Last year there were rumors that Google was planning on acquiring Twitch but that did not happen due to alleged concerns over antitrust issues. Instead Amazon was the company that picked them up which we’re sure Google can’t be too happy with. That being said a report from The Daily Dot is now suggesting that Google could be looking to take on Twitch with new features for YouTube.According to the report, YouTube could be thinking of launching a live streaming feature that would have a focus on the eSports and gaming scene. Live streaming is not a new feature to YouTube but the emphasis on gaming could be. According to The Daily Dot’s source, “There’ll be huge opportunities for established streamers and organizations soon and I would say that the record numbers of esports viewers are only going to grow when Google start promoting and partnering with these events.”
YouTube is said to be gearing up for the service as they have begun to recruit a fair number of engineers with expertise in the streaming industry. While it might be somewhat understandable that Google might let Twitch have gaming, the fact that Twitch has begun to encroach into other fields such as music might not sit well with Google and YouTube.
The report claims that Google could announce the new feature and service at E3 2015 which is expected to take place in the middle of the year. Until then we suggest you take it with a grain of salt for now.