YouTube released the results of a recent study it conducted regarding the way in which its users consume videos that have to do with the videogame industry. The study, titled "Gamers on YouTube: Evolving Video Consumption" suggests gamer's reliance on the video sharing site is increasing over time. The report suggests 95 percent of consumers turn to gaming videos.
The study was originally designed for marketers who wish to understand this particular subculture of YouTube users in order to direct products and advertising better. The company has been able to quantify the impact video games have on the YouTube community and the results were surprising.
According to the report, one in three views of all gaming videos are done on a smartphone or tablet. The company suggests these are "second screen" views of the content by people who are watching the video in tandem with their game running so that they can navigate through difficult areas or follow a walkthrough.
This statistical assumption is backed up by the number of people who watch videos on their desktops prior to a game's launch, according to Game Informer. More people view the preview videos and demos for a game on their desktops rather than mobile devices. After a game is released, people turn to their mobile devices to "second screen" the content for guidance as they try and beat the game.
Another surprising statistic the report revealed is the number of audience members this community has each year. Consumption of gaming videos has jumped significantly year-over-year in 2012.
Gamers are an obvious audience for YouTube to target with its first "white paper" document. The company has invested heavily in one outside video company, the gaming site Machinima, which recently raised $35 million and are looking for at least that much in a new round of funding.
With the success of Machinima, which currently rakes in about 2 billion videos views per month, according to AllThingsD, it's no surprise that YouTube is trying to quantify what makes this area such a successful part of the YouTube community.
