Gaming-related video content has evolved considerably and is now a key part of YouTube, a point of reference for creators who – with their own contents – bring together communities of enthusiasts all over the world: this is the study presented during the Milan Games Week.
Milan Games Week: YouTube the benchmark of current gaming
According to a research conducted by Kantar, among the Italian adults (18-54 years) that they watch content video on gaming, 7 out of 10 say they do it on YouTube, making it the # 1 platform for enjoying gaming content. If you look generationally, among the video gaming users interviewed, 81% of GEN Z (ages 18-24) and 71% of Millennials (ages 25-40) say they watch online gaming content on YouTube: this confirms that YouTube is the # 1 platform for GEN Z and Millennials gaming enthusiasts.
The main reasons why Italians turn to YouTube for gaming are to be found in the presence of video highlights (28%) and accessibility to the platform (39%). And it is on YouTube that 56% of respondents spend the most time watching online gaming video content, becoming the # 1 platform for gaming, followed by social media and Twitch.
“It’s hard to believe how much gaming on YouTube has evolved: today it is one of the fastest growing verticals on the platform, with more and more creators generating content and building real businesses. Suffice it to say that in the first half of 2021 alone, YouTube recorded over 800 billion views related to games globally, over 90 million hours of live streaming and over 250 million uploads. ” – he claims Francesca Mortari, Director YouTube, Southern Europe. – “As gaming creators grow, so do their needs and our job is to develop new tools with which they can build a solid presence on YouTube. It is thanks to video formats such as Live Streaming, VOD and YouTube Shorts that gaming creators can tell their stories. “
Gaming on YouTube saw its biggest year ever in 2020, with 100 billion watch hours and over 40 million active gaming channels worldwide. Many people have turned to YouTube gaming as a way to find connection, entertainment, and share moments with friends and loved ones during tough times.