YouTube Gaming does what Twitch can't

YouTube Gaming

After rumors and a later confirmation from Google, YouTube's gaming channel is finally here.

It's not a stretch to call this new gaming hub Google's own version of the live-streaming leader, Twitch. Livestream viewers coming to YouTube Gaming will feel very familiar with the interface that borrows heavily from Twitch even down to the emoji spammers in the chat.

Of course, Google has a few new tricks Twitch does not have starting with the ability to stream at 60 frames per second through HTML 5. YouTube Gaming also has the DVR functionality built into it, which allows fans to easily pause, rewind and speed up the stream — all features not yet available on Twitch.

Gaming has become a big focus for YouTube, so much so that games has become a suggested search query alongside channels and videos. When users look up a game they'll be transported to a landing page complete with a unique header image and icon with any associated videos arranged neatly on a hub page.

Google has previously remarked that it will have over 25,000 dedicated pages to games alone and plans to make it easier for viewers to easily connect with their favorite YouTubers.

YouTube is available on the web, as well as on iOS and Android for those in the UK and US. Google has plans to expand its gaming channel to anywhere in the world where YouTube currently is available.

TOPICS
Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.

Latest in Streaming
The Russo brothers posing for a photograph and Herman carrying a Volkswagen camper van in The Electric State
'We're optimists': AI enthusiasts Joe and Anthony Russo defend its use in movies and TV shows, but admit there are 'very real dangers' around its application
A close up of Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy Norris in Paramount Plus' Landman TV series
The Taylor Sheridan supremacy lives on at Paramount+ as Landman gets renewed for season 2
Max Verstappen of Red Bull in testing for the 2025 season in Bahrain
Australian Grand Prix 2025: How to watch F1 First Practice race online from anywhere
A collage of Tom Holland's unmasked Spider-Man and Sadie Sink's Max in Stranger Things season 4
Marvel reportedly casts Stranger Things star Sadie Sink in Spider-Man 4, but I don't want her to tackle the roles she's rumored to play
Lilo & Stitch Official Trailer
Stitch crashes into earth and steals our hearts with the first trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch
Y2K cast looking shocked
Y2K has a streaming release date on Max, so you can witness the technology uprising at home
Latest in News
The Russo brothers posing for a photograph and Herman carrying a Volkswagen camper van in The Electric State
'We're optimists': AI enthusiasts Joe and Anthony Russo defend its use in movies and TV shows, but admit there are 'very real dangers' around its application
UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer
UK PM says AI should soon replace civil servants
Xbox Copilot in Minecraft
Microsoft confirms Copilot can be tested by Xbox Insiders next month and shares new details about how the AI sidekick will enhance the player experience: 'It has to be about gameplay, it has to be personalized to you'
Eight Samsung TVs mounted to the wall showing different basketball games
Samsung is offering you 8 new TVs in one bundle for March Madness, in case you want to watch all games at once like a Bond villain’s lair
Image depicting hands typing on a keyboard, with phishing hooks holding files, passwords and credit cards.
Microsoft warns about a new phishing campaign impersonating Booking.com
The Steam Logo on a mobile phone in front of a wall of games.
Today’s Steam Spring Sale features my absolute favorite game of all time - here's when the sale starts and all the key info