Twitch vs YouTube Gaming

[bmfm]

So... which do you prefer to watch? I actually would love to get involved as a gamer on one of them (not sure what game yet, still deciding what I'm best at). But does anyone else watch or play games via streaming in general?

[blace]

If you're pretty much an unknown individual on either, you'll probably want to do Twitch as even the least popular of streamers can get at least a viewer or two. This is just by looking up a game on both YouTube Gaming and Twitch, and Twitch being the most used platform it'll also be the most competitive in terms of getting viewers.

You could try a hand in either one and seeing which would garner you viewers, or try both out at once if your internet connection allows it.

[bmfm]

Can you actually use two streaming sites at once? Feel like that would break the internet :D

[Akaimizu]

Twitch has been established longer, so it tends to run a little bit better. YouTube gaming has been upping their server capabilities as of late and greatly improved on their throughput issues of their launch days.

If you are hosting, it does seem you have to deal with a lot more of the content ID issues.

Using both at once is less of an internet issue and more of your own computer/Internet Provider issue. A lot of people's machines are geared mainly to run a good game at high end settings and run one stream at a time. Running two often is overload and you have to think about managing more things at the same time and dealing with complaints about stuttering and performance of the video stream. You'll likely not want to deal with the hassle.

[blace]

Can you actually use two streaming sites at once? Feel like that would break the internet :D
It is indeed possible, but Akaimizu explained it well.

I can give you an example, but it wouldn't be fair considering the budgeting they get to be able to stream onto two different platforms. The Warframe devstreams and Prime Time streams are aired on both YouTube Gaming and Twitch simultaneously with Twitch viewers getting the added benefit of being able to be chosen for platinum(premium currency) prizes throughout either.

[Pyrii]

Can you actually use two streaming sites at once? Feel like that would break the internet :D

There are services dedicated to this like http://restream.io

Also youtube streaming is garbage, it's both streamer-unfriendly and viewer-unfriendly. The only reason anybody uses it is to expand their audience to anyone following them on youtube.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

Personally, I prefer YouTube, but then it seems like I spend pretty much of my free time on YouTube, these days. That said, Twitch really seems like the place to go for live streaming games. If you've got an existing audience on YouTube, then you'd do well to stream there, but if you're just getting started, definitely go to Twitch. You might consider recording your livestream, and uploading the highlights to YouTube, though, just as a gameplay video. At that point, I think you'll be using both services to their strengths.

[bmfm]

Thanks for the answers! I feel like Twitch would take longer for me to understand, but I'm familiar with YouTube, as least the look and functionality of it :) So if anything, I think I would go with the second option for now. Does PewDiePie do live streaming for his game videos? I stumbled upon this article (https://www.1and1.com/digitalguide/online-marketing/social-media/how-to-make-money-on-youtube/) and was surprised to see how much he earns every month on YouTube! Wasn't aware he had over 40 million subscribers... :-? His videos aren't exactly... that good are they?

[blace]

Apparently he goes back and forth on both, but don't quote me on that. His following has been around for a long while now, I think his rise in popularity went as far back as 2011 or 2012, so he has been around for quite some time. Just don't base your expectations on his success though, since ad revenue on YouTube is based mostly on how often you upload and how many people watch content you push out, which is why a lot of YouTubers in the millions of subscribers range seem to run the same gags or style of video.

You'll want to upload things onto there to supplement the streaming to give potential subscribers what they're in for and what to expect or stream highlights.

[bmfm]

Apparently he goes back and forth on both

Just quoted :P JK. Yeah I imagine PDP just got in first with the silly youtube videos, before anyone else thought of it. I doubt any online gamer is going to come close to his level, but even making some sort of cash from YT would be a dream of mine one day, even if it's just a little bit.

[landman]

I hate youtube gaming, but I like youtube, every time I see a conference I make sure to see it with the youtube interface. I don't use much twitch the same way I don't really see many streamings on youtube, or gameplay in general, unless I feel like remembering a game I don't want to replay at the moment.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

Pewdiepie's success isn't quite a fluke. There are a handful of YouTubers who've become, maybe not fabulously wealthy, but sufficiently successful that they can focus on making videos for YouTube, full time. There's Markiplier, JackSepticEye and Peanut Butter Gamer for example. I don't know where they fall in terms of how much they're earning from their videos, but YouTube is their job; it pays their bills and leaves them with enough left over to perpetuate the business. Another thing to bear in mind, is that a lot of YouTubers get sponsors, once they get a sufficiently large audience. I've seen Geico, Audible and The Great Courses sponsoring videos quite a lot.

So while you probably shouldn't look at Pewdiepie's success and expect the same, it's not unreasonable to try for enough YouTube success to be able to do the job full-time, and live reasonably comfortably. You're going to want to learn some video editing software, though. Those videos don't edit themselves. Lynda.com is another frequent sponsor.

[RuneLateralus]

I have yet to watch any of Youtube Gaming, admittingly. While I would enjoy JackSepticEye, there is also DarkSydePhil there....and he is the scourge of streaming.

Twitch I do really enjoy watching and have been enjoy certain communities. Especially SourKoolaidShow and Bennyfits (ever since the Kotaku article on Bennyfits, I was hooked on that stream). I have even played with Bennyfits a few times in Overwatch. I really wonder how the setup is for that is.

And for SourKoolaidShow, you just can't beat the Best Damn Dark Souls Run (which took over 200 hours):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rCSllGcrAI

As you can tell, DP is more of a comedian than a excellently skilled gamer, but his shows do have a lot guest comedians on every now and then. And they even do a stand up set for the show. He has been pushing for a comedy category for Twitch for a long time and I hope it goes through. He is really entertaining to watch.