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Supply Chains

During the recent Made on YouTube event, the video powerhouse unveiled a series of innovative features designed to elevate the livestreaming experience for creators and viewers alike. These enhancements include:

• Interactive minigames to engage audiences
• Simultaneous broadcasting in both horizontal and vertical formats
• AI-generated highlights for easy sharing
• Live reactions to events
• A new ad format that enhances viewer experience

This update is touted as the most significant enhancement to YouTube Live to date, especially as the competition with TikTok Live intensifies. Notably, over 30% of daily logged-in users engaged with live content in the second quarter of 2025.

The first major announcement was the integration of Playables into Live. These are a collection of free minigames that were previously exclusive to the homepage. By incorporating Playables, creators can now engage their audiences with popular games like Angry Birds Showdown, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask, and Trivia Crack. This feature is seen as a potential gateway for new livestreamers, offering a low-pressure way to connect with viewers.

Additionally, YouTube introduced the ability to broadcast in both horizontal and vertical formats simultaneously, optimizing the viewing experience for both desktop and mobile users. All viewers will participate in a shared chat, enhancing community interaction. As mobile consumption rises, platforms are adapting to support this trend, with Twitch recently adopting dual streaming and Apple showcasing new camera functionalities in the latest iPhone 17.

YouTube is also expanding an experiment that allows creators to initiate a vertical livestream on mobile while reacting to other live events or creators simultaneously. This feature aims to foster real-time engagement among audiences.

Moreover, the platform is rolling out AI-powered highlights that automatically curate the best moments from a livestream, transforming them into shareable Shorts. A new Practice Mode feature will enable creators to test their setups without the pressure of going live unexpectedly.

On the monetization front, YouTube is introducing a new ad format known as side-by-side ads. These ads will run alongside the main content, similar to a split-screen display, ensuring that the viewing experience remains uninterrupted. Lastly, creators with channel memberships can now seamlessly switch from public to members-only livestreams, making it easier to produce exclusive content for their paying audience.