Everything A PC Streamer Needs To Start On Twitch

At the start of the 2000s, the relationship between video games and money seemed like a one-way street; you spend your salary or pocket money on buying the game that caught your eye. Maybe you could get it a little cheaper if you bought it second-hand, but either way, you were exchanging money for games.

Not many could have predicted that, in time, you could use video games to make money, instead. The dream of millions of kids (and a fair few adults, too) has become a reality with the rise of eSports and streaming platforms like Twitch.

Surprising nobody, the idea of playing games for a living appeals to a lot of people. Since you’re reading this article, you’re one of them. So, how would a PC streamer start on Twitch?

The team from Titan-Ice, one of South Africa’s leading gaming PC providers, have put together some pointers below that are based on set-ups and stories from the biggest streamers in the world.

1. Patience

The first two recommendations are intangibles, but as important as any piece of technology you’ll buy.

Just because some streamers make money in the millions doesn’t mean you’ll get there immediately. There are thousands of people on Twitch who just stream their games; you need the patience to build something that stands out from these.

There will be nights when you can count your viewers on one hand. There will be nights when you want to give it up because the money isn’t coming quick enough. Before you get started on this journey, ask yourself if you have the patience to see it through to the end.

2. A gimmick

Simply liking video games usually isn’t enough. For many, to stick out from the crowd, you need to have a gimmick. Something that makes you special.

This isn’t true for all of the successful streamers; plenty make a living just by being genuinely nice and entertaining. They don’t need to play a character or have an industrial fog machine in their bedroom. However, a lot of Twitch streaming comes down to marketing, and marketing is all about standing out.

It could be that you play games a certain way – for some, this could mean beating Dark Souls with a dance pad. Maybe you’re known for playing a certain niche of games, like untranslated gems from different languages. This is how you can better find your audience.

Now, onto the exciting parts – the technology.

3. A Twitch account

You might not need a Twitch account to watch streams, but you need one to create them. Luckily, Twitch has streamlined the process after years. All you need is an original username, a valid date of birth and an email account. Once you’ve accepted their terms and conditions, you’re good to go!

It’s also possible to sign up through the mobile app, which is a popular option for consuming and creating with Twitch; the Apple application has a 4.7 out of 5 rating, while the Android version has a slightly lower 4.4 rating.

4. Internet connection

This could be a little trickier as there are some areas that just simply have poor internet connections. However, with ultrafast networks and services like Google Fiber rolling out, fast internet speeds are becoming more and more widespread. If you want to stream on Twitch, this is vital.

When there are thousands of live streams at any one time for a viewer to watch, a lagging and choppy stream is a shortcut to losing viewers. To improve your connection, you may want to look at disconnecting other devices that you have accessing your internet.

5. Microphone

A lot of success for people on Twitch is found in connecting with the audience. The banter and dialogue with watchers can be a huge part of this, so it’s important that people can hear you clearly. While the headphones and mic that come with most phones nowadays can do an okay job, do you want an okay stream? Instead, by investing some money into this key piece of equipment, you can quickly separate yourself from other people that aren’t taking this seriously.

Instead of recommending a host of microphones for you, we have instead included a list of premium features that you may want to look for in the microphone of your choice:

Omnidirectional pick-ups for detecting sound from all directions
Adjustable heights for setups of all shapes and sizes
Background noise cancellation, ideal for those with animals or loud roommates
Shock mounts to reduce audio peaks
Mute button for the quick killing of audio
Audio profiles for different situations

6. Camera

If you’re reading this on a laptop, it probably has a built-in webcam already. Holding a phone? It certainly has some kind of front-facing camera to capture your face.

These won’t cut it.

Remember, your audience may well be watching your stream on a 50-inch screen; they’d be able to count the pixels from your blown-up 1.2-megapixel webcam stream.

Don’t worry though, as you’d be surprised at the quality of visuals you can get from a seemingly small investment. Like with the previous section, we’ll avoid specific recommendations and instead include features you can pick and choose from for your budget:

A capture rate of 60 frames per seconds or higher
USB-3/USB-C connection for quality data transfer
A wide-angle lens so you’re not limited to close-ups
Autofocus so you don’t need to sit still for the whole stream
4k output ideally, but 1080p is acceptable too
Quality low-light performance

7. Lighting

The natural light that comes from your overhead bulb likely won’t give you the quality you want for a stream. To be honest, lighting is the kind of thing you only notice when it’s bad on a stream, so many might not realise the effort that goes into it.

While ring lights have become a very popular option for naturally lighting a subject’s face, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. Here are a few features you may want for your lighting equipment:

Adjustable lighting levels, so it’s not one brightness level or nothing
A diffused light that isn’t too harsh
Great battery life for portable use
Adjustable mount that can be angled in multiple positions
Colour control for easy changing

8. Green screen

A green screen can be absolutely transformative for a stream. It’s a blank canvas that can be used to express your personality, share information with the readers, immerse yourself in a different world and much more.

With Twitch Studio, they make it incredibly easy to detect the green screen and also configure the settings available to you. You may not want to use this all the time, as some prefer the authenticity of showing your real background, but for creative people, it can be a magic wand.

9. A computer

While you can stream using most mobile phones, you will likely want a powerful computer that can run the stream, camera feed, audio and more throughout – without any hitches.

Twitch recommends having at least 8GB of RAM, Windows 7 or newer and an Intel Core i5-4670 processor (or an AMD equivalent) installed. For a Mac, a lot of the newer models should be able to run the platform fine. Of course, the more ambitious you get, the more power you may need and that will vary from streamer to streamer.

Whether you want to be making millions from the platform, or you’re simply looking for a new hobby where you can flex your creative muscles – we hope this guide has helped you. As much as the latest microphone or camera can help, remember that it starts and ends with your passion and patience. With both of those, you’re bound for success.