YouTube Slowly Rolling Out 60 FPS Video Support & ‘Fan Funding’ Tipping Mechanic

A couple of big changes are coming to YouTube, benefiting both regular viewers and content creators. At the forefront, support for 60 FPS video is soon to be added, which will be highly appreciated by anyone watching gaming-related videos on the service. Normal videos generally run at 24 or 30 FPS, which is completely suitable. But for gaming, the higher 60 FPS framerate can greatly enhance the experience (and perhaps even reduce dizziness).

One of the first 60 FPS videos uploaded to the service comes from DICE, which shows off the company’s upcoming Battlefield: Hardline. To take full advantage of the higher framerate, the video must be run in HD resolution (720 or 1080). Don’t worry about not knowing whether or not you’re seeing the video in 60 FPS – the difference is quite obvious.

In addition to the 60 FPS enhancement, YouTube will also be adding “Fan Funding” to the site soon, which will give content creators the ability to accept tips from their fans. On the other side of the coin, this feature would allow fans to support their favorite channels without having to use a third-party service, like Patreon. But that said, YouTube doesn’t consider this feature to be a replacement for such services; rather, it’s a supplement. YouTube’s Matt McLernon has said, “Fan funding is an addition to goal-based fundraising like Kickstarter, as well as subscription-based fundraising like Patreon, and we hope creators continue to use all these tools to reach their greatest levels of success.”

Both of these are fantastic changes, and if I’m honest, quite overdue.