Over 30 billion hours of video game live streams are watched annually, and those numbers are increasing year after year. Twitch, the largest live-streaming platform on the internet, estimates that it has an average viewership of more than 2.5 million people “at any given time” and boasts that more than 105 million people visit the service each month. With numbers like those, it’s only natural that anyone with a passion for video games may want to jump in.
If you want to start a gaming channel, you’ll need more than a webcam, a microphone, and a good internet connection. Starting a gaming channel takes dedication, great brand messaging, and proper planning to get things rolling. By addressing those things at the start, you’ll be ahead of most newcomers to the world of game streaming.
In this guide, we’ll review:
There are countless reasons for anyone to want to start a gaming channel. Here are some common reasons that drive streamers to hit the broadcast button.
There’s a lot to think about when setting up and starting a gaming channel, but these five general tips can help you begin thinking about the essentials of your stream.
The equipment you need to stream depends on which devices you use for gaming. Do you plan to stream console-based games, PC-based games, or both? This will guide your decision making as you evaluate these options:
Though you can stream directly from your mobile phone and most modern consoles, nearly every professional gaming channel leverages the computational power found in modern PCs. That’s mostly because a high-end PC can encode live streams at higher resolutions.
If you intend to stream PC games at the same time, you’ll need a more powerful machine. Typically, a PC with a strong CPU is necessary to do this. Similarly, you’ll need a strong enough graphics card to help handle the encoding load and display any games you’re playing. As your gaming channel grows, you may want to invest in two computers, one for gameplay and the other for streaming and encoding. But if you’re just starting out, one powerful computer is fine.
You’ll need specialized software to capture, encode, and broadcast what you’re doing. There are numerous options available online, each with their own price points, benefits, and drawbacks. Starting out, most streamers gravitate to OBS Studio, which is the open-source and free version of Streamlabs OBS. Other similarly popular software solutions include XSplit and vMix.
Your audience wants to see your reactions and your “game face” as you play. A good webcam can capture your reactions as you make your way through the game you’re streaming. Look for a camera that shoots in 1080p and can handle 60 frames per second. In addition to the camera itself, you may want to invest in a bipod or desk mounting solution, so you can keep your hands on the controls and off your streaming camera.
A dedicated microphone captures your commentary in professional quality audio so your viewers can hear you in crystal-clear definition. Microphones can be a significant, yet important, investment in your gaming channel. If you want to upgrade your microphone later, you can invest in a good quality gaming headset instead.
There are so many things you can use to make your show stand out. Better lighting will improve your image quality and let your viewers see you better, so an LED ring light or a soft box could do just that. Green screens can help you alter what’s shown behind you as you stream, while a capture card can let you stream your console games through a PC. With so many options out there specifically catered to streamers, the world is your oyster in this case.
Streamers have three major choices when it comes to their main streaming platforms. You can select one as your “home base” as you get started, and then you can stream to multiple channels or add more as your channel grows.
Owned by Amazon, this purple powerhouse is the industry standard. It has instant brand recognition, an impressive support base, many viewer-friendly features, and the largest viewer count. These features are excellent for viewers and help establish your channel in front of a large audience, but Twitch is so vast that you need to work hard to break in. Make sure to choose brand elements like your logo colors and your brand story wisely to help your channel stand out.
YouTube Gaming has a smaller user base than Twitch. While that means your YouTube gaming channel will have a smaller pool of viewers to draw from, it also means that you’ll have less competition and more opportunity to grow.
Facebook has its own gaming streaming service in Facebook Gaming. This platform is better for casual gaming and can be a good place for beginners to develop a following.
There’s certainly no shortage of gaming options for streaming. What’s most important is that you pick the game that you love as your audience will be able to tell when you’re truly enjoying the game you’re playing. Here, we’ve broken down your gaming options into major categories, each of which has a legion of fans that want to watch you play.
If you focus on the latest releases of the day, you give your viewership an in-depth look into what’s hot off the presses. Some viewers find this useful because it helps them make informed buying decisions, while others simply watch new releases get played so they don’t have to spend the time playing it themselves.
Being good at strategy games can be incredibly impressive to watch. Whether it’s the turn-based gameplay of the Civilization series or the real-time nature of the StarCraft titles, these games require a level of quick thinking and finesse that the most skilled gamers can showcase on their gaming channel.
A particularly popular—albeit masochistic—genre in modern gaming, rogue-likes introduce a concept called “perma-death,” in which your character’s death means the end of the game. As such, you’re forced to start over and take on the challenge once again if your character dies in the game. Since dying in these games has such dire consequences, viewers get to live vicariously through your gameplay, regardless of whether you’re successful or not.
Who doesn’t like the classics? If you have the capability to stream some classic favorites from childhood, you can draw on your viewers’ nostalgia in a big way.
Viewers, gaming websites, and the gaming community at large will refer to you by your gaming channel name. A good, memorable channel name will be unique, and ideally, it can be an extension of your brand story. It should also be easy to remember, say, and spell, so the gaming community can get to your platform with ease. You should also try to make your name stand out, so language tricks like alliteration and puns can go a long way.
Perhaps the most important thing you should do when choosing a name is make sure it’s available. You can do that by conducting a Google search, in addition to relevant searches on whichever streaming platform you choose. You may want to have a backup name in mind in case your preferred name is taken. Sign up for your account right away to secure your chosen channel name. Once you come up with your name, consider incorporating it into a logo for your channel. Namecheap’s free logo maker offers intuitive tools so anyone, even someone without design experience, can select the right logo colors, shapes, and fonts to best represent their brand. Give the free logo maker a spin and see the possibilities.
As your gaming channel grows, you may want to parlay that attention into revenue. Most streaming platforms come with built-in monetization options, albeit with some big caveats.
Over on Twitch, for example, you can make money through channel subscriptions, Bits (virtual currency used to cheer on streamers), and advertisements that run during your stream. Each of those methods require you to be a Partner or Affiliate, two user levels that only get doled out based on a channel’s popularity. As for advertising revenue sharing, Affiliates enjoy a 50/50 split with Twitch. All Partners get a piece of the revenue pie, though payouts only happen at different amounts.
YouTube Gaming has similar subscription products, which allows users to financially support their favorite channels. The platform also has SuperChats and SuperVODs, which allow viewers to push their comments or videos directly in front of the streamer. Regardless of your channel’s level of popularity, there’s a 70/30 revenue sharing split on YouTube Gaming.Along with built-in monetization options, you can always think outside the box and make money outside of the streaming platform. That can come in the form of merchandise with logos created through the Namecheap brand design maker, special giveaways, and other tangible items for your viewers to enjoy.
Starting your own gaming channel can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Though it may seem like a lot at first, there are many additional tools to make your journey into video game live streaming a memorable and potentially profitable one. Whether you need to create your own brand identity or want a personal website builder for your channel, Namecheap has free and affordable solutions to level up your operation.
To start a gaming channel on YouTube, make sure you have the correct equipment first. This includes game capture software, a webcam, and a microphone. Then, set up your account on YouTube Gaming and start streaming.
You can grow a YouTube gaming channel by promoting your channel on social media and creating a consistent streaming schedule. It’s helpful to focus on a specific gaming niche to gain a steady following. You can also interact with your audience through a live chat to foster more engagement.
Gaming channels can be profitable if you’re able to gain a large following. While the most popular gaming channels can earn millions of dollars per year, smaller channels make much less. To increase your earnings, focus on building up your following and pursue several potential income streams, such as ads, sponsorships, and channel memberships.
You can make gaming channel art by using online design tools. For example, Namecheap’s Logo Maker is a simple, beginner-friendly design tool that’s great for creating a gaming channel logo for free.
Twitch is the leading gaming channel platform. It has millions of active users and a high level of brand recognition. Because it’s built for livestreaming, it’s very intuitive to use and has helpful features for gamers. Other platforms for gaming channels include YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming.
From voice to visuals, here’s how to create branding that everyone will recognize.
guideRead now
12 minsguideRead now11 minsguideRead now9 minsguideRead now9 minsguideRead now12 minsguideRead now11 minsguideRead now10 minsguideRead now12 minsguideRead now11 minsguideRead now12 minsguideRead now10 minsguideRead now12 mins
Need help? We're always here for you.