Beginners Guide To Being A Game Streamer! (Learning To Crawl)

Ben by Ben from RidiculouslyBen.com

Beginners Guide To Being A Game Streamer! (Learning To Crawl)


About myself: First I will tell you that I'm not a pro-streamer who made partner or has sponsorships at this current time however, I am an affiliate. I myself feel I am a "journeyman" streamer with a decent amount of experience under my belt to be able to get you started. As I am learning, I would like to share my knowledge with you on how to succeed! 

About this guide: We must learn to crawl before we can walk! This guide is intended to encourage you and get you started on streaming. This will be the start of a series I plan to contribute to the streaming world. I'll be going over some basic first needs with a focus on the idea that absolutely anyone can be a streamer!   

What does it mean to be a streamer?


Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
So you want to be a streamer? Well, if you are not entirely sure if you want to be a streamer or if you don't even know what it is, a streamer is a live entertainer. Through a streaming platform, you are entertaining people live. You are the actor or actress, your computer, cell phone, or game console is the stage, and the whole world is your audience.



Pick a platform


Photo by stefano stacchini on Unsplash
First things first, you'll need to choose your platform or, in other words, your stage. There are many, MANY platforms out there and none of them can be created equal. If you are streaming to meet new people or just for fun, it may not matter what platform to go with. If you are planning to stream to make money as a content creator however, then you really need to consider what platform to start with. Here are a few starting points I would suggest.


Twitch Review: By far I'd have to say this is one of the best and easiest platforms to get into. It is ideal for game streaming as well as other niches. When reaching affiliate the payout may not seem as good or fair, but you will be getting to that point quicker than other platforms.

Difficulty: Easy
Age Requirement: 13+
Path to Monetization: 50 followers, 7 broadcast days within 30 days, 500 minutes within 30 days, consistent 3 viewers within 30 days



YouTube Review: We can agree that YouTube is a loveable platform for all of us to laugh at funny meme videos or to get instructions on how to do something very easily. YouTube is also an excellent game streaming platform as well! I do have to say though, it is harder starting off as some programs and tools may not integrate well with it and the requirement to become an "affiliate" or get paid are much higher. Additionally, there are a lot more people viewing , the saturation may make it more difficult to discover.

Difficulty: Moderate
Age Requirement: 13+
Path to Monetization: 1000 subscribers, 4000 watch hours (videos or streams), 2-step verification, No Community Guidelines Strikes

Other Platforms: There are other platforms that sadly, I do not know much about like Facebook Gaming, Hitbox, Beam, etc. I'm sure they're great, but the two I've covered are much more flexible, in my experience, with tech requirements and audience. 

Choosing a name, brand, and mascot

You've chosen your stage but, what's next? What do you plan to call yourself? What do you want to represent you? Should you have a Mascot?

What's in a name?: The answer could be everything! Think of a name that fits your personality or something that'll reflect your content. Also, shorter and simple names are easy to remember and spell which makes you more memorable or easy to suggest by others. Make it a catchy and fun name. Keep the name clean. You want people to take you seriously as a streamer and you can breach guidelines on your platform.

What is a brand?: A brand is a logo or image that resembles you as a content creator. It is a fun and memorable icon that people will remember you by. Much like a name, I feel this is very much required and just as important. You can literally make this image anything you want and change it down the line. For starters, it is usually suggested to put your own face, maybe with an entertaining expression or gesture. If you don't want to show your face, that's fine. You can alternatively make any fun logo, combinations or words, or a mascot as your brand.




Do I need a Mascot? No, you do not. This is completely optional. Mascots can be fun and usually eye grabbers. Pick a favorite animal, creature, monster, ghost, demon, angel, or even an illustrated version of yourself to be included in your content. While not a requirement, I would suggest it as it can be fun and an attention grabber. At the very least, it can be a conversation starter. 



Plan Your Content

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

For beginners, from other streamers, and from personal experience, you should pick a single content to focus on. Basically, stream only a single game for a good stretch. The idea behind this is that you want to get other streamers, gamers, and viewers who are interested in this one game you've selected to follow, watch you, and be a part of your community. It is hard to start off as a variety streamer because your first few followers were watching you for Mario Brothers and may not like the game you are playing today, Zelda. Don't let this discourage you though, this is only a first step. Once you get a community going, they will support and love you, for you, not the game.

Technical Needs

People panic when they think about what is needed or required to get started. I'm here to tell you, DO NOT PANIC. You will watch a ton of blogs, reviews, forums, tutorials, videos, and just about all the content will say you'll need an epic gaming system, equipment, and the newest and best. As a beginner, do not concern yourself with this. Just get started! Here are a few things you may need to get started.

Internet Connection: You can't stream without the internet, but what speed is good? It sounds silly however, the minimum download speed you would need is 6-ish Mbps download and like 1-ish Mbps upload. Don't do this to yourself haha. I'd say a good starting speed would be 15 Mbps to 20 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps to 4 Mbps Upload speed. It's affordable at this rate for most carriers and you can pull off a 720p 60fps stream.

Photo by Andreas Haslinger on Unsplash
Console: Luckily, most consoles from Playstation 3 and up, with the exception of a Nintendo Switch, can stream on Youtube or Twitch. As long as you have an internet connection it is simple and easy to get going and start entertaining. The downside, however, is that you wouldn't be able to use fun tools, bots, or overlays unless you connect a capture card to your computer.

Computer: If you plan to stream from a computer, you can really use anything that can connect to the internet and run a game. However, you won't get the best experience as a streamer and your viewers may notice your frustrations and technical issues. Also, down the line a second monitor is highly suggested. I'll provide a few minimal and affordable options that would be a good starting point.

Do I need a capture card: No, but if you are running a console that has no streaming capabilities or if you want a better quality stream, it would be suggested. A lot of streamers will gloat about the ever so famous Elgato, but I'm here to tell you that you do not need a super expensive capture card. I'll provide a link of the capture card I use, and in comparison of price, to the Elgato.

Comparison: Elgato $100+ card

Your expectations will hold you back!


The hard truth: It's true, your expectations can and will hold you back. "I'm jumping into this, will be famous, and make a ton of money", is what a lot of people first think when they're becoming a streamer or content creator. It's possible but, in most cases it will not happen for everyone and won't be a quick process. 

Being a good and successful streamer will take time. You must be patient and you must continue. Never give up! 

I say this because from 0 to 50 followers it is a crawl. The path to affiliate with the viewership is also a slow climb. 51 to 100 followers things begin to pick up. 100 to 150 followers things really start to get exciting. From there, the sky's the limit and things get really amazing. 

Important things to keep in mind: Change your expectations. Have fun with streaming, get excited about what you can bring to your viewers and remember that when you stop streaming, people stop watching. Keep it up even if the best viewers are "me, myself, and I". I assure you, you can be successful with time and patience.

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