YouTube is continuing its big push into gaming with a couple of new features for streamers that bring it up to par with Twitch – or in some cases help it jump ahead.
Most notably, you can now stream mobile games without the need for any extra specialized hardware. Simply tap the ‘Go Live’ button on the YouTube Gaming app, and the software will begin capturing both your screen and selfie cam.
You’ll see a circular window showing a feed from your selfie cam, along with controls for recording and messaging. It’s a feature Twitch doesn’t currently offer, and could give YouTube a big advantage for streaming games on Android and iOS.
Meanwhile, the company is also introducing a sponsorship system to allow fans to help fund their favorite streamers with a monthly donation. Benefactors receive a badge denoting their support. This feature is currently limited to a small number of beta testers, but expect it to open up to all streamers in the coming months.
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There are couple of other improvements too, such as a Watch Later function for bookmarking videos, performance optimizations and the ability to import your existing YouTube subscriptions.
The updated YouTube gaming app is available now from the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store in the US and UK.
➤ Gamers and streamers – a winner is you! [YouTube Blog]
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