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Live broadcasting videogame gameplay is one of the most popular categories. It’s fun, informal, and has a thriving community, making it highly attractive for beginner streamers. But what do you need to start streaming if you’re not that good at gaming?
You don’t need to be a pro gamer to start live streaming your gaming. There’s a lot more to becoming a successful gaming streamer than pro-level skills, and a lot of options for people who struggle to master fast-paced, high-difficulty video games. Here are a few ideas on how to start streaming video games if you’re a beginner gamer.
Live streamers are entertainers first, gamers second. More often than not, people prefer watching a streamer that they like and relate to, rather than a cold and distant gaming god. If you’ve got a great on-screen personality and engage with your viewers, they’ll bond to you as a person, which builds a loyal following. Talk to your viewers, respond to questions in the chat, and introduce more interactive elements to your stream like challenges and stretch goals.
You should also create personal branding that matches your persona. If you’re bubbly and chatty, bright colors help communicate your personality. A clear look, consistent brand colors, and even a set greeting can really cement yourself as a marketable live streamer. This makes you more attractive to brands who want to collaborate with you on paid ads.
If you’re not sure how to start streaming games because you’re actually bad at video games, don’t worry! If you’ve got a good sense of humor, you can lean into this and play popular video games (like Grand Theft Auto or even Fortnite) in unexpected ways to make people laugh. After all, watching someone play terribly can be as fun as watching a skilled player crush levels and challenges.
Or, you can keep track of failures rather than wins. For example, use counter overlays to keep track of the times you’ve died on a level instead of how many kills and strikes you make.
You can also share tips and hacks on how to get better at games as a beginner, and encourage people who are getting into gaming later in life. You can grow a supportive, wholesome community of loyal supporters who enjoy watching you grow.
Viewers love watching people interact and talk while they game together. Multiplayer live streams feels organic, provides easy comedy, and is accessible for viewers who prefer to just watch your friends interact than chat directly with you. It also puts less pressure on you to be a great player and talk to yourself during the whole live stream, and opens up interesting cooperative play. Plus, you can share the costs of live streaming as a group, including additional software, sound mixers and more.
If you’re not looking to play more difficult multiplayer games like Overwatch, you can create a fun stream by playing games created to be entertaining even if you fail – like Party Animals and Human Fall Flat.
If you struggle to master the mechanics of traditional first-person shooters, you might want to try live streaming ‘cozy games’ like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, or Spiritfarer. Cozy gaming is a growing niche in the gamer community. For example, Twitch streamer and influencer CozyGames has nearly 40,000 followers on Twitch.
The appeal of cozy games is that they’re easy to learn, have low stakes, and offer viewers an alternative to the usual heart-pounding, adrenaline-boosting live streams. This makes it pretty lucrative for partnerships and paid ads, including indie games and brands that provide aesthetically-pleasing keyboards, lighting, headphones, and other accessories.
Because cozy gaming is a lot about the aesthetics of your live stream, a good streaming setup for beginners would be to use a cozy color scheme (think earth tones like green, brown, beige), lots of natural light, and some LED lights or decorations to create depth.
Even if you just can’t get a handle on gaming, there’s still a way to join the gaming live stream community and attract the same type of viewers. Gaming fans also enjoy watching streamers who talk about game theory, character design, and storytelling.
You can create a Just Chatting live stream and talk about games instead. For example, you could discuss the history of classic games like Resident Evil or Tomb Raider. Or, if you’re an expert in sound engineering, you can talk about the sound design or score used in your favorite games. Whatever your skills are, there’s a way to integrate your unique take into gaming.
No matter what topic you decide to make your gaming niche, every streamer needs to choose a platform. Many live stream gamers stream on YouTube Live or Twitch, but there are several other options depending on your region. Factor in the audience you want to attract, and consider the platforms that have communities similar to what you want to stream.
You can also go live on multiple platforms at once with streaming software. There are several options on the market to match your budget and device, including free tools like OBS Studio.
If you want your live stream to look more professional, use streaming overlays to add character and visual appeal to your live stream. Luckily, we have several overlays you can use for free with your favorite streaming software! You can try out the overlays we’ve showcased in this blog, or browse our wide range of overlays. You don’t even have to waste space or download unwieldy ZIP files, because all our overlays can be controlled online in real-time, from any of your devices. And, if you’re looking for more tips on what you need to start streaming, check out our streaming tips on the uno blog, and come chat to our community of streamers on the uno Discord!
