Image: YouTube
Google-owned YouTube is throwing its weight behind gaming in a big, big way.The company officially launched YouTube Gaming this afternoon, a centralized hub for video game-related videos that will feature both pre-recorded videos and live streams. The service, which is available on the web and via dedicated mobile apps, will have dedicated pages for more than 25,000 games, and recommend videos based on viewing history.YouTube Gaming was first announced in June. At the time, the company stated it wanted to create an "experience" for gamers that "they deserve."However, YouTube is playing catch-up here. Twitch, which Amazon bought this time last year for nearly $1 billion, has pioneered the live streaming of video game footage since its launch in 2011. (E-sports, which are estimated to generate more than $450 million in revenue by 2017, are routinely streamed live on Twitch.)In response to an inquiry from Motherboard about the launch of YouTube Gaming, Twitch's SVP of marketing, Matthew DiPietro, said that the company was "focused on the future" and was committed to building "the best social, global, multi-screen video platform for gamers, period."YouTube, meanwhile, said in a statement that the launch of YouTube Gaming was "just the beginning" for the company's plans.