as a platform doesn't charge you anything for watching the streams.
Suggestions I have for YouTube Gaming
I really like the platform. There are no complaints about streaming quality. Most of the features are great. My only suggestion would be to create an individual platform with a unique appeal. That?s challenging and might not be good advice, but it?ll sure attract millions of users if itâs anywhere as good as the current streaming service. Itâs just that YouTubeâs content property feels the same because of the dark layout.
Conclusion
YouTube Gaming is a great platform to watch endless gaming content. I love streaming YouTube Gaming on my mobile and I spend a lot of time watching walkthroughs on the network. One of my favorite gaming YouTubers is BrendenPlayz who streams WWE gaming content most of the time. Apart from his channel, I often watch MGH, TheRadBrad, Chris Smoove, and ShuffleGamer.
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