How to Get Started in Game Streaming

Game streaming is one of the newest and hottest jobs in the media and entertainment industry. The fast-growing gaming space in the world and the rise of esports have made streaming a viable option for not just hardcore gamers but also enthusiasts.

While the chances of landing a major sponsorship or growing a cult following like Pewdiepie might be slim for most, you can create a niche for yourself given the dedication. So, if you are looking for ways to break into the vibrant world of video game streaming, here are some of the most important things to know:

5 Golden Essentials for Game Streaming in 2023

Your PC is Your Shrine

It is no secret that gamers are a superstitious lot. From pressing a button harder to make a jump to leaning into the stream until you keel over, there are a lot of reasons traditions matter to gamers. And one of the biggest traditions as a stream you can start with is a good streaming setup. Now, not everyone needs a two screen setup but it must e said that that is the dream setup. You do not need to go with that though as long as you can balance out a good streaming quality and a fairly high-speed internet connection.

On the other hand, if you have the money you can spend without regret, there is a world of quality setups out there. From pre-assembled PCs to custom jobs that light up better than a Christmas tree, there are many ways to bedazzle your viewers and mark yourself out as a pro. However, we recommend not blowing your entire wad of money on a tasty CPU or streaming environment. It’s about curating the stream experience more than just getting all the lights to disco with your clap.

Before we move forward, an important aside for mics and cameras. You do not need to have a good mic but it does make a world of a difference. You can totally use the mic on your gaming headset for starters and then move on to better equipment when you find your niche or audience. Some hands-down top picks are Blue Yeti, Razer Siren Elite and Elgato Wave:

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As for cameras, you do not need to stream with your face on. Vtubers or just game streamers with no cam can also find success. However, generally speaking, it is true that using a cam helps in viewer engagement. Plus, player reactions are some of the best organically-generated marketing content you can have as a streamer. So, if you want to have a personal connection with your audience using your cam. If you want to buy a good streaming cam, go for nothing short of HD. Some top-tier webcams include Logitech C922x Pro 1080p Stream Webcam, Razer Kiyo and Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 Webcam.

Resolutions and Titles

Everyone knows that the best and biggest games out there rely on immersive value to draw players and viewers into them. Whether we are talking something like Fortnite or PUBG or something graphic-heavy like Call of Duty or God of War, you need to have your game looking as beautiful as possible. This means streaming at full HD or 1,920 by 1,080 resolution, or 1080p. You can also go for the god-tier standard of 1440p 4K FHD streams. But this means tons of data transfer as well as the possibility of absolutely wrecking our device from overheating. So, getting a good setup and then taking a step back to stream your video game is the best way to go about it.

Now that you have an idea of how to define your streaming quality, you also need to know which titles to pick. Generally speaking, it is best to define your niche and then try to expand your horizons. Most people who like first-person shooters would like things like MOBA titles. This means you will be streaming Call of Duty Warzone, Apex Legends, PUBG etc. You can also focus on online competitive RPG titles like DOTA, league of legends etc. Other than the major titles, you can also go with niche titles like ARPGs such as Dark Souls, Skyrim, the Diablo series etc. In fact, the choices are endless so it’s best to go with what you like and then see where that takes you.

PC Specs

We’ve already mentioned the gold standard of resolutions when it comes to streaming. Now, let’s look at the specs that are going to get you that streamer-level setup. The first thing to find is a good case and there are plenty of brands out there. The best ones are from top brands like Cooler Master and Corsair but there are new brands like Fractal Design and Phanteks too. RGB lights look good but are not necessary for streaming itself. You can have an RGB case and go all the way including the RAM and wires. However, this does cost a fair bit of money and so, if you do not have money to throw away, you may want to skip on those.

Beyond the looks that help you curate your stream props, you should consider how your PC case will support your actual gaming hardware. You need to start with the essentials like motherboard, processor, GPU, HDD/SSD and RAM. Along with these, you will also need a headset, mic, keyboard and mouse. If you want to get into VR, you can set up your VR stream with a device and a headset. Certain devices like the Oculus Rift may offer direct onboard games but it is better to stream through an actual PC than just the headset.

The Key Hardware

While there are a lot of things you need to look into to get the ideal stream setup, we want to focus on the key essentials, namely the motherboard, processor and GPU. It goes without saying that your motherboard is the most important bit of hardware in your CPU. It will connect with all other important hardware equipment like processor, GPU, HDD/SSD, RAM etc.

The first thing to check is your motherboard is compatible with your chosen processor. Since you plan on streaming, a 12th gen Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 5000 series is optimal. You can also go for an 11th/12th i9 or Ryzen 9 5000 series but that is usually not needed.

Picking up a motherboard is easier than you may think. All you need to do is think about price vs expected time till it goes obsolete. Usually, a motherboard will remain near the latest edge for 3 years or more. The most widely used motherboards include ASUS and MSI. In particular, the ASUS TUF and ROG editions are well-reviewed and recommended in the market.

As for the GPU, you need something that can turn out HD graphics and take the heat needed to go live and stream. Nvidia is the gold standard of video game graphics so you should stick with its top-to-mid tier. Anything less than a GTX 1660 and you can go as high as you want. The new RTX 3090 and 4090 offer some beyond-tier graphics. However, you can also get anything above 3070 and have top-tier graphic quality.

On a side note, make sure you have an appropriate cooling system for your PC if you want to do heavy gaming. Four fans may not be enough so consider getting some liquid cooling solutions from Corsair or Cooler Master. Also, 2 TB HDD plus 1 TB SSD storage and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM is good enough and you can go as high as you like from there.

The Platform and Streaming Software

Streaming platforms are an important factor in determining how your streaming experience will turn out. Of course, the biggest platform is Twitch. It has the highest number of streamers and viewers and a robust community spanning the entire world and much more than just the gaming world. Twitch also offers its own native streaming software called Twitch Studio. This is why it leads the ranks of online streaming platforms and if you just want to get into streaming, Twitch is the best place to start.

With that said, you can also look at other streaming platforms like Facebook and YouTube. They do not have as robust a streaming support system but thanks to their massive overall audience, have been gaining a lot of ground in the past few years. A lot of streamers also opt for recorded Video on Demand streams. There is a large market for it although it is hard to break into since most viewers enjoy livestreams. Nevertheless, using walkthrough and recorded challenge runs on tough games like Dark Souls is a viable option.

Now that we know about streaming sites and apps, time to consider the software. Twitch Studio is a free streaming software but it is fairly basic. If you are planning to stream professionally or near that level, you will need something more sophisticated. The two biggest options are Open Broadcasting Software and Streamlabs. They are both basically the same software in that Streamlabs is a forked version of OBS. However, each of them does offer some competitive advantages.

In a nutshell, OBS is a widely used software that offers virtually all the features you would need to run your stream properly. It has a simple UI, decent customization options, and a very stable framework with regular updates. If you have a low-budget streaming PC, OBS Studio will be the best for you since it has lower CPU usage than Streamlabs. However, Streamlabs builds on most of these features at the cost of relatively high CPU use along with much-improved chat integration. It also enables a lot of stream curating options like webcam overlays, HD and custom alerts and royalty-free music. This is a lot though and many novice streamers may not need as much.

Additionally, you can also get an Elgato Stream deck. This nifty little device helps you capture your stream and has hands-on access features for social media and other options. This can help you navigate all things related to your game stream like pushing out your social media content or live tweeting.

One final note for game streaming – it’s all about making a connection! Video games have always been a medium for coming together with friends and playing something fun and challenging. This sentiment is central to game streaming as well. Creating a community around your stream gets easier when you have a place to meet outside of the stream itself. This is where Discord comes in. If you have not created a stream channel for yourself on Discord yet, do it and get going n your streaming adventure.

What Are You Waiting For?

Game streaming is a great hobby as well as a way to reach out to the world. If you like the idea of playing games for people and possibly even collaborating with them live, then streaming might be the perfect thing for you. Get going on your streaming journey using our guide today!