Want to join Gotaga, ZeratoR, Laink & Terracid, and Squeezie among the most-followed streamers in France? Or do you need to share your best gaming sessions, live or on VOD? Then the following lines will be useful to you: they contain everything you need to know about the world of streaming, the necessary equipment, and the tools to help you get started.
What is video game streaming?
Video game streaming involves capturing and broadcasting live content from a single-player or multiplayer game. Typically, the process consists of displaying in-game content alongside a thumbnail of the streamer, captured by a webcam.
It is, of course, the streamer’s comments on his game, his immediate reactions, his skill at the gam, and his interactions with the viewers present (which are manifested in a chat), which make it interesting, going beyond the video game. Moments of conviviality or humor (or rage, too, sometimes), the streams are all opportunities to personalize your video game experience.
As we know, streaming is now a real industry on par with sponsored YouTube videos. Particularly on Twitch (we’ll come back to this), the principle of donations (which are made via credit card, PayPal, or the platform’s currency, Bits) allows viewers to finance their favorite gamers, using one-off donations or monthly subscriptions (or subs).
Streaming is also widely used by the video game industry to promote its new releases. It’s not uncommon for popular content creators to play a flagship title for a short period, again for a fee.
Streaming is finally the preferred medium for esports, with most of the big names in online video games letting their fans and enthusiasts see their League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, or Starcraft games.
Live streaming the game live!
Having become a major social media service, live streaming remains the basis of video game streamers’ activity on the Internet. It’s also one of the outlets for gaming YouTubers, who can play with members of their communities or invite them to attend a live test. Based on this principle, there are numerous platforms: it’s entirely possible to create live streams on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitch, depending on your preferences.
Some YouTubers and Twitchers record games to make them available on VOD: a sort of catch-up for those who couldn’t connect at the appointed time. It’s a way to benefit from replays and watch long games in several installments!
Which streaming platforms should I get started with?
Two platforms currently dominate the video game streaming market: Twitch and YouTube. They are followed by Facebook Gaming, owned by the American social network, which has just acquired its competitor, Mixer, the service designed by Microsoft for Windows PC and Xbox One gaming.
Three-quarters of internet users prefer Twitch to watch or share content. The platform features a powerful interface that allows users to capture video gameplay, view their camera, and interact with the chat . Importantly, the Amazon-owned site has long provided streamers with special statuses, which they can unlock based on the number of hours they broadcast and, more importantly, their audience.
There are four types of broadcasting on Twitch: the live stream, which is the flagship exercise. This can be replicated in VOD directly on the site, to watch later. The other two methods allow you to exchange views with other streamers: the host was thus designed to broadcast the content of another channel, while the raid automatically redirects a stream to another video at the end of it, too highlight an account, for example.
With 1 million users in France every day, more than two-thirds of whom are between 16 and 34 years old, Twitch has the largest number of streamers and viewers in France.
Next up is YouTube, which has a dedicated section for video games, formerly called YouTube Gaming. Its interface brings together both live streams (categorized by game) and thematic videos from YouTubers. Its very intuitive broadcasting system, which is the same for all types of live content, leaves many possibilities for Internet users. Its main interest is to capture a different audience from Twitch, which is aimed more specifically at enthusiasts.
Fb.gg, the URL for Facebook Gaming, now hosts content from Mixer, Microsoft’s former platform. The two smaller video game streaming companies merged in June 2020, and Mark Zuckerberg’s company is looking to outsell Amazon and Google, which should significantly shake things up in the industry in the coming months.
The Future of Streaming in Video Games
The future of streaming and streamers will largely depend on the future of the platforms and their positioning . We are witnessing phenomena of cross-diversification: YouTube, with its generalist audience, seeks to attract the hardcore public, while Twitch, thanks to its Just Chatting channels, which allow you to create talk videos, wants to accelerate its efforts on more mainstream subjects and content less related to video games.
The rise of e-sports and the growing importance of the video game industry in the cultural world suggest that live streaming and its derivatives have a bright future in the digital sector, even if it remains difficult for small accounts to find a large audience, given the variety of options available.
What equipment do you need for streaming?
Consoles, PC or C, what to choose?
While streaming via PC has long been the easiest way to go live, consoles have been following Windows’ lead in recent years. For example, the PS4 and Xbox One offer Twitch apps directly in the PS Store and Microsoft Store.
Things get a little more complicated for YouTube Lives. The platform is natively compatible with the PS4, but requires a Windows PC on the same Wi-Finetworks k the Xbox One.
The Switch does not currently include streaming functionality. For this, as for broadcasting console live streams on Facebook Gaming, you will need to invest in a capture box or PC capture card, which connects via HDMI and allows you to control recording and broadcasting directly on your computer.
Software for streaming
Two programs well-known to streamers, and easy to configure, have been designed to produce your best streams: OBS Studio and XSplit GameCaster.
There are excellent tutorials online for streaming console and PC games using Open Broadcaster Software. This free, open-source solution runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux and lets you create a broadcast window with in-game content and various thumbnails, including a webcam. Its integration with Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook modules makes it an ideal partner for all streamers.
XXSplitGameCaster, even simpler, has an advantage over OBS in terms of customization, but the latter remains less resource-intensive. This paid software is recommended for gamers who want to get started in streaming and start broadcasting in just a few minutes.An internett connection is essential for video game streaming
Just like online gaming, streaming video content requires stable and fast internet access. We therefore recommend starting with streaming with at least 5 Mbps of incoming and outgoing connections, and if possible, subscribing to a fiber optic offer to ensure you never experience slowdowns.
Which gaming PC for streaming?
Organizing and broadcasting live streams requires a little more resources than gaming alone: streaming programs use the PU, R, AM, and SSD while these are simultaneously used by your game of League of Legends, Counter Strike, Fortnite,ite, and otgameszone.
While some have adopted the solution of having two PCs, one for gaming and the other for streaming, with a capture box allowing the gaming computer to be connected to the computer dedicated to streaming, it is quite possible to consider having only one.
However, it will require significant resources for the game to be smooth and for the live broadcast to take place without latency. On the laptop side, a gaming model with at least 16 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SSD, and a latest generation processor ( Intel i7, Intel i9, AMD Ryzen 5 o,r AMD Ryzen 7 ) will be necessary. Here are some examples of the best laptops for streaming right now:
On the desktop side, we’ll go for the easy option again by choosing a beefy configuration with the same features as for laptops, and possibly two graphics cards in SLI. If your room and office allow it, having two screens will be a big plus for live streams: you’ll be able to play on one and control your chat, with the Twitch and YouTube menus and your streaming program appearing on the other.
But let’s be realistic, the best solution to optimize your desktop gaming PC is to build ityourself . It’s complicated, you need to have a good foundation in IT. You have to know how to choose your components to assemble, create an optimal configuration, choose your gamingscreen , your mmouse your keyboard, and even your mouse pad!
Microphones, Webcams Whattt audiovisual equipment do you need for streaming?
While laptops have built-in webcams and microphones, their quality can’t be compared to that of dedicated models. The image and sound quality tend to professionalize your livestream.
This is especially true when it comes to buying a good microphone. This can be a gaming headset f r easy setup. You can also improve the sound quality of your commentary with a slightly more robust interface, such as a USB microphone dedicated to voice, or even a Rode Lavalier-type lapel microphone, the ultimate in professional audio quality.
A Full HD webcam like the H’MC 102 will be an ideal companion for streaming your miniatures in good quality without too much investment. Those who want to use a professional camera for their video (and also want to use it for livestreaming without games) can turn to hybrid or reflex cameras ia applications like Fujifilm X Webcam, Canon EOS webcam utility or Sony Imaging Edge Remote Remote, it is indeed possible to transform A7SII, EOS 5D or X-Pro 2 into a webcam to give a very cinematic touch to your miniature!
