FinTech and Gaming — Youtube Gaming Lacks Monetization

There are many opportunities to be explored by the FinTech world in the area of gaming and game streaming. Other than the previously mentioned Twitch.tv platform, there are other alternatives out there for gamers who want to broadcast their sessions and share experiences with the world. One of those options is none other than Youtube Gaming.

Youtube Gaming — A Slightly Different Creature

Just carrying the Youtube brand name will not be sufficient for a game streaming platform to set itself apart from any other offerings. Competitive revenue models and pricing, as well as the option to broadcast to all kinds of different platforms, are just the tip of the iceberg. Youtube Gaming was designed to be Google’s answer to Twitch, but the question is: can it succeed?

Similar to how Twitch.tv operates, Youtube Gaming allows streamers to either broadcast live, or store a collection o VODs on the platform. Additionally, the platform will make searches for in-game material more intuitive, to avoid any confusion when looking for something in particular.

But that is not the only traditional Youtube element the gaming platform has borrowed. Users can subscribe to certain gamers in the form of channels, and there is also the option to follow specific games in general. This gives Youtube Gaming a slight edge over Twitch.tv, but it could only be a matter of time until this type of functionality is no longer exclusive to the new platform.

One area where Youtube Gaming is blowing Twitch.tv out of the water is with their mobile application. The Twitch.tv mobile app offers very limited functionality and doesn’t always work properly for most people. Plus, the Youtube Gaming mobile app is an exact copy — of close thereof — of the website, whereas the Twitch app is far more static.

This is an important aspect of the FinTech world, as more and more users will be looking to consume content on their mobile devices. There will be users willing to support a streamer through financial needs, and convenient mobile payment solutions will be needed sooner rather than later.

Monetizing Streaming With Youtube Gaming

The main question is how Youtube Gaming can be monetized, and whether or not there is any incentive to choose this platform over Twitch.tv. Streamers will be able to offer special rewards to their subscribers on Youtube Gaming in the future, but the service is still in private beta testing at the time of writing this article.

But Youtube Gaming is also lacking in certain aspects, such as allowing streamers to offer subscriptions in general. Additionally, there are no partnerships between Youtube Gaming and any of its content creators [yet]. Granted, Youtube Gaming has an ad revenue model of sorts, but it looks far less appealing to what its biggest competitor has been offering for quite some time now.

FinTech companies can be a deciding factor in the battle for supremacy between Twitch.tv and Youtube Gaming. Many gamers from all over the world are looking for ways to make [more] money by doing what they love. Attractive, innovative payment methods could give one platform a leg up over the other.

The question then becomes: which type of payment method would revolutionize the game streaming industry right now? Leave your comments down below!

Website: Youtube Gaming

Header image courtesy of Youtube Gaming