The Hub For YouTube’s Streaming E3 Coverage Is Live

The 2015 edition of the video game industry’s annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) begins on June 16th, and YouTube is on-site to provide live coverage. The video site’s first major challenge to Twitch’s domination of the video game streaming industry has arrived, as it has launched the hub on which it will provide hours of live coverage directly from E3.

YouTube’s E3 channel, which it announced two weeks before the expo’s official start date, offers up hours of event commentary, announcement coverage, trailers, and plenty of other videos intended for the serious gamers who follow E3 closely. A playlist embedded at the top of the page features a constantly-updated selection, while a separate section allows viewers to sort videos by publisher, console, and genre. Archived videos from the last three years of E3 are also available.

The centerpiece of YouTube’s E3 coverage is a 12-hour live stream beginning at 12 PM EST on June 15th. Host Geoff Keighley breaks down the major stories while chatting with guests from the gaming community. The video for that stream is embedded below:

YouTube’s E3 coverage is a crucial stepping stone for the video site. It recently announced its plan to launch an app dedicated to its gaming content, and by delivering to gamers the biggest stories from E3, YouTube will show off its ability to cater to a community that brings in billions of views each month.

The E3 channel will also allow YouTube to compete with Twitch, which has for two years has been the official live-streaming partner of E3. Twitch, which YouTube once sought to buy, has a deep following among gamers, who tune in regularly to watch live streaming gameplay from their favorite titles. YouTube is now hunting for that Twitch audience, and in the process, it is trying to flip the script on an old adage: If you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em.