YouTube Gaming app, a platform dedicated exclusively for the gaming video streaming, recently announced that it will shut its operations on May 30, instead, it will divert the existing app users to new YouTube Gaming Channel.
The Google-owned company had earlier announced its decision to shut the platform on March this year, however, postponed the date to May. The move comes amidst responses from its users that the platform has become very confusing after YouTube combined its main services with the app. Post the dropping of the service, all the users who visit YouTube Gaming App will be directed to a new channel on YouTube main page.
“We launched YouTube Gaming as a standalone app for gamers where we tested out new features based on the gaming community’s feedback. We want to continue to build a stronger home for the gaming community that thrives on YouTube,” Google said in a blogpost.
As per Google, the Gaming App has been retired to build a stronger gaming community for its nearly 20 million users and aims to engage its users with their favourite games and creators every month.
Originally launched in 2015, YouTube Gaming is a platform for gamers where it tested new features like Game Pages for better discoverability, Super Chat and Channel Memberships to help fans show support for their favourite creators, Dark Theme and even a new live streaming platform based on the gaming community’s feedback.
What Is YouTube Gaming Channel?
The new Gaming Channel will be like any other channel in the YouTube Site or app. Users can log onto the YouTube Gaming with the same Google Account that they use for YouTube, however, the company has stated that the users cannot transfer the previously saved games in the app to the new channel, but said that they are exploring newer ways to organise the users’ game interest in the platform.
As a primary step, YouTube will be filtering gaming videos to give its users the best experience of watching video games. “You’ll find everything that’s in YouTube Gaming on the main YouTube app/site, but only gaming content on YouTube Gaming,” it said.
Timeline Of The Development
September 18, 2018: Announced that the platform will shut down the YouTube Gaming App
April 30, 2019: The YouTube Gaming app was removed from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store but said that its existing users can continue to use it as normal YouTube App or subscribe to the New YouTube Gaming Channel
May 14, 2019: Subscriptions from the YouTube gaming app was automatically moved over to YouTube. Further, the users will be notified through a message when their subscription is moved to the new channel. If the users want to update the channels they are subscribed to, on YouTube, they can visit their Subscriptions Manager at any time.
May 30, 2019: The standalone YouTube App will be shut down with the users no longer being able to use the service. Instead, the users will be directed to its new gaming destination on YouTube.
The old website gaming.youtube.com will also shut down on this date and the new will point to Gaming’s new home on the streaming platform.
“If you’re a channel member on the YouTube Gaming app, no action needed on your end! If the channel sets up Memberships on YouTube, your membership will transfer over. If the channel no longer has Memberships enabled, we will automatically cancel your membership and refund your last month’s membership fee,” it said.
