YouTube Gaming is a free Android and iOS app Google’s video hosting-focused subsidiary released back in 2015 to try to better compete against Twitch, the Amazon-owned live streaming video platform largely centered on games and related content.
But although the YouTube Gaming app’s audience is described as “strong” and “vibrant” in a new official blog post, the standalone service for gamers that was used as a public test bed for popular features like Super Chat, Channel Memberships, and Dark Theme will be discontinued in March 2019.
That’s probably due to the relatively modest size of the “vibrant” aforementioned audience, at least compared to the over 200 million people religiously visiting the main YouTube website to watch gaming videos and streams. After all, the app is still barely listed at 5 million+ installs on Google’s Play Store, with an average review score of 4.2 stars that’s not exactly impressive either.
But the most important reason behind the decision to retire this app is YouTube’s desire to minimize user confusion. A new “Gaming destination” is already available at youtube.com/gaming to “give gamers a home on YouTube”, and obviously, the best things about the separate YouTube Gaming experience are now integrated directly into the main platform.
You can also access the Gaming “destination” by visiting YouTube as you’d normally do, then hitting the dedicated tab on the left, right behind your list of subscriptions. Based on what YouTube thinks you like to watch, you’ll see “personalized” gaming content at the very top of the page, as well as top live games, live streams, relevant trending videos, and last but not least, recent content from your subscriptions.
It all sounds fairly straightforward and uncomplicated, which is what most gamers have been requesting for ages. In the US, you’ll also get recommendations of “On The Rise” gaming creators (a new one every week, to be exact), with the feature set to roll out to “more countries in the future.” Anyone sad to see the mobile YouTube Gaming app go like this?
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
![T-Mobile users can get iPhone 16 for the price of a budget phone (no new line) [UPDATED]](https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/167601-wide-two_350/T-Mobile-users-can-get-iPhone-16-for-the-price-of-a-budget-phone-no-new-line-UPDATED.jpg)
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: