YouTube expands beta version of subscription donations. Will we be able to enjoy it in France soon?
Recently, YouTube has allowed some fans and creators to offer paid channel subscriptions. A number of influential streamers posted this announcement on Twitter, many of them stating that they are pleased with the emergence of this new monetization tool. Subscription donations have been a very popular feature on Twitch, YouTube Gaming’s main competitor, for a while.
YouTube Expands Subscription Donation Beta
Many streamers see subscriptions as an easy way to generate income while building a community. YouTube finally took the time to offer this feature. A limited number of channels on YouTube Japan were able to start experimenting with this earlier in the year. Subscription donations, a feature still in beta, are now available to all YouTube Gaming users in the US and UK.
Fans typically pay $4.99 per month for a channel subscription that gives them access to icons, emotes, and other exclusive content from their favorite creators. YouTube Gaming introduced several other Twitch features this year, such as Live Redirects, which allow streamers to direct viewers to other streams.
Will we be able to enjoy it in France soon?
Although Twitch remains the largest US live streaming platform, in recent years the big profiles have moved away from it to YouTube Gaming. And others may follow. Bloomberg reported last month that Twitch partners will soon receive a smaller share of subscription revenue (50% vs. 70% previously) under a new monetization model. YouTube Gaming only receives 30% of streamers’ income from subscriptions. And while YouTube Gaming’s audience isn’t as big as Twitch’s, that could change if popular Twitch creators decide to look elsewhere.