How to Become a Video Game Streamer

Want to take your passion for video games to the next level? Then you ought to consider becoming a professional video game streamer.

What was once a niche hobby in online gaming is now a major industry, with professionals racking in cash and followers alike. Livestreaming is set to be valued at $184.3 billion by 2027. Getting there won’t be easy if you’re just starting out, but if you play your cards right, you can eventually join Summit1g, Dream, Ninja, and other game streaming super stars.

To help you graduate from the “humble beginnings” phase of your career, we offer this guide on how to become a video game streamer.

Tips for Becoming a Successful Video Game Streamer

All you really need to start streaming games is a working PC (or game console), a broadband internet connection, an online game streaming platform and you’re set. But if you’re after fame and profit, you should put some effort into the production.

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind before you start streaming video games.

1. Find Your Niche

The quickest way to start building your audience as a game streamer is by finding your niche. Do you want to showcase your gaming skills by clearing difficult games or dominating people in multiplayer? Do you want to chat with fans on random topics while playing something simple in the background?

If you can find a niche that few other game streamers have tapped into, you can quickly make a name for yourself in the streaming community.

2. Be a True Gamer or Don’t Stream

If you want to be a video game streamer, you have to be a true gamer. The gaming community does not reward streamers that only pretend to like games and are in it for a quick buck or 5 minutes of fame. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be good at video games. Many game streamers exploded in popularity by failing so spectacularly that they went viral as a result.

3. Upgrade Your Streaming Rig

If you want your stream to look good, you need a powerful PC. You can get by with an older machine if you stream less demanding games (i.e., older games, indie titles with fewer assets, etc.), but even then you’ll get lag, audio issues, and other production artifacts. A game streaming setup needs:

• Fast CPU for encoding tasks.
• Powerful GPU for running games at high framerates and resolutions.
• Quality mic for clear audio.
• Webcam to combine gameplay footage with your reactions.

You are also going to need live streaming software and tools, such as OBS Studio.

4. Use Multiple Streaming Platforms

Think of game streaming platforms as TV channels. If your face appears on multiple channels, you’ll have more eyes watching your show. You can register for free on most streaming platforms, giving you a massive pool of potential viewers. If you have a powerful PC, you can stream to multiple platforms at the same time. Not a bad deal for the price of $0.

We also invite you to become a streamer on Glimpse, the streaming platform of choice for game streamers interested in live stream monetization.

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Check out our list of Twitch alternatives if you want to start with a less competitive platform.

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5. Monetize Your Stream

You can call yourself a successful game streamer once you manage to earn a living doing it. Fortunately, it is not as hard as it sounds. The trick is to make it easy for fans to sponsor your work. Most fans have a couple of bucks to spare for content they enjoy, all you have to do is point them towards a conveniently placed donation button.

You can do this on most streaming platforms, but we feel that Glimpse is the best all-around platform when it comes to content monetization. On Glimpse you can receive direct donations, charge for stream access, sell individual pieces of content, and even host your own private gaming servers, all with 0% fees.

Conclusion

Game streaming is a skill like any other – the more you do it, the better you’ll become. So just keep at it, and prepare everything for streaming games.

Having the right software, hardware, streaming gear, and talent to entertain will help you achieve the lifelong dream of many gamers: making money by playing video games.