Background
Gaming is huge on YouTube (like, 200 million people watching every day big) , with almost no limit to the kind of content people are watching and making, with everything from in-game clips, to game-inspired music videos, fan-lead storytelling and custom animation - and the communities built around this content all bring their passion, desires and wants to YouTube.
Every year, YouTube wants to hero these communities and the creators that drive them - but as gaming has grown into a content juggernaut, creating an inclusive and authentic celebration has become harder.
So, we asked ourselves - how can we celebrate the creators that power YouTube, empower an incredible community, and create a truly one-of-a-kind experience - and meet-and-beat the kind of exceptional content users are used to?
The Solution
Introducing YouTube: Game On, a one-of-a-kind collaboration between leading creators, the most popular games and the gamers that make YouTube great - made possible by the cutting edge of production and community-first design.
Check out the full live stream:
hey, go here to see the live stream in situ
Or a sneaky highlight reel, just for you:
The Content
GameOn had a high bar to leap over. Gaming creators make thousands of hours of exceptional content every day - both live streamed and not. We wanted to create something that recognised this high bar and added to it, showing that we really got it.
To do this, we used blended production techniques, mixing real life with virtual production facilitated by Unreal to create stunning video for each of the live-streamed segments. These virtual sets were then fed into the LED volume, allowing us to capture talent in each virtual set, in real-time – providing next-level flexibility when shooting the multiple outcomes of every challenge.
Mixing Craft & Innovation
Not only did this path allow us to elevate the content gamers are used to, but by using Unreal, we were able to make our live stream meet-and-beat the in-game experience gamers are used to.
We blended our virtual sets with an array of contemporary design and animation elements, taking cues from the games people love for transitions and title cards. Ultimately, GameOn was able to mix and match the aesthetics of our communities, their favourite games, and the ways they show up as creators - becoming a seamless part of their content diet.
Now, we wanted it to look good - but we also wanted it to be a great experience for everyone watching. That’s why we worked to match incredible content with true interactivity.
From a content perspective, we collaborated with creators and studios to make each segment special. Building on the top games and trends of 2022, we worked to match the variety gamers are used to - from Bella Poarch hosting a Mortal Kombat tournament, to IRL Among Us, a real bomb squad defusing virtual bombs in Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, and crafting a competitive Hot Ones challenge (amongst many more).
LD shadow Lady
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Markiplier
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Doigby
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Mat Pat
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Dream
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laurenzside
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Sidemen
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Aychristene
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Bella Poarch
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Felipe Neto
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Myth
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LD shadow Lady + Markiplier + Doigby + Mat Pat + Dream + laurenzside + Sidemen + Aychristene + Bella Poarch + Felipe Neto + Myth +
This was paired with continuous interactivity throughout the livestream - including polls to vote on your preferred winner, choose your own adventure moments to determine the outcome of segments and general chat and banter from the viewers that was amplified in the stream in real time.
