One year after losing their bid for purchasing Twitch.tv, Google has launched their own streaming platform on none other than Youtube itself. I tried getting into streaming, and sadly I have neither the internet connection (screw AT&T Uverse) nor the time to stream — personality debatable. I think I have the angle for it, especially when I really get into the games I play, but haven’t really been able to make much of it over the years. I’ve decided I’m likely better off making movies, and that’s where Youtube shines. So now that Youtube Gaming is out, let’s take a look.
Ugly and Counterintuitive Presentation
I hate — loathe, detest, despite, etc. — sites with black backgrounds and really dark colors. My eyes freak out and I feel sick. AWEFUL choice for a site all about sitting there and watching streams.
Finding streams and lesser known games is not as intuitive as Twitch, and the way Youtube is laying it out looks to me like they are pimping their high-earners rather than trying to grow the community overall. There are way too many steps and too much hunting is required in order to find streams worth watching.
DVR
Being able to rewind streams… brilliant. This is definitely a feature that Twitch should emulate. I have often wanted to pause while someone talks to me and pick back up where I left off, or go back to see something again, and having this feature is a huge incentive for Youtube.
Integration with Youtube Itself
They definitely integrated the streaming side nicely with Youtube. As a partnered publisher already, getting started is as simple as a few clicks. I can monetize my videos without having to go through the hoops of getting partnered like I would at Twitch, and I can start making money like I normally would (or in my case wouldn’t) on Youtube. That leads to the biggest issue….
“Copyright” Enforcement / Content ID
This is the number one reason I will likely never become a streamer on Youtube. Youtube still uses a strategy where the Complainant wins by default. Let’s say I play a game and a publisher doesn’t like that I’m making money or even fairly using their content. All they have to do is file the complaint and my video is instantly gone. It’s a guilty until proven innocent, and getting proven innocent means nothing if the publisher chooses to pursue the issue. In the end, you have no rights on Youtube.
Who Wins?
All day long the Twitch channels I watched were slamming Youtube and praising Twitch even before Youtube’s gaming sector launched. There wasn’t even an ounce of intention there for people to give Youtube a chance.
For me, however, I was completely ready to give Youtube all of the chance in the world. I wasn’t inherently on either side. I actually wanted Youtube to be great and for me to truly consider utilizing the new platform… but I can’t. Youtube just isn’t there yet. They may never be.
Hopefully Twitch will see a reason to light a flame under their backsides and implement some improvements. DVR would be great. Better community tools would also be nice. Reality is, even if they do nothing, they still have nothing to fear. Youtube is simply that far out from even being a consideration. For now, save yourselves some time and simply keep using Twitch.
Honestly I never watch anything on twitch, because as a casual observer the site seems unusable. The site doesn’t function without allowing a dozen different seemingly unrelated sites to run java script in the browser and even then I’m never sure it’ll work. So anymore if something is only on twitch I’m just not watching it. I’ve gone more than 7 years now without any kind of infection on my PC, and I chalk a lot of that up as not doing the equivalent of sharing dirty needles.
I will very occasionally catch a friend playing a game right through Steam’s integrated streaming (which works great), but I have no time to watch strangers play video games.
@Whorhay
I am in the same boat. Twitch works like crap and comes with tons of malware. Bring on the youtube version.
I’ve never had a problem with malware from twitch and I am on it about everyday, especially at work. But I always run with ad block as well so that could be why.
I also tend to find it very intuitive and easy to use and I tend to watch both big games and smaller ones. I mean you have the search bar at the top to search for a game or channel, a browse key to browse games, and then the top channels for computer xbox one and ps4 all on the front page along with their featured channels.
One issue with the post Google did not lose Twitch they backed off because of rumblings of monopoly accusations.
I am glad Google is doing their own thing which have features I have been craving for. DVR is the number one feature I have been wanting from Twitch from day one.
I’ve never had any Malware or hint of malware from Twitch. Is there any data or more information I can see regarding that?
Nobody Wins, Keen. No one.
Live Game streaming is ruining kids these days. Not only does it open up the “Anonymity = You Can Be Retarded, No Consequence” to more audiences (more kids), the streamers themselves disgust me. They are caving more and more, making complete pussies out of themselves, bending over backwards to get more subscriptions. Fine, they are making money, but it’s basically internet prostitution, imo. I watched some stream linked from a AGDQ video: the guy was running some app that let people on his chat pick the music (which was intentionally crap) while he pretended to like it. He was touching a chain around his neck, saying his Dad gave it to him, and a second later after reading chat, “Oh yeah, I’ll stop touching it. Sorry”. Then, “You want me to head bang to this? Ok.”
It’s just really saddening.
As a totally novice user, every time I click on twitch I have problems loading it. Possibly because of the chat. Then again I’m not going to log in regularly to hear a 23 year old show me his glorious WoW adventures. So maybe that’s ok.
Thanks for the info!
BTW, …awful/awesome. 😛
I really like twitch. The nonsense that it’s ruining kids and gaming I cannot follow at all. In fact I think Twitch and live streaming is a huge win for competitive gaming. Sure there are bad streamers and good streamers, just like every other media (Blogs, youtube etc). Most youtubers beg a bit for subscribers, and Streamers do the same, it’s nothing new.
For me it’s a huge boost that its live. You can interact with the people playing the game, something youtube cant (untill now)