Twitch Competitor YouTube Gaming Launches Tomorrow

[Steven Bogos]

Twitch Competitor YouTube Gaming Launches Tomorrow

YouTube Gaming is Google's answer to popular video game streaming service Twitch.

Just over a year ago, there was a pretty Twitch [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134592-Report-YouTube-to-Buy-Twitch-For-1-Billion-Update]. Google lost the bid - reportedly due to some anti-monopoly shenanigans - and thus went to work building it's own alternative - YouTube Gaming. Well now, YouTube Gaming is almost here, as Google has announced the service will kick off tomorrow.

Starting tomorrow, you can simply head over to the YouTube Gaming website to get started. It will let you see who is streaming what, as well as allow YouTube users to set up their own streams, in a similar fashion and layout to download a smartphone app for streaming on the go [http://www.twitch.tv/].

A beta version of the new live streaming dashboard is also launching tomorrow. The new dashboard gives greater flexibility to streamers - allowing them to turn on and off their streams at will. Streaming on YouTube Gaming is done using HTML5, and, unlike Twitch, streamers can enable a "DVR Mode" that buffers the last four hours of a stream and allows viewers to rewind. Anyone who has watched any YouTube livestreams - like Nintendo Directs - should know and appreciate the feature.

Twitch has made a name for itself in recent years, serving not only as a way for fans and gaming personalities to offer coverage and commentary of games, but for major game companies to broadcast tournaments and special events. YouTube Gaming will be its first major competitor, and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Source: Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/08/youtube-gaming-googles-twitch-tv-competitor-launches-tomorrow/]

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[srpilha]

hi, small typo in the 2nd paragraph, 1st link: you're missing an "a href=", with the preceding [, just before the YTGaming address.

 

[Zulnam]

"to the current Twitch.tv* homepage."

*Youtube.Gaming

What about royalties? How much cash can a streamer get off using their platform?

 

[sonicneedslovetoo]

Who's willing to bet that they force another google+ level failure on top of this and it just dies because Google refuses to listen to people?

 

[Auberon]

It will already run Content ID in real time, so if you're streaming anything with licensed music or catch it from radio, TV, etc - kiss your audio goodbye.

 

[Nimcha]

Cool, I like YouTube streaming. Some channels I watch already stream to YouTube and the rewind feature is absolutely excellent.

 

[Strazdas]

good for them. though i doubt many are going to use it considering that the reason people went to Twitch is to get away from youtube to begin with. Also Real time Content ID that mutes you. Designed to fail.

hi, small typo in the 2nd paragraph, 1st link: you're missing an "a href=", with the preceding [, just before the YTGaming address.

Its not really small considering it swallows the rest of the paragraph in the code.

 

[srpilha]

hi, small typo in the 2nd paragraph, 1st link: you're missing an "a href=", with the preceding [, just before the YTGaming address.

Its not really small considering it swallows the rest of the paragraph in the code.

The Bruce Lee of typos. Small gesture, big effect.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Who's willing to bet that they force another google+ level failure on top of this and it just dies because Google refuses to listen to people?

I'd take that bet.

I mean, Twitch has already had to fight off major competition. Azubu and Hitbox just kinda sputtered out, and I don't see YouTube finding a better solution to the chat spam problem that Twitch has.

It would take a lot to get people to mass migrate away from Twitch, and I remember how well Google+ worked out for them.

 

[Xeorm]

Any ideas of what incentives they're offering to use their service? Beyond more stringent copyright protection.

 

[Weaver]

You also have to be in the US or UK to use it. Thanks, Youtube!

 

[Ukomba]

Oh boy, wouldn't it be great if they drove twitch out of business and Google increased their internet monopoly that little bit more? I can't wait.

 

[ron1n]

It will already run Content ID in real time, so if you're streaming anything with licensed music or catch it from radio, TV, etc - kiss your audio goodbye.

You also have to be in the US or UK to use it. Thanks, Youtube!

So basically it's dead on arrival.

I think this is going to be less of a streamers tool and used more as a way for bigger youtubers to plug their channel or do promotional content on a part time basis. It's a shame though, I'd actually like for Twitch to have some healthy competition, but as long as the stupid content ID crap is active, It seems unlikely it will ever be more than a sideshow to Twitch.

 

[kat-pottz]

whats with all of the 3 cubes beside each other logos these days? frozen synapse has it, heck even EVO has it but it's upside down.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

My only real hope over this is if it forces Twitch to finally move to a HTML5 player. Because their Flash player absolutely trainwrecks my admittedly-less-healthy-than-usual laptop.

 

[MoltenSilver]

I have the same question now as I did when they first announced it:
What are you going to do that's better than Twitch?
Don't get me wrong, anything that competes with Twitch and puts pressure on them to improve their services is a good thing, but considering how many content creators wouldn't touch anything Google-run with a ten-foot-pole...

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well they actually launched this shit about 20x already, always horribly broken which is why no one bothered using it.
Maybe this time then...

At the very least they are pressuring Twitch to not let their shit be broken so often, so yay for that.

 

[Gatlank]

How long it will last until Content ID blocks everything?

 

[Itsuki93]

I was worried about the Content ID system before launch, so far I haven't seen any streamers having a problem with it, even in streams with Nintendo games. It has only been live for less than 24 hours so things could change.

Overall I'm enjoying it. As Twitch doesn't work on my main computer this is good for me and I hope it can put pressure on Twitch to fix a few of its problems and give the consumer more choice.