Everything you need to know to become a professional video game streamer

WHAT if we told you there was a job that makes it possible to earn just shy of $7000 per month without even leaving the house?

THE world’s biggest video game streamer makes more than $A674,000 per month by broadcasting himself playing Fortnite, with his income largely from his large subscriber base.

While Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is in the upper echelons, professional streamers earn an average of $A4000 to $A6700 per month playing games for about 40 hours a week, reported CNBC.

So you like video games, have a good personality and think you have what it takes to make a living from your home? Here’s everything you need to get started with your new career.

GET A TWITCH ACCOUNT

Twitch, owned by Amazon, is the world’s most popular live streaming video platform and is the bread and butter for many professional gamers.

Income depends on the size of the audience, with popular streamers receiving a 60-70 per cent cut of each subscriber’s $A6.72 monthly subscription fee.

Professionals also receive monthly payments from ad revenue, with streamers getting about $A330 per 100 subscribers, reports Gamebyte.

Streamers can also make money from donations from fans and sponsorship deals, although these sources of income are not usually disclosed.

Twitch is free to join; all you need to do is build up your profile and then start broadcasting.

You should also make sure all of your broadcasts are archived for people to view if they miss you live. This is done by heading to Settings > Channel & Videos > Archive Broadcasts.

GET A GOOD COMPUTER

Most video game streamers use a computer, although you can also use a console.

At the very least, Twitch recommends users’ computers be equipped with an Intel Core i5-4670 processor, 8GB of RAM and Windows 7 or newer.

One of the more impressive options on the market is Acer’s $A7999.99 Predator specialised gaming PC or you can always shop around for a cheaper option that will meet your needs.

As gaming and broadcasting can be quite a strain on your computer, some Twitch streamers use a separate PC for each task.

It’s also worthwhile to have an upload speed of at least 3MB per second.

BUY A MICROPHONE AND CAMERA

The Siren X and Kiyo camera in action. Picture: Razer

You can use a gaming headset and built-in webcam when you first start streaming, but once you start to grow a following it could be worthwhile upgrading your set-up for a better quality broadcast.
Thankfully you don’t need to break the bank when buying a new camera and microphone.

We would suggest spending a little more than $A300 and getting Razer’s Seiren X microphone and Kiyo broadcast camera.

Razer’s Siren X reduces unwanted background noise and puts a focus on your voice by recording sound at a tighter angle, plus a built-in shock mount to reduce vibrations.

The Razer Kiyo is a desktop streaming camera with a powerful, multi-step ring light that can dim or brighten on command. It has the ability to handle streams at 60 frames per second for full gaming fidelity and has a fast and accurate autofocus.

GET YOUR BROADCASTING SOFTWARE

To begin broadcasting on Twitch, you will need to decide on what broadcasting application you want to use, with each of the plethora of options having its own pros and cons.

Twitch offers a list of recommended software for broadcasting on its website, ranging from free to more expensive premium options.

All of the software options will require you to input the sources of your stream, layout how they will appear to the viewer and synch with your Twitch account.

STREAMING FROM A CONSOLE

You can stream from both your Xbox One or PS4 using Microsoft’s Kinect camera or Sony’s PlayStation camera connected to your console.

All you need to do is download the Twitch app and follow the service’s guidelines for setting up either an Xbox or PlayStation broadcast.

TIPS FOR ONCE YOU’RE LIVE

With more than 100 million monthly users, there is plenty of opportunity to win fans but you will need to find your niche.

As subscribers are paying for your content, it’s helpful to be consistent with your streams and interact with your fans as much as possible.

Continue the conversation in the comments below or with Matthew Dunn on Facebook and Twitter.