With over 2.2 million unique monthly streamers and over 292 billion minutes of content watched, Twitch is definitely the place to be if you’re planning to stream your game. Acquired by Amazon.com in 2014, the live streaming platform is growing exponentially and has reached over 100 million monthly unique users as of November 2017.
If you’re considering starting your own Twitch channel using a PC but aren’t sure how, you’ve come to the right place. Follow the instructions below to start streaming on Twitch right away!
Minimum Requirements for Streaming on Twitch
system
First of all, you will need a good PC to start streaming on Twitch. According to Twitch’s Streaming Requirements, the minimum hardware specifications include:
- Intel Core i5-4670 processor (or AMD equivalent)
- 8GB RAM
- Windows 7 or newer
In addition, you will need a dedicated graphics card with enough capacity to run whatever you want to play and stream software at the same time.
Broadcasting Software
One of the most important parts of any publisher’s toolkit is broadcast software. Open Release Software (Free) is the most widely used broadcast software for amateur broadcasters. It packs all the essentials you need to start streaming on Twitch, and the best part is that it’s open source and completely free to use. In this tutorial we will use OBS to broadcast your stream on Twitch.
Setting up your Twitch page
Now that you have eliminated the basic requirements, you will need to set up your Twitch page. To get started with your Twitch page, follow these steps:
- Go to Twitch.tv and Sign Up for a new account or Sign In if you already have one.
- Select Dashboard from the drop-down menu in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- In the Live tab, enter a Title for your stream, select the game you want to stream, and select the Communities you want your stream to be associated with.
- Once you’ve finished setting up your Twitch page, it’s time to set up the streaming software.
Using OBS
Stream Configuration
- After downloading and installing OBS, right-click the icon and select Run as Administrator.
- Choose Settings from the File menu and click the Stream tab.
- Select Twitch from the list of streaming services and leave the Server option at Automatic.
- Open your Twitch dashboard, go to the Settings tab and click on Stream Key.
- Click Show Key and copy the Stream Key displayed in the popup.
- Paste the Stream Key into the Stream tab in OBS.
Live broadcast
- In the OBS interface, click the ‘+’ icon under the Sources tab and select Image Capture.
Create a new Image Capture and rename it according to your preference.
- When a new Image Capture is created, a Properties window opens where you can select the resolution of the Image Capture.
- If you want to stream video from your webcam, you can add additional feeds from the source menu.
- You can now select the Start Broadcast option from the main OBS interface and take immediate action.
Broadcast Software Alternatives
While OBS is good enough for newbies to live streaming, there are a number of other streaming software on the market that give a lot more control over the stream and even allow users to capture video from other sources. XSplit ($199) is one such paid software that allows users to stream to multiple channels simultaneously, output video source directly from Skype and a projector. The software is also available for free, but the free version has limited functionality and you have to spend quite a bit of money on monthly subscriptions or a lifetime license to access all the features.
SEE ALSO: How to Stream Games Using Microsoft Mixer on Windows 10
Start Streaming on Twitch
I personally followed the aforementioned steps to stream my first PUBG game on Twitch without a hitch. Since I’m using a laptop, I’ve noticed some FPS drops here and there, but your mileage may vary depending on your system configuration. To me, getting started with Twitch is a fairly easy process. If you have an idea, I suggest you get straight to the point and it won’t take you nearly an hour to go live for the first time.
However, if you’re using this guide, don’t expect your Twitch stream to match those of professional streamers. There are many more nuances to broadcasting and obtaining high-quality professional streams, most of which include expensive hardware and software. Want to learn to stream like a pro? Let us know in the comments section below.
Games You Can Stream on Twitch from PC
game title | developer |
---|---|
overwatch | Blizzard Entertainment |
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds | PUBG Company |
Fortnite | Epic Games |
League of Legends | riot games |
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Valve Company |
DOTA2 | Valve Company |
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands | Ubisoft |
Rainbow Six Siege | Ubisoft |
Grand Theft Auto GTA V | rockstar games |
Final Fantasy XV | Square Enix |
Rocket League | Psyonix |
Sea of Thieves | Rare |
FIFA 18 | EA |
NBA 2k18 | EA |
Mortal Kombat XL | NetherRealm Studios |
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice | Ninja Theory |
person 5 | P-Studio |
Forza Horizon 3 | Games |
Forza Motorsport 7 | Flip 10 Studio |
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | CD Projekt RED |
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard | Capcom |
Hitman: The Complete First Season | Square Enix |
Nioh | Team Ninja |
for the honor | Ubisoft Montreal |
Sniper Elite 4 | Rebellion Developments |
Nier: Automata | PlatinumGames |
Elder Scrolls: Legends | Bethesda Software |
Mass Effect: Andromeda | Biologicals |
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition | Epic Games |
Stardew Valley: Collector’s Edition | sick games |
Outlast II | red barrel |
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 | IT Games |
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III | relic fun |
Victim | Arkane Studios |
injustice 2 | NetherRealm Studios |
Fluctuation | deck13 |
darksiders | Watch Games |
Friday the 13th: The Game | Gun Media |
frost | Tequila Works |
Don’t Leave Mega Pack Open | Klei Entertainment |
Tekken 7 | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
Wipe out | diagnosis |
dead in the sunlight | Behavior Interactive |
Nex Machine | home brand |
Elite: Dangerous | Boundary Developments |
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy | Vicarious Visions |
Mayhem Agents | will |
sound frenzy | America’s SEGA |
Observer | Bloober Team |
relieving | sloclap |
Ark: Survival Evolved | Virtual Basement LLC |
Hello neighbour | Dynamic Pixels |
redout | 34BigThings |
XCOM | Hasbro Interactive |
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm | Deck Nine |
destiny 2 | bungie |
Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition | Ubisoft |
Theology: Original Sin II | Larian Studios |
Dishonored: Stranger’s Death | Arkane Studios |
NHL 18 | EA |
Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite | Capcom |
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 | pits |
Project Cars 2 | Some Crazy Studios |
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition | Bethesda Software |
mug head | Studio MDHR |
A Hat in Time | Gears for Breakfast |
South Park: Broken But Whole | Ubisoft |
Age Of Empires: Definitive Edition | Microsoft Studios |
Apocalypse | ID Software |
Need for Speed: Payback | Ghost Games |
LA Noire | rockstar games |
Star Wars Battlefront II | EA DICE |
Sims 4 | EA |