YouTube Expands Game Streaming To Mobile Devices

YouTube updated its YouTube Gaming app to incorporate mobile game streaming and recording for use with Android devices.

YouTube Gaming debuted in June, giving game streamers a viable outlet to host their content and enabling Android and iOS users to watch their favorite streamers from their mobile devices. Previously, the app only enabled mobile users to view, favorite and chat with ongoing livestreams, but the latest update provides livestreaming support directly from your smartphone while you're playing your favorite mobile games.

YouTube Gaming users can now record or stream their mobile games without any additional software or hardware. Just tap "Go Live" in the app, turn on your front-facing camera, and record commentary through the device's microphone while playing the likes of Angry Birds or Game of War. Like all YouTube Gaming streams, it will automatically be saved as a YouTube video after the stream ends, immortalizing your mobile-gaming glory in the annals of the Internet, for all time.

Other new and improved features include easier search navigation, improved performance and a beta release of a fan funding and sponsorship program. This new feature enables viewers to support their favorite streamers directly, with either fan funding (one time gift) or a full-fledged sponsorship (monthly payment). Sponsors will receive extra perks from their donations in the form of a special live chat badge and exclusive chat sessions. YouTube plans to continually expand the available beta channels for this neat new crowd-funding feature.

Users simply need to apply the latest update to the YouTube Gaming app to enjoy these new capabilities and improvements. Now everyone can see you crush Candy Crush, burn through Dragonvale and clash in Clash of Clans.

Derek Forrest is an Associate Contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. PC gaming, graphics hardware and VR devices are among his favorite topics to cover. He is a lifelong PC enthusiast, former IT administrator and a custom PC builder with a penchant for creating music, voice acting and all things geek.

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