Game on: Google launches YouTube Twitch competitor – StartupSmart

Nearly a year ago to the day after failing to buy gamer platform Twitch, YouTube will be launching its own stand-alone video site focusing on the live-streaming of games.

Last year Google reportedly tried to acquire live-streaming platform Twitch but eventually lost out to Amazon, as Ars Technica reports.

It announced in June that it would instead build its own service from scratch, and now YouTube Gaming will launch on Thursday.

The platform lets users broadcast their gameplay live to viewers, and also includes 25,000 landing pages for games, a new design and different search function tailored to gamers.

It marks the first time Twitch has had any real competition in this field, and with many Twitch users already uploading their streams to YouTube. Google’s new site could become a one-stop shop.

It’s also another move for Google in its attempts to dominate the live-streaming market, with a beta version of a new dashboard also being rolled out that moves away from formal, scheduled streams.

Raising your first round of capital? Starting a crowdfunding campaign? Want to grow your business with Instagram? StartupSmart School can help.