YouTube Launches Emote Support With Gaming Emotes to Start, More Types to Follow

YouTube is catching up to Twitch and is now offering support for YouTube Emotes. These custom images can be used across the platform while interacting with chat and the comments in a video. Currently, YouTube is supporting a variety of Gaming Emote.

In a YouTube Help blog post, a community manager highlights the fact that YouTube Emotes are now active and widely available to use. Much like emotes on Twitch, YouTube Emotes are static images that represent certain themes, characters, or phrases. As of now, YouTube is prioritizing Emote support for Gaming.

for the times where words just aren’t enough… introducing YouTube Emotes! 🥳

now everyone can join in & react to all the biggest Ws across streams w/ new emotes.

we’re starting with emotes for Gaming but more types of emotes to come, stay tuned👀

more: https://t.co/H2iZYffWAS pic.twitter.com/rpTmVvnCtj

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) December 5, 2022

YouTube is supporting default Emotes, similar to Twitch. One in particular that can be found is “cat-orange-whistling.” There are also other Emotes for “GG,” and “Game Over.” Of course, YouTube also has a couple with the platform’s logo. Each of the Gaming Emotes has been created by Abelle Hayford, Guy Field, & Yujin Won

To find and use YouTube Emotes, users can click that smiling face emoji symbol. Similar to YouTube’s emoji support, Emotes can be found in a scrolling menu and used within the comment section of a video. Alternatively, when active in a live stream YouTube Emotes can also be utilized there.

“We’re starting with emotes created for Gaming but are working on bringing even more themes of emotes in the future, so stay tuned for emotes for even more communities!” the company says in its post. There’s currently no telling how of when YouTube will expand its support of Emotes in the future.

Twitch has long supported Emotes across its platform with a wide variety of images. Many of which capitalize on the meme side of gaming. YouTube Emotes fail to do so currently. Though, there’s always an opportunity to capitalize on them in the future.