YouTube Live gets a major update, introduces dual-format streaming, minigames, and more

At its Made on YouTube event on Tuesday, the video giant announced several new features aimed at improving the livestreaming experience. This includes letting creators play minigames to entertain viewers, broadcast simultaneously in both horizontal and vertical formats, provide AI-powered highlights, react to live events, use a new ad format, and more.

The company says this is the most significant update to Live it has ever introduced, as the livestreaming market continues to grow and competition with TikTok Live heats up. The company reports that more than 30% of daily logged-in viewers watched live content during the second quarter of 2025. 

The first announcement YouTube made was the integration of Playables into Live. Playables are the catalog of free minigames that were previously only available on the home page. The addition brings an interactive element to livestreaming, enabling creators to play popular games like Angry Birds Showdown, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask, and Trivia Crack. 

YouTube suggests Playables could serve as an entry point for new livestreamers, providing a low-pressure way to make a first impression with viewers. The move could also position YouTube more squarely in competition with Twitch, a platform known for its strong emphasis on gamers. 

In addition, the company introduced the ability to simultaneously broadcast in both horizontal and vertical formats, which would help creators optimize the viewing experience for both desktop and mobile users. Notably, all viewers will join one shared chat.

As more viewers consume content on their phones, platforms are introducing features to support this style of broadcasting to better compete with mobile-first platforms like TikTok. Twitch was the most recent to introduce dual streaming, and Apple’s latest iPhone 17 announcement included Camera functionality for recording in landscape and portrait while holding the phone vertically.

YouTube is also expanding an experiment that allows creators to start a vertical livestream on mobile and react live to other events or creators who are streaming at the same time as them.

Plus, the company announced the launch of AI-powered highlights that automatically select the best moments from a livestream to turn them into shareable Shorts, as well as a new “Practice Mode” feature that allows creators to test their setups without the stress of accidentally going live. 

When it comes to monetization, YouTube is rolling out a new ad format that won’t interrupt the viewing experience. Called side-by-side ads, these ads can run adjacent to the main content, similar to a split-screen display. 

Finally, there’s a new option for creators with channel memberships to switch from public livestreams to members-only ones without disruption, so they can create exclusive content for paying members more easily.

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