19 Best YouTube Gaming Niches & Channel Ideas to Start in 2024

Starting a successful gaming YouTube channel is hard, and what’s harder is finding a niche to make your gaming channel about.

Picking a good gaming niche on YouTube will not only help you grow faster but it will allow you to turn your hobby into a business. Many gaming creators mess this step up and then pay for it later.

Without a niche, you will have no direction, and the YouTube algorithm will have a hard time finding an audience for your content.

So with this article, I will give you some of the best YouTube gaming niches so you’re not lost when starting your gaming YouTube channel.

What Are The Best YouTube Gaming Niche Ideas?

There is no best niche in reality. Sticking to something you enjoy and can be consistent with is the best way to go about it.

I will say that you DO NOT want to be making Fortnite gaming highlights on Monday, then Apex Legends tutorials on Tuesday, and then Valorant tips and tricks on Wednesday.

This is a recipe for disaster and you will never grow on YouTube.

So remember to pick one game and do one type of video over and over for the best results.

Let’s get into the list.

Game Highlights

It’s difficult not to start with game highlights. This genre is perhaps one of the most traditional video gaming YouTube ideas and has proven to be a timeless fan favorite.

It has the unique ability to capture those breathtaking moments that capture a gamer’s skill or just sheer luck during gameplay.

Gaming highlights can also serve as excellent YouTube gaming video ideas for those who are short on time but want to keep up with their favorite games or gamers. They provide bite-sized entertainment that is both satisfying and memorable.

Game Reviews

Game Review channels offer analysis of gameplay, graphics, storylines, and overall user experience.

The focus is not just on new releases but also revisiting older games in retrospect. One can say it’s an endless reservoir of gaming YouTube video ideas.

If you’re a gamer who enjoys playing a wide variety of games, this gaming niche is for you. Playing one game can get boring, so game reviews allow you to play and critique what you like and dislike about a specific title.

It’s great because all your videos will be reviews on different games, so your viewers know what their getting.

Let’s Play

Let’s Play videos are exactly how they sound, you just play whatever game and do whatever. No structure or format to it.

If this article were based on rankings, I would give this niche a 1/10. Let’s Play channels are a thing of the past UNLESS you built up a community that will follow you.

I definitely do not recommend you start your gaming channel by making let’s play videos.

Why?

Because newer creators do not have an audience that cares about you. And typically new creators don’t edit their YouTube videos well. This means your watch time and click-through rate will be low and inevitably you will not grow.

But Let’s Play gaming channels do exist, and some have been very successful, but it is difficult.

Walk Through Guides

At first glance, walk-through guides might seem similar to Let’s Play channels but they are not. Gameplay walkthroughs provide a ton of value especially when you get lost in a game.

Games like Dark Souls or Elden Ring need walk-throughs because a lot of people (including myself) would get lost and give up.

This gaming niche is definitely top-tier because you could play one game or multiple games, the choice is yours. Just remember to stick to a genre such as FPS games, MMOs, or RPGs.

Speed Runs

A gaming niche requiring true gaming skills and dedication is speed runs. These are thrilling gameplays of gamers trying to finish a level or complete an entire game within record time.

I love watching Speed Runs and they do well on YouTube. The only problem is you need to actually be good at the game you’re playing.

So if you’re unwilling to spend hours on a single level or try to beat the world record, you should not waste your time. It will take too much time to make only one video.

And as you will learn, you need consistency and momentum to grow fast on YouTube.

Top 10 List

Top 10 list are a great way to create gaming content without actually playing video games. You could basically be a highlight channel but only the top 10.

Top 10 list gather community clips and mash them up in a single video.

I think this is one of the top YouTube gaming niches and one that is commonly overlooked. If you think about your YouTube channel in the long term, you could easily network with other creators who want to have their clips on your channel.

If you go this route, I recommend picking a game that has a lot of popularity because doing Top 10 videos for a game with little popularity would be a waste of time.

Your views would be capped and you would not make money.

Gaming News & Updates

If gaming studios want to have a successful game, they need to constantly update them to fulfill the endless thirst for content from gamers.

Gaming news channels can keep the community up to date with all the latest intel. You can break them down so it’s easier to understand for casual players.

I like gaming news as a niche because it adds value for your audience and a lot of gamers don’t follow the companies behind the games on platforms like Twitter.

Challenges

Challenges is one of the all-time favorite gaming niches. You can create challenges or complete popular challenges that already exist in the community.

I think challenges are amazing for those looking to create entertainment-style content because everyone wants to see if you pass or fail.

Heck! Look at MrBeast. He has a gaming channel that is dedicated to Minecraft-related challenges and he built his entire brand of doing challenges.

For you to be successful in this type of gaming content, you will need to put a lot of effort into your editing and being entertaining on screen.

Gaming Comedy

Gaming comedy is a niche on YouTube that combines the best of two worlds, gaming and humor.

Content creators in this niche infuse their gameplay videos with witty commentary, hilarious reactions, and clever editing, creating an entertaining experience that keeps viewers laughing.

Viewers flock to these channels not only for the gameplay but also for the charismatic personalities behind them.

Virtual Reality

We’ve all seen the Beat Saber videos on YouTube Shorts and TikTok. What you might not know is that this game is only played with VR headsets.

Virtual Reality is a niche that appeals not only to gamers but also tech enthusiasts, showcasing cutting-edge technology. Creators continually push boundaries, making VR gaming an electrifying, immersive adventure where reality blurs and possibilities are boundless.

Live streaming

It’s almost a known fact that you can’t grow a stream by “just streaming” nowadays.

But I’m still going to include it on this list because you could live-stream daily, then take one of the other niches and make YouTube content out of your live-streaming highlights.

It’s actually very beneficial because you would be growing two platforms at the same time.

Gamers love to watch highlights on YouTube and you’re going to play the game anyway. So why not livestream and take the best moments and put them on other platforms?

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Tutorials

How many times have you wanted to play a different gaming genre but you have no idea where to start? Or a game comes out with a new mechanic or system?

Well, gaming tutorials guide gamers through various aspects of a game so they can get better. Gaming channels can make tutorials for casual gamers who might not have enough time to learn everything on their own.

In my opinion, this is probably the top 3 best niches on YouTube for new gaming channels.

Easter Eggs

Easter eggs are intentionally hidden features or references in games, ranging from secret messages, and hidden items to cultural references.

Discovering and showcasing these Easter Eggs is a fun and exciting niche that many viewers enjoy.

You could start a gaming channel playing many games, and completing multiple easter eggs. And the best part is, you do not have to be the founder of the easter egg.

Viewers just want to see the easter egg completed without doing it themselves.

Gaming Documentaries

Gaming documentaries on YouTube bring a fascinating blend of storytelling and gaming culture to the forefront. These channels delve deep into the history, evolution, and behind-the-scenes narratives of the gaming industry, delivering compelling content that educates and entertains.

Your channel could focus on the history of esports, specific gamers, or maybe even the games themselves.

For video game ideas, you have endless options of what you can talk about to your audience.

Tips and Tricks

Creating videos that showcase tips and tricks can be very helpful for viewers.

These videos can contain advanced strategies for a competitive game, methods to quickly level up in an RPG, or even secret tactics to defeat a powerful boss.

Shorts Highlights

Short Highlight videos are snippets of exciting or funny gaming moments that are less than a minute long.

They’re quick, digestible, and engaging, making them perfect for attracting viewers on YouTube.

Shorts are amazing for cultivating a following quickly because shorts get a lot of reach quicker than long-form videos.

Gaming Product Reviews

Maybe you don’t play video games a ton but you love technology. Gaming products have some of the best hardware available because gaming systems need a lot of power for graphics.

Your channel could be all about reviewing gaming equipment.

There are so many gamers who love to game but know absolutely nothing about building a gaming PC or technology in general. You could be their source of information.

Game Mods

Mods significantly expand and alter gaming experiences. Game mods can expose viewers to new ways to experience their favorite games, making it an exciting niche.

Some games with tons of mods are Call of Duty Zombies, Minecraft, and even Fortnite has a lot of in-game mods.

Indies Games

Indie games are created by individual developers or small teams, often showcasing innovation and creativity.

Highlighting indie games can expose viewers to unique titles they might not discover otherwise. Covering this niche also supports the indie gaming community.

Exploring the numerous games that go unnoticed by the public can grab the attention of gamers who don’t want to play the mainstream titles.