The functionality remains unchanged, however. As before, you can set a custom title, enable or disable live chat, and choose to send a notification to all of your subscribers. You can broadcast in portrait or landscape and messages will appear on your screen as fast-moving bubbles. If you've used Periscope or Facebook Live before, you'll know exactly what to expect. Why Google has taken so long to roll-out the tool is unclear; the YouTube team says it's made some adjustments, such as slowing down live chat and "pushing for better streaming quality," but otherwise it's a mystery.

In the last six months, Facebook Live has grown exponentially. YouTube is still attractive -- that's where many video stars have the largest audience -- but it's a tougher sell for casual users. YouTube is banking on its reliability and "rock-solid infrastructure" to tempt people across, as well as a new "Super Chat" feature. Like Twitch and other live streaming services, this gives viewers the option to pay for a distinct, brightly colored message. It'll stay pinned to the top of the chat window for up to five hours, and earn creators another slice of cash as they converse with their fans in real-time.