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YouTube Gaming has been out for approximately two years and the consensus differs from person to person. From the audience to the gamers, ‘YouTube Gaming has definitely had a significant impact on the position fo Let’s Play gaming in the digital world.
YouTube, the conglomerate that it is, obviously holds the alpha position for online video tied with ad revenue. Within the platform there are tens of thousands of niches from daily vlogging to tech reviews. Let’s Play gaming is one of most popular and impactful genres that have ascended.
With only 5 years in acknowledgment, Let’s Play gaming has opened avenues for specialized MCNs, YouTuber created games, and even sparked an entirely new platform – Twitch.
Twitch totally Zuckerberg-ed YouTube before they could realize the gem they had their hands. Beating them to punch, or merely subduing the bow. Gamers still operated on YouTube for their long form uploads and series’ for the ad revenue out turned to Twitch for their live streams in turn for convenience.Technically created in 2007 under the title Justin.tv, Amazon revived the live streaming platform in 2011 and did it better than ever. Nearly replicating the incredibly smart business move that Google did with YouTube. At one point garnering 43 million a month, from last record now gained 100 million viewers on average and reigning in over a billion dollars for Amazon.
Twitch was able to take the incredibly niche and still discredited genre content and turn it into a capitalistic conglom’ of its own.
YouTube finally woke, smelled the roses, and realized what they have been neglecting for the last five years, rendered some code and slapped their name on it. Not only putting it in front of ____ faces of regular Let’s Play viewers but strategically creating sponsored ties with the platform’s top gamers. Ensuring the immense impact of its launch.
Corporate capitalism aside, the biggest concern is; what does this mean for the content creators?
Two of the four horsemen (Google & Amazon) can’t answer that, and neither can I.
So we went directly to the source, the gamers, and asked about their thoughts on YouTube Gaming and what it means for the future of Let’s Play.
Q&A Section
What were your expectations for YouTube Gaming before its release? And did it live up or let you down?
Regarding expectations, majority predicted that YouTube Gaming would essentially be a “red and black version of Twitch”, from the words of fetch games creator Jenny. TheAsherShow expressed that YTG exceeded his expectation while SQG Comedy Channel stated that it merely met his expectation.
Unsurprisingly, the derogatory topic of Content ID came up. YouTube’s Content ID system essentially runs in the background of the live streams of the Let’s Players and has the ability to identify whether copyrighted music is playing.
The strict program is a strain on the content creators; SQG calls it the sites downside and subsequently the “Content ID system would be the site’s downside as many YouTubers on Twitter have tried it out and were displeased”
What are your thoughts on YouTube Gaming versus Twitch? Will its release affect your presence on Twitch?
Although SQG is not a frequent live streamer, he is still a member a much larger community of viewers. His loyalty lies with the creators of the content and where they migrate, not the platforms. As of now, “Youtube Gaming is the streaming site [he] visit[s] the least”.
- – Alec “TheSideQuestGamer” Alger
- New York native SQG delivers clean cut and straight to the point editorials and reviews on all things geek and noteworthy
- youtube.com/TheSideQuestGamer
The owner of the channel fetch games expressed that YTG is simply the “black and red version of twitch with a fairly poor content ID system”. The only upside pertaining to be the ability to save the stream post broadcast forever.
- – Jenny aka “fetch games”
- As a female Let’s Player Jenny is a rare but welcomed adorable commodity to the video game streaming community.
- youtube.com/Fetch21530
Have you noticed any pros and cons of Youtube Gaming since its release? i.e. The HD stream quality to content ID running in the background with the ability to shut down your stream instantly
Referencing the recurring and infamous issue of Content ID on YTG, TSQG expressed, “For a streaming site meant just for gameplay, it sure doesn’t want people to stream certain games”.
- – Alec “TheSideQuestGamer” Alger
- New York native SQG delivers clean cut and straight to the point editorials and reviews on all things geek and noteworthy
- youtube.com/TheSideQuestGamer
- In reference to possible pros and cons, Jenny reiterated the ability to archive the stream forever. As for cons, the LP made a notion to the infamous Content ID and specified into Nintendo’s ridiculous copyright chokehold – “get slapped in the face with a copyright claim”.
- – Jenny aka “fetch games”
- As a female Let’s Player Jenny is a rare but welcomed adorable commodity to the video game streaming community.
- youtube.com/Fetch21530
It’s important to address the big question mark in the room, will YouTube Gaming take over the Let’s Play world and be the downfall of Twitch? Or will they coexist?
“Probably not”. Bringing up a great point he covered in his YouTube Gaming Announcement video, they will most likely coexist. Pulling a similarity to Amazon Prime and Netflix Alger believe the two platform will live vicariously on the world wide web but, makes sure to reiterate his belief that the Content ID system needs some work.
– Alec “TheSideQuestGamer” Alger
- New York native SQG delivers clean cut and straight to the point editorials and reviews on all things geek and noteworthy
- youtube.com/TheSideQuestGamer
The vivid exponential growth of the Let’s Play world has no sights of slowing down anytime soon. With new platforms popping up left and right in addition to YouTuber created apps and console games flying out of the wood works, LP isn’t going anywhere and will only gain even more traction. Summoning the gods of capitalism to innovate new ways to profit, which isn’t all bad because it will support our content creators even more.
As I stated before, Let’s Play is one of the, if not the, most popular genre on digital video platforms between YouTube and Twitch. It has not only created massive cult followings of millions of subscribers for people like CaptianSparlz and Syndicate but has garnered BILLIONS for people like Markiplier.
The simple tools of a camera, a mic, a game with its console, mixed with a little video embedding can create the monstrosity that is Pewdiepie the BIGGEST ‘Tuber in the game with top earnings of millions of dollars tied with a daily average of 10 million views a day. Let’s just say it’s a bit more than Happy Wheels, Red Bull, and a swivel chair.
YouTube Gaming is less than two years old so statistically, collective reports on YTG are still a bit premature. Regardless, I will surely keep my eyes peeled and take notes concerning the longevity and potential health benefits of YouTube Gaming on the future of Twitch, multiple other streaming platforms, and most importantly – our gamers.
What are YOUR thoughts on YouTube Gaming? Let us know in the comments below!
