YouTube Gaming is due to launch today. The service is YouTube’s answer to Twitch and is designed primarily to support video game streaming, as well as providing a dedicated interface for people to browse and watch videos of games.

A beta has been in the hands of some since the service’s announcement in June, but as reported by Ars Technica, the service and app should be available to everyone later today.

Unlike YouTube itself, but just like Twitch, the service lets you browse content by game. There are features however that Twitch doesn’t have, such as a “DVR mode” that automatically records the last four hours of any stream, meaning you can rewind to the beginning should you come in midway during a Rocket League match.

Less appealing however is that the service goes further in other ways, too. YouTube’s existing ContentID matching, which detects copyrighted material, will also be applied to streams. Twitch uses a similar system but only to mute audio in archived files. YouTube Gaming however will reportedly give streamers a real-time warning that a content match has been found, and if that warning is ignored will block the stream until it detects that the copyrighted content has stopped. Given how often Content ID incorrectly identifies copyright matches, whether for permissible game music or simply people’s own voices, that seems like it could cause problems.

Cousin Eurogamer recorded a tour of the streaming service if you’re curious about how it works ahead of its launch.

Although every video available through YouTube Gaming will also be viewable on YouTube proper, the new service uses a new system of ‘favourites’ rather than ‘subscriptions’ for the channels you follow. When you first open the Gaming app, you’ll have the option to import your existing subscriptions, but otherwise will have a fresh slate. Favouriting a channel on YouTube Gaming will cause you to subscribe to them on YouTube proper, but not vice versa.

In short, subscribe to the Rock, Paper, Shotgun YouTube channel.



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