Twitch’s biggest competitor is rising to the challenge. The head of YouTube Gaming, Ryan Wyatt, delivered some great news to creators and viewers alike today. The Google-owned platform will be expanding upon its gaming offerings by adding gifted memberships, improved discoverability, clips, and new tools for livestream moderators.
Last year, YouTube had 40 million active gaming channels and received 4.3 billion hours watched across its live gaming channels, according to Wyatt. This was double the total number of hours watched in 2019, signaling huge growth for the platform. And in terms of gaming-related videos, over 250 million were uploaded last year.
YouTube Gaming has become a leading platform for esports tournament livestreams as well. Games like Call of Duty, League of Legends, VALORANT, Overwatch, Dota 2, and Garena Free Fire have all hosted livestreams via YouTube from around the world.
YouTube will continue to develop its VOD, Shorts, and livestreaming categories for gaming creators and is promising 10 different ways for creators to monetize their content on YouTube. Wyatt said he’s been listening to feedback and wants YouTubers and viewers to know their voices are being heard.
In 2022, YouTube Gaming will work to improve streamer discoverability and add gifted memberships. But the platform also wants to create tools that allow streamers to easily turn livestream clips into YouTube Shorts.
Allowing creators to quickly turn clips into YouTube Shorts would provide another avenue for monetization via the YouTube Shorts Fund. By comparison, Twitch doesn’t offer a way for streamers to monetize their clips, nor does the platform offer an easy way to browse popular clipped moments.
Many content creators expressed their excitement with Wyatt’s announcement, such as FaZe Clan’s Kalei and Overwatch streamer SamitoFPS.
It looks like YouTube Gaming won’t be pulling a Mixer anytime soon.
