The non-gamer's guide to start streaming games

You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy streaming video games. Sometimes you may just want to diversify your content or offer your audience something new to do together.

Let’s break down some of the technical parts to game streaming. While you certainly can point your phone at your TV or your laptop and live stream your game that way, there are better options that are still simple to execute.

Since we’re trying to keep this relatively easy, we’ll tackle this in 3 sections. Each section adds another element to the mix. So, if you’re looking for the most straight forward option for getting started, start with mobile games.

You can stream games directly from your mobile device using Omlet Arcade. Follow the steps in this video to stream from your device.

When streaming from a mobile device it is important that your audio sounds good and clean. Use headphones with a built-in microphone to get better sound for mobile game streaming.

When you stream from your PC (or Mac) it’s a two-step process.

Part 1: Getting your PC game into a video stream-able format.

Part 2: Getting that video connected to Facebook.

To bridge the gap between parts 1 and 2 we need to use a software encoder. There are many different types of encoders out there and they all get the job done. Their basic job is to take the game that you’re playing and encode it for streaming to Facebook. Beyond that, some of the encoders offer bells and whistles like overlay graphics, special event animations or audio mixers. There are plenty of encoders to choose from. Some of the most commonly used encoders are OBS, Streamlabs OBS, and XSplit (PC Only).

To set up one of these software encoders you can follow our guide here. Follow the steps for “Step 2” to download a software encoder and get it setup for streaming.

To go live on Facebook, watch this video or follow the steps below.

Streaming with any software encoder requires a Server URL (where the stream is going) and a Stream Key (your authentication code). You can get both of these from the Live Producer surface on Facebook by following these steps.

If you want to stream games from your Xbox, PS4 or your Nintendo Switch, you’ll need a special piece of hardware called a converter or a capture card. There are several kinds of converters that range in price from $60-$300+. What you need is simply something that can receive an HDMI signal from your console and share that signal with your computer via thunderbolt or USB. Some options are from Elgato like the HD60, or Magewell makes a simple converter for HDMI to USB. And there are plenty of capture cards available out there that can do the job.

Once your console game is converted and connected to your computer, you can use a software encoder like we discussed above to encode the game and send it to Facebook.

Note: Just because your laptop has an HDMI port, it does not mean that it will ingest an HDMI signal. Very few laptops are setup this way. Most likely your built-in HDMI port is for connecting to a TV not receiving video. This is why you need a capture card, or a converter, to receive a video signal.

Streaming games is a great way to hold your audience's attention for a long period of time. It will give you as a creator something entertaining to do, while you interact with your fans and create memorable moments for them. The setup process may seem daunting, but if you take a few minutes to read through and follow the steps above, you’ll feel more comfortable with game streaming in no time!

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