Did you know that gaming live streams will hit 1.4 billion viewers by 2025? This is mind-blowing! It shows that online gaming streaming is really taking off. So, if you’ve been thinking about how to become a game streamer, then now is the time to do it.
Not only can you have a great time playing games, but you can also gain popularity and make money from streaming them. It’s a golden opportunity for passionate gamers like you. So, how do you become a gaming streamer?
In short, you need to find your niche, ensure your computer is ready for streaming, and engage with your audience to build a growing community. Don’t fret, this article will explain it further, so let’s jump in!
How to Become a Video Game Streamer
If you want to become a gamer streamer in 2024, here are the steps to get you there:
1. Find Your Niche
Finding your niche is vital to stand out from the crowd. To help you get started, you can ask yourself these questions:
- “What kind of games do I enjoy playing?”
- “What am I good at?”
- “What makes me unique as a streamer?”
Well, it might be challenging to answer these questions right away. We feel you. But, once you discover your niche, you can focus on creating content that represents your authentic self and appeals to your target audiences.
Still unsure about your niche? Here’s what you need to do if you want to know how to become a game streamer:
- Reflect on your passions and interests, then align your niche with them
- Understand your audience’s needs and interests, too
- Research other streamers’ niches for any gaps or unique angles
- Experiment, refine, and adapt based on feedback from your audience
Bear in mind, finding a niche is not about being different. That’s not the point. It is more about providing value to your audience in a way that only you can do so. That will eventually build a loyal, engaged community around your streams.
2. Select the Right Games to Stream
Choosing the right games to stream is crucial, just like finding your niche. It impacts your stream’s visibility and audience engagement.
So, how to become a game streamer with the best game to play?
First, choose the games you enjoy playing a lot. Your passion will shine through during your live streams, making them more engaging and enjoyable for your viewers.
Next, make sure you find a balance between visibility and engagement. Check out the popular games in 2024 and pick one you like and can play well.
You know it can be tough to stand out when big streamers like Ninja and Tfue are playing the same game, right? But it’s hard to get noticed if you’re playing games that most people don’t know.
Third, stay updated on new releases, updates, and trends, especially within your niche. Also, do your research. Platforms like Twitch provide lists of popular streamed games that can guide your choices.
Finally, feel free to try out different games. You can see what clicks with your audience. But, you must keep an eye on viewer counts to gauge if it’s still promising to stream that game on your channel. That’s how to become a game streamer!
Recommended to Read:
The Best PS2 Games of All Time
The Best Switch Games You Must Play
3. Ensure Your Gaming Rig is Ready for Streaming
A powerful PC is great for gaming, but it may not be enough for game streaming. Don’t get it wrong, you don’t need to build the most expensive PC, though. What you really need is a setup that guarantees hassle-free game streams.
How to be a game streamer with the proper gaming rig? It’s all about striking the perfect balance with your hardware. You don’t want to invest in a great graphics card only to find compatibility issues with your streaming software, right?
When it comes to audio, a good microphone can make a big difference. If you have the budget, go for a professional-grade microphone. However, even on a tight budget, you can still be a fantastic gaming streamer with cheap gaming mics.
As for the video, avoid using your built-in webcam as it often provides low-quality images. Instead, take a look at our list of the best DSLR cameras for streaming, especially recommended for beginners. These cameras deliver crisp image quality, ensuring an immersive streaming experience.
4. Choose Your Platform
How to become a video game streamer after ensuring your gaming streaming setup is ready? Choose the best platform for your streaming.
YouTube and Twitch are two popular streaming platforms that allow you to stream games for free. These platforms are ideal for beginners. However, they have limitations if you aspire to go professional, as you can only stream exclusively on their platforms.
You heard that right. Twitch, for example, recently updated its Terms of Service, prohibiting multicast streaming. What does this mean? You’ll be restricted from reaching audiences other than that specific platform.
So, why is multicast important in how to become a game streamer? It allows you to stream to multiple platforms simultaneously, reaching a wider audience easily.
Read More: Recommended Upload Speed for Streaming in Different Platforms
5. Set Up Your Streaming Software
Streaming software is a tool that takes your webcam feed, and any other elements into a video stream and broadcasts it online.
You don’t have to think about it if using platforms like Facebook gaming as they will take care of that. But, if you want to stream using your own streaming server, you need to prepare the best streaming software to make sure your streaming runs smoothly.
This is an important thing to consider when you want to know how to become a game streamer!
Luckily, there are many software options available for streaming and many of which are free to use. OBS and StreamLab OBS are among the most popular choices. With these tools, you can adjust audio and video sources, add overlays and alerts, and much more.
These programs are a must-have, especially if you want to become an online game streamer with full control over your streams’ content, and distribution.
6. Stream Consistently as Scheduled
What is the next step in how to become an online game streamer? You should stream often and plan a solid schedule as a content creator, regardless of the platform you’re using.
Now, imagine how you would feel as a viewer if your favorite streamer disappeared for a long time. You don’t like it, right?
That’s why, as an aspiring streamer, it’s important to maintain a consistent streaming schedule. Let your viewers know when you’ll go live and do your best to stick to it. If you must cancel a stream, give them a heads-up as soon as possible.
Many Twitch streamers, like xQC, consistently set schedules for their upcoming streams to prepare and engage their followers.
Keep in mind, you should never compromise on the quality of your streaming. Just being online regularly won’t be enough. After all, you’re there to entertain and engage, right?
7. Interact with Your Viewers
Engaging with your viewers is like talking to friends. It sounds easy, right? But this is such an important step in how to become a game streamer. Why? Having excellent communication skills is essential for your streaming success.
So, here’s what you need to do to engage with your audience:
- Read and respond to comments in the chat. Ninja and PewDiePie are famous streamers who engage with viewers by addressing relevant chat comments during streams. We believe that’s what makes them so lovable.
- Ask questions and polls. When you need fresh ideas or just want to engage your viewers, ask them game-related questions or run polls to gather their opinions. It’s an awesome way to keep them involved.
- Meet your viewers in person. If you already have a big fan base, think about scheduling a meet-up at a specific event in advance to connect with your viewers in person.
When you interact with your viewers, you’ll make your stream more entertaining, attract more people, and get their feedback for your next streams.
8. Promote Your Stream
You already know how to become a gamer streamer. It’s pretty straightforward: go online, start streaming, and interact with your audience. And that’s it? Well, there’s more to it than meets the eye. You still need to promote your stream.
That way, you can make your channel known to a broader audience. Well, it’s not only about gaining more viewers for your gaming streams, though. More importantly, it’s how you can build your brand and boost your visibility as a great streamer.
To promote your stream, you can do these things:
- Share it on your social media — One of the simplest ways to promote your stream is by posting about it on your social media platforms. You can create a catchy status or use an attractive image banner to grab attention.
- Mention it during your live streams — Some streamers like to share their upcoming streaming schedule during their broadcasts. It sometimes becomes their tagline in the opening, like “I go live every weekend at 9 AM Pacific Time”.
- Set a schedule — When you schedule your stream, it’s like sending an invitation to your viewers and encouraging them to tune in to your upcoming stream.
- Have great content — A saying goes: “A good product sells itself.” The same can apply to your gaming streams. If you consistently provide high-quality live-streaming content, your viewers will keep coming back whenever you go live.
Read: How to Make Money by Playing Games
9. Network with Other Streamers
Promoting your stream by mentioning it during your live streams or setting a schedule is all about attracting your loyal viewers to tune in. In other words, it’s about keeping your audience coming back for more.
If you think that’s not enough, you can also expand your reach and attract new viewers by collaborating with other streamers. By joining their live streams, you can introduce yourself to their audience. If they like what they see during that stream, there’s a good chance they’ll attend your live stream on your channel.
A little secret in how to become a game streamer with many followers. Pokimane and xQC are two streamers who frequently collaborate with other streamers, even though they already have a massive fan base of their own.
10. Use Good Monetization Strategies
You might be wondering, “How to become a gamer streamer and make money?” Good news! You have a vast of options to monetize your content. So ,there’s no need to worry about that.
Here are the most common strategies to make money streaming:
- Donations — Viewers can show their support by donating money to streamers through streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Content membership platforms like Gank even allow content creators to receive donations with 0% platform fees.
- Subscriptions — Many streaming platforms, including Twitch, offer subscription services where viewers pay a monthly fee for exclusive perks like ad-free viewing and unique emotes.
- Ads Revenue — Streamers can earn money through advertising on their channels, using features like Ad-Overlay, Display Ads and something similar.
- Sponsorships — Streamers can partner with brands to promote their products or services. It can be through paid advertisements, product placement, or mentioning the brand during streams.
- Affiliate marketing — Streamers can earn a commission on sales of products or services they promote to their viewers. You can do this through programs like Amazon’s Associates.
- Partnerships — Streamers can enter exclusive streaming contracts with specific platforms, which can result in rewarding partnerships. A well-known example is Ninja’s partnership with Mixer in 2009, and xQC’s deals with Kick.
Keep in mind that these revenue streams can be rewarding, but their success depends on factors like your viewer base, platform fees, and more. So, it is recommended to focus on creating captivating content and building your community.
While earning money may not be your primary motivation, the funds you generate can be used to support your streaming needs. You can upgrade your streaming rig and cover streaming server costs if you use it.
11. Be Patient (Tips)
It takes time to build a successful streaming career. According to a study by Ebuyer, a UK retailer, it takes an average of 7.8 years to become a top Twitch streamer.
Don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. The key is to keep streaming, promoting your channel, and reflecting on what you can improve. With time, you’ll see growth.
There are a few reasons why you need to be patient to become a great streamer.
First, the streaming industry is constantly changing. What works today might not work tomorrow, so you need to be willing to adapt and change your approach as needed.
Second, you’re not the only one trying to build a successful streaming career. Many other streamers out there are also trying to stand out from the competition. So you need to find ways to set yourself apart.
Lastly, you need to enjoy yourself. If you’re not having fun, it will show in your streams. So make sure you’re having a good time with the process.
12. Mind Your Health (Tips)
We believe you’re already aware of this, and yet we are here to remind you that taking care of your health is supremely important.
Streaming can be physically and mentally demanding. Imagine you spend long hours sitting, playing the game, and interacting with your audience. This can lead to health problems like eye strain, back pain, and mental burnout.
How to become a gaming streamer with a top-notch stream if you won’t be able to give your best to your audience. Also, when your health suffers, your streaming schedule may become inconsistent. This may lead to less viewer loyalty.
Remember that if you maintain your health, you’ll enjoy gaming and streaming more, and that positive energy shines through on camera.
- Set realistic goals — Overnight success doesn’t happen for most streamers, so don’t push yourself beyond what your body can handle.
- Focus on the process — Enjoy the experience of streaming and connecting with your audience. Don’t get caught up in the numbers.
- Take breaks — If you’re feeling burned out, take some time to relax and recharge.
How to Become a Gaming Streamer: A Wrap-Up
We’ve just taken you through the steps of how to become a video game streamer in 2024. It’s not as intimidating as you may have imagined at first, right?
Bear in mind that every awesome streamer started out as a beginner, just like you. They embarked on the journey with determination and kept their passion alive until they achieved success.
Becoming a great streamer, like Ninja, Tfue, and Pokimane as the highest-paid Twitch streamers, goes beyond having the right setup or playing popular games. Here’s a recap of how to become a video game streamer and establish yourself in the streaming world:
- Find your niche
- Choose the right games to stream
- Ensure your gaming rig is ready for streaming
- Select your platform
- Set up your streaming software
- Stream consistently according to a schedule
- Interact with your viewers
- Promote your stream
- Network with other streamers
- Use effective monetization strategies
- Practice patience
- Prioritize your health
Don’t be afraid to start streaming even if you think you’re late to the game. The gaming world is always evolving, but there’s always room for more unique and engaging streamers. So why not you? Let’s turn your dream of streaming into a reality!
