The Future of Gaming on YouTube: A Look Ahead
Published: December 2, 2020
Gaming on YouTube: The Evolution Continues
Gaming has become a cornerstone of YouTube culture since the platform’s birth in 2005. The future looks bright for gaming creators, as YouTube is more dedicated than ever to bolstering their success. This commitment was highlighted by Ryan Wyatt, YouTube’s Head of Gaming, who outlined numerous advancements and opportunities that should be on every creator’s radar.
A Look Back at 2019: A Year of Gaming Milestones
The last year was transformative for the gaming community on YouTube, marking important achievements. A milestone was the first-ever Gaming Creators’ Summit, which brought together influential figures from across the globe, reinforcing YouTube’s role in nurturing a robust gaming community while promoting meaningful networking for creators.
YouTube’s NextUp camps are another testament to its investment in budding gaming talent, offering these creators increased visibility and growth opportunities. A noteworthy moment of 2019 was MatPat’s charity livestream, which raised an impressive $1.3 million, showcasing the true potential and influence of gaming content beyond mere entertainment.
Enhanced Features: Better Integration and Wider Accessibility
The seamless merge of YouTube Gaming with the main YouTube platform made gaming content more accessible to all users, enhancing community interconnectivity. This strategic change contributed to 2019’s record-breaking success for gaming on YouTube.
With a staggering 30 million channels uploading gaming videos and over 200 million viewers daily, the demand for a varied gaming content portfolio is undeniable, highlighting the global reach and cross-regional passion for video games.
Celebrating Diversity: Global Gaming Trends and the Rise of Mobile Gaming
While the universal allure of video games is evident, unique regional trends significantly influence user engagement. Regions like Latin America, Southeast Asia, and India are hotspots for mobile gaming, and this enthusiasm is reflected in the most-viewed gaming categories on YouTube.
YouTube excels by embracing all gaming formats, from live streams and video-on-demand uploads to PC gaming, console experiences, VR explorations, and mobile gaming adventures, showcasing its commitment to inclusivity.
Supporting Creators: Monetization and Opportunities for Growth
YouTube continues to champion the vision of empowering creators to transform their passion into sustainable enterprises, connecting with nearly two billion users each month. The roll-out of Channel Memberships is transforming creator revenue streams by offering unique perks such as custom emojis and loyalty badges while also introducing flexible pricing options. This innovation is providing creators with alternative means of earning revenue, paving the way for greater financial security and business growth.