YouTube Gaming, the new hotness for YouTube is getting some updates, with updates to their mobile streaming apps and website announced overnight on their blog.
In their post, YouTube said that the service has become the most watched platform for gamers in which every month gamers watch more than 144 billion minutes of gaming videos and live streams available on YouTube. To put it into perspective, its simply like watching Let’s Plays for more than 270,000 years straight 24 hours a day or for Final Fantasy VII fans, its like 1,900,000 times a day. That’s impressive numbers for a service which just launched.
The updates for the website and apps incorporate feedback from YouTube Gaming users given over the last month, which they hope will see even more adoption of the service – we say release it to the rest of the world.
The updates rolling out in their app, YouTube says are the next step in their ‘quest to create the best place for gamers to come together to watch gaming videos, build communities, and live stream’.
The update finally brings the ability to live stream your mobile gaming directly from your mobile or tablet, which was announced by YouTube Gaming’s Global head of Content for Gaming, Ryan Wyatt, during the Tokyo Game Show earlier last month.
YouTube Gaming users can now record and live stream mobile gameplay on-the-go directly from Android devices using Mobile Capture on YouTube Gaming, with no additional software or hardware required. All users need to enable live streaming on their mobile phone or tablet is simply tap ‘Go Live’ (or your avatar on a phone) in the YouTube Gaming app, turn on your selfie cam and record your commentary with your phone’s microphone.
Game streamers wanting to monetise their gaming, something competitor service Twitch has certainly done, will soon be able to receive Fan Funding and Sponsorships. YouTube Gaming has launched a limited beta trial of Fan Funding and Sponsorships to a small group of creators but should roll it out further soon. This funding and sponsorship model will enable those creators of live streaming content to allow followers, for a monthly payment, sponsors receive extra perks including a live chat badge chosen by the creator and access to exclusive chat sessions.
YouTube Gaming has stated that this beta feature will expand to a list of more beta channels but has not confirmed what channels or creators will be taped on to continue the beta trial.
Lastly, YouTube Gaming has provided a list of other improvements they have made to both its website but apps as well. The full list of improvements include:
- More easily see when there are live streams for games in your collection
- Easier video bookmarking with Watch Later
- Improved performance and a redesigned watch page on gaming.youtube.com
- Better search navigation on iOS by remembering your previous searches
- Import existing subscriptions anytime from YouTube via Settings
Sadly though, there was no confirmation on when YouTube Gaming will be made available here officially, as the blog post does make mention the updates only being made available to users in the U.S. and U.K. As for the update, we’ll be linking to the YouTube Gaming APK as soon as it’s made available.
