YouTube will relaunch livestreaming service with focus on eSports and gaming - report

According to industry sources, Google is preparing to relaunch YouTube's livestreaming service with a focus on eSports and gaming.

According to anonymous sources speaking to TheDailyDot, Google is planning to bring back YouTube's livestreaming service.

The company is said to have started recruiting around 50 engineers with experience in the field, "a pretty big statement of intent," according to one source. "The time is right as well, with Twitch moving into other areas such as music and so on. Google doesn't want to be too far behind in the arms race," they continued.

Sources believe gaming and eSports are the prime reason for the service's resurrection. "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."

An announcement is expected at E3 this year.

Google tried to get into the market of video game streaming before when it was in talks to acquire Twitch last year. These talks went nowhere and Amazon swooped in to close the deal and pay $970 million.