When you go live, you can be a target for stream snipers. So, you should take this seriously. But what is stream sniping?
It’s when someone uses your live stream to find you and disrupt your live session. They do this to humiliate you, ruin your stream, or for other reasons.
So, why is stream sniping a real issue for a streamer like you? And how can you prevent it? Read on!
What is Stream Sniping?
Stream sniping is the disruption of a livestream or interference with a content creator‘s work.
Basically, someone watches your stream to figure out where you are or what you’re up to. And then, they use that information to bother you, like attacking you in the game.
This unexpected intrusion takes away the fun for everyone and makes it hard for you as the streamer to do your thing.
While it’s often associated with gaming streamers, stream sniping can happen across all types of content.
On one end, stream sniping is a minor attention-seeking act that annoys you. But at its worst, it can be disruptive and make you concerned about your digital privacy.
Can you imagine yourself streaming live and being followed by strangers? That’s exactly what happened to some IRL streamers like iShowSpeed or Cinna who got sniped.
Stream sniping brings serious risks. It blurs the line between online fun and real-world safety.
And it goes beyond interruptions. It can lead to feelings of vulnerability.
Read More: What is Smurfing in Gaming
Types of Stream Sniping
How many types of stream sniping should you know so that you can protect yourself?
1. Ghosting
This is a kind of stream sniping where someone watches your stream to find out what you keep hidden. This gives them an unfair advantage.
Professional Hearthstone players have been accused of ghosting during tournaments. They watch their rivals’ streams to find out what cards they hold.
2. Griefing
This is like ghosting. Someone uses what they see to interfere with your game. The difference with ghosting is that the information can be anything, not only what you hide intentionally.
In a game like Among Us, if someone is peeking at your screen and then claims you’re the imposter, it can really ruin the fun.
3. Queue Sniping
Queue stream sniping is common in games with matchmaking system. It means someone intentionally joins the same online game that you’re streaming.
For example, a gaming YouTuber named Wynnsanity demonstrates how stream snipers go after him. This often occurs in games like PUBG, whether in Normal or Ranked Mode.
4. Strategy Sniping
If someone watches your game plans on your stream and then uses that info to win against you, that’s called strategy stream sniping.
Let’s say you play CS:GO. The stream sniper sees that you prefer to shoot from a distance. They might choose weapons that work better in close quarters to surprise you.
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5. Location Sniping
Someone can use your live stream to find out where you are, either in a video game or in real life. This is called location sniping.
In battle royale games like Fortnite, streamers can easily be location-sniped. Their opponents watch their streams to figure out where they are in the game and take them out.
6. Harassment Sniping
Sometimes, real-life stream snipers not only try to find out where you are but also want to cause fear, or unwanted interactions.
Popular Twitch streamer Valkyrae has dealt with harassment from fans. They show up at her location and shout things that make her feel unsafe. This has turned her streaming into a source of real danger.
Why Stream Sniping is a Problem?
Streaming sniping can cause problems if it continues. So, what are these problems?
1. Unfair Disadvantages Await You
If you’re a gaming streamer, a stream sniper can hurt your content. Why? You can’t see where they are or what they plan to do. But they can see you.
Lazar Beam was playing Fortnite when he found himself in trouble. He was low on ammo. Suddenly, another player with a gun appeared and took him out fast. Lazar Beam was so furious.
Stream snipers hit you at the worst moment, shattering your strategy. Even if you’re the better player, their inside info makes the whole game seem unfair.
2. It’s Simply Annoying
For professional streamers, you want to win games and show your gaming skill while keeping your viewers entertained, right?
The stream snipers come to troll you and ruin your live streaming session. And that can be very annoying.
This situation tends to get even worse during IRL streams. Think about this: you plan to make content in a certain location in a certain country, then someone tries to disrupt your content plans. Their interruptions break your flow and make it hard to create the content you want.
3. It Leads to Toxic Community
If you let stream sniping happen, it’s probably going to draw in more people and create a more toxic atmosphere. Why is that?
It shifts the focus from fair play to winning at any cost. This creates a negative atmosphere where cheating seems okay. Tactics like stream sniping often go unnoticed.
To make things worse, game developers and streaming platforms often take a long time to respond. By the time they do something, the damage’s already done.
4. You’ll Feel Watched, Not Supported
The more you face stream sniping, the less you enjoy connecting with your fans. You then start to worry about being targeted again.
Over time, it may seem like your fans are more interested in watching you than supporting you. They might start to view your streams as a reality show, where your struggles take center stage.
Your struggles become their entertainment. Your genuine moments of anger or fear get turned into clips, memes, and shares. That’s not good.
5. You’ll Give Up Quality Just to Survive
Stream sniping puts you in a dilemma. You can either deal with constant interruption that ruins your fun or make choices that hurt your content. It seems like there are no good options.
For example, if you add a delay, a viewer might donate $50. But you won’t see that donation for three minutes.
And if you are hiding your screen during queue times in Fortnite, it leaves viewers with nothing to see. It seems like every safety measure comes with a trade-off in content quality.
Read Also: How to Improve Stream Quality
6. Your Reputation Will Suffer
Let’s say you’re streaming Fortnite for hours. The same team keeps targeting you in every match. Your frustration builds, and you lose your cool. That anger gets recorded and shared.
Actualy, getting angry won’t do you any good. And it could even damage your reputation. Remember, your fans are looking for great content, so don’t ruin their experience.
7. You’ll Burn Out
You start streaming to play games, not to be the target, right? But, you’ve set up the perfect Apex Legends stream. Then, the same squad finds you and beat you, match after match.
What used to be a job you loved can turn into a struggle. You might hesitate to turn on the camera and go live. Stream sniping can drain your energy and leave you feeling frustrated.
8. Your Safety is at Risk
Are you streaming from home using YouTube or Twitch? Stream sniping can still come with some risks, but at the end of the day, you’re still safe in your gaming chair.
For those who stream in real life, it’s a whole different story. Once you hit Start Streaming, it feels like you’re putting a target on your back. And female streamers face extra risks when harassment can be threatening.
9. You Might Earn Less
Stream snipers make your content suffers. And no one wants to watch a streamer get surprised in every Warzone game. Your viewers come to watch for fun, not to see you upset.
It’s not your fault, but if this continues, your subscribers who enjoy your positive energy might stop supporting you. That could hurt your income, unless you also use third party platform like Gank to get donation and sell merchandise.
How to Prevent Stream Sniping
While you can’t eliminate stream sniping, you can take steps to prevent it from happening:
1. Add Stream Delays
To avoid stream sniping, it’s a good idea to add a delay to your stream. This way, there’s a gap between your actual gameplay and what your viewers see.
A delay of about 30 seconds to 5 minutes is ideal. In games like Fortnite, this way, you make sure the snipers are dealing with outdated information.
If you’re using OBS Studio for streaming on Twitch or YouTube, just go to Settings > Advanced > Stream Delay, then check the box, and set your preferred delay time.
For those using a third-party app like Streamlabs, you’ll find a similar option under Settings > Advanced.
2. Use Overlays
To reduce the chances of stream sniping, think about using overlays to hide key elelements of your screen. You can cover your minimap, character name, and more.
In OBS, you can add an image to your scene to create an overlay. You can put it over important areas and even set up hotkeys to turn it on or off when you want.
This is helpful in competitive games like Fortnite and League of Legends, where knowing your location is important.
3. Mask Usernames and Region Information
Hiding UI elements won’t stop stream sniping instantly. So, you might want to mask your username and server information for better protection.
Keeping this private stops snipers from finding your game. And many games have features for this. Rust has Streamer Mode Active. Fortnite and Apex Legends have Username Anonymization.
If you are an IRL streamer, use virtual greenscreens to hide landmarks. Avoid mentioning specific locations to prevent geolocation tracking.
4. Use Password-Protected Lobbies
Hiding parts of your screen can help, but password-protected lobbies are better. Many games let you create private matches.
To start, go to the multiplayer menu and create a game. Choose a strong password and disable spectator options. Share the password only with trusted friends via private messages.
In Call of Duty games like Black Ops Cold War, you can create password-protected matches. Check the private or custom match menus for options.
5. Educate Your Audience
To fight stream sniping, try to connect with your community. Stream delays and overlays can help, but creating a positive vibe among your viewers is just as important.
Think about making YouTube videos about how stream sniping affects streamers. Show how it ruins their live sessions and disrespects the community.
Popular Twitch streamers like Lazarbeam and Dr Disrespect share their stories about this.
So, What Does Stream Sniping Mean?
So, what is stream sniping all about? It’s a disruption that not only puts your digital privacy at risk but also takes the fun out of your live stream.
Simply put, it’s someone using your public broadcast to gain a competitive edge. And that’s mostly cheating.
We’ve talked about how this impacts you as a streamer. We also covered ways to fight back. You can use stream delays and overlays. Educate your viewers about the harm of stream sniping.
We hope this information helps. Subscribe to our blog for more information about tips for streamers and content creation ideas.
FAQ About Stream Sniping
What is stream sniping?
Stream sniping happens when someone watches your live stream and joins the game at the same time. They use your stream to learn your location and plans, giving them an unfair advantage.
In real-life streams, it can mean following the streamer and then jump in to interrupting their show, like what happens to some streamers like iShowSpeed, Valkyrae, and Cinna.
Is stream sniping legal?
In short, no. Stream sniping isn’t technically illegal since there aren’t specific laws against it.
But it violates Twitch’s Community Guidelines: “Deliberate, non-consensual in-game stream sniping, including using another person’s stream to gain a competitive advantage in a multiplayer game and disrupt their broadcast“
Also, it can lead to legal issues if it becomes cyberstalking, harassment, or privacy violations. For example, if stream sniping results in stalking or threats, criminal charges may follow.
Is stream sniping always bad?
That’s not always the case, despite the common perception. The main factor is the viewer’s intent and the overall impact. Consent and context really matter here.
It all comes down to actions. Are they harmful or helpful? Is the viewer trying to take advantage? Or are they joining in to honor the streamer and the community?
What is the difference between stream sniping and ghosting?
Ghosting is a a part of stream sniping. It happens when someone watches your stream to try to adapt to gain an advantage, especially in gaming.
Stream sniping is a more broader term. It includes ghosting, griefing, and queue sniping when someone hangs out and waits for you to start a game, then jumps into the same match.
How do you deal with stream sniping?
Stream sniping can be frustrating, but you can use some strategies to deal with it.
First, add a stream delay. This means there is a little time between what you play and what viewers see. It helps stop stream sniping. Next, hide any private information on your screen.
If you spot stream snipers, report them to the platform immediately. Also, change how you play. Being unpredictable can confuse them.
What are the rules for stream sniping?
There are no strict rules for stream sniping. But many gaming communities and streaming platforms don’t support stream sniping because it’s viewed as cheating.
Take a look at the community guidelines for Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube. Each platform has its own rules about fair play and stream sniping. Even gaming companies like Riot Games typically discourage any unfair advantages that can ruin the enjoyment of streaming
