You’ve built your gaming PC that possibly features an SSD for speed, you probably know the difference between WD Green vs Blue, and now you want to start streaming on Twitch. We’re here to help. (If you haven’t built yourself a streaming PC, read our Guide to Building a PC for Game Streaming.)

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Twitch remains the most prominent player in the video game live streaming space. It maintains that dominance by appearing on a ridiculous number of platforms. You can watch and broadcast Twitch. The 5 Best Games to Stream on Twitch in 2020 So here is a list of the best five games that you can stream on Twitch. The list consists of some best games most watched on Twitch. Bear in mind that, since these games directly attracting mainstream audiences, your streaming can get competitive at times.

This quick guide should take you from a streaming novice to confident broadcaster. Don’t forget that if you’re using a public internet connection, find the best vpn for streaming so that you’re secure.

For these purposes, we’re going to use free streaming software, Online Broadcasting Software (OBS). There are many other software options out there, including XSplit and NVIDIA’s ShadowPlay.

IMPORTANT: There are two different versions of OBS: Original (Windows-only), and Multiplatform (Windows/Mac/Linux), rebuilt from the ground up. This guide walks you through both versions, one at a time. First, we walk through the original, Windows-only version. Scroll down this article to find the walkthrough for OBS Multiplatform.

Original OBS (Windows-only)

Step 1: Download and Install OBS

First, download original OBS (the Windows-only version) from obsproject.com and install it. (Once again, scroll down to see instructions for Multiplatform OBS.)

Once installed, you’ll first see a screen like this:

On the bottom left you’ll see boxes for “Scenes” and “Sources.”

Think of “scenes” more like “screenshots” to switch between as necessary. For example, you can have one scene for your gameplay and webcam feed, and one scene for your AFK screen that you can easily switch to if you need to go AFK.

“Sources” are your sources of information, such as your gameplay video feed, your webcam feed, or some custom text. You put together various sources as you see fit to create your scenes.

We’ll get to these momentarily. For now, let’s configure our settings.

Step 2: Open Up Settings

Most settings are pretty straightforward, such as configuring your microphone source or setting hotkeys. If you’re streaming, you may just want a mute hotkey, but it’s likely you’ll stick to using voice activation/constant microphone for talking to your chat members.

The most important settings you’ll need to adjust before you start are under “Broadcast Settings.”

Step 3: Configure Broadcast Settings

Select “Streaming Service” and change this to your service of choice. For this tutorial, we’re streaming to Twitch. You may choose to stream elsewhere, such as Hitbox.

Next, change the FMS URL to an appropriate server — one that’s close to you. As I live in England, I’ll choose London, UK.

To stream to any website you’ll need to fill in the Play Path/Stream Key field. Think of this as a password — don’t show this key to anyone!

To find your stream key for Twitch, log in to your account, click the arrow next to your name, and select Dashboard. Under Dashboard you’ll have Live, Editing, Activity, Stats, and Stream Key. Go to Stream Key and hit “Show Key.” Copy and paste this into the Play Path/Stream Key field.

You can also change your local recording destination here, if you want to record. Be aware that recording will potentially lower your performance, and use up HDD space quickly.

Next up, we’ll configure our video and audio settings.

Step 4: Configure Video and Audio Settings

Start by going to video and changing the resolution to whatever broadcasting resolution you desire. I’m going to leave mine at 1080p.

The same applies to FPS. I’m going to leave mine at 30, but you may want 60. Twitch does not support over 60.

If you find that your stream is not performing well, you may need to adjust some combination of your resolution, FPS, or bitrate (explained below). In our testing, we’ve found that for faster-paced games, downscaling to 720p and setting the FPS to 60 may look better. For slower-paced games, no downscaling (staying at 1080p) and setting FPS to 30 may be the better choice.

The video adapter is the adapter that you play the content through, meaning if you’re playing your game through your NVIDIA GPU, leave it on your NVIDIA GPU. This is not the hardware responsible for encoding. (We’ll cover that in a second.)

The audio tab just lets you change the recording device and delay of the audio.

The next section we want to look at is “Encoding.”

Step 5: Configure Encoding Settings

This is where we’ll choose our encoder and bitrates. For this example I’m going to use QuickSync to encode with my CPU’s integrated GPU. I’m setting my bitrate to the maximum Twitch will allow (3500kbps), and set my audio bitrate to 160 kbps, the maximum audio bitrate on Twitch for AAC.

It’s that simple to change your encoder to one of your hardware encoders in OBS.

Once again, if you find that your stream is not performing well enough, try lowering your video bitrate, or some combination of resolution, FPS, and bitrate. For example, your stream might perform much better by lowering the bitrate to 3000, 2500, or even 2000. Note that you sacrifice some image quality whenever you lower your bitrate, but that’s preferable to a choppy stream.

Step 6: Add Sources

Now that we’ve configured our settings, let’s add some sources.

Right click the sources box and click “add.” Here you can add your gameplay footage, some text, or a webcam.

For Game Capture, the game will need to be running beforehand. When you add content, you’ll get sizing options – for this tutorial I’m just going to stretch my Witcher 3 window to the whole screen:

And if I click Preview, I can see my preview, shown below. (There’s no sound from my speakers because the sound stops on the game while I have it minimized.)

Step 7: Start Streaming

Time to test the stream. Click “Start Streaming.” I’ve even opened up Task Manager for you here so you can take a look at the system usage:

I’m able to stream at 3500kbps video on my rather meagre i5-4430 and GTX 760 with a minimal impact.

To add a webcam to this scene, right click the Sources box again and this time select “Add Video Capture Device,” select your webcam from the dropdown list, and position it accordingly. You would also go through the same process to add video from a capture card.

Once you have been streaming for a while and build an audience then you can look into getting better equipement and maybe even Twitch overlays.

An extra note from me personally is that if you want to stream a game in windowed mode, capture the screen region. It’s a bit tricky to set up, but especially with some indie games and applications, using game capture doesn’t always work particularly well.

If it’s your first time streaming, I would strongly recommend you record yourself and get a friend to listen in first. It’s very difficult to make sure the microphone and game audio levels are balanced. Having an extra set of ears can help tremendously for determining if your mic is too quiet or your game is too loud.

Multiplatform OBS (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Step 1: Download and Install OBS

First, download OBS Multiplatform from obsproject.com and install it.

Once installed, you’ll first see a screen like this:

On the bottom left you’ll see boxes for “Scenes” and “Sources.”

Think of “scenes” more like “screenshots” to switch between as necessary. For example, you can have one scene for your gameplay and webcam feed, and one scene for your AFK screen that you can easily switch to if you need to go AFK.

“Sources” are your sources of information, such as your gameplay video feed, your webcam feed, or some custom text. You put together various sources as you see fit to create your scenes.

We’ll get to these momentarily. For now, let’s configure our settings.

Step 2: Open Up Settings

Most settings are pretty straightforward, such as configuring your microphone source or setting hotkeys. If you’re streaming, you may just want a mute hotkey, but it’s likely you’ll stick to using voice activation/constant microphone for talking to your chat members.

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The most important settings you’ll need to adjust before you start are under “Broadcast Settings.”

Step 3: Configure Stream Settings

Select “Service” and change this to your service of choice. For this tutorial, we’re streaming to Twitch. You may choose to stream elsewhere, such as Hitbox.

Next, change the FMS URL to an appropriate server — one that’s close to you. As I live in England, I’ll choose London, UK.

To stream to any website you’ll need to fill in the Play Path/Stream Key field. Think of this as a password — don’t show this key to anyone!

To find your stream key for Twitch, log in to your account, click the arrow next to your name, and select Dashboard. Under Dashboard you’ll have Live, Editing, Activity, Stats, and Stream Key. Go to Stream Key and hit “Show Key.” Copy and paste this into the Play Path/Stream Key field.

Step 4: Configure Video/Audio Settings

Start by changing the resolution to whatever broadcasting resolution you desire. I’m going to leave mine at 1080p. The same applies to FPS – I’m going to leave mine at 30, but you may want 60. Twitch does not support over 60. Leave the renderer on Direct3D 11 unless you’re on Linux or Mac OS.

If you find that your stream is not performing well, you may need to adjust some combination of your resolution, FPS, or bitrate (explained below). In our testing, we’ve found that for faster-paced games, downscaling to 720p and setting the FPS to 60 may look better. For slower-paced games, no downscaling (staying at 1080p) and setting FPS to 30 may be the better choice.

The video adapter is the adapter that plays the content you’re streaming, meaning if you’re playing your game through your NVIDIA GPU, leave it on your NVIDIA GPU. This is not the hardware responsible for encoding. (We’ll cover that in a second.)

Step 5: Configure Output Settings

This is where we’ll choose our encoder and bitrates. For this example I’m going to use Quick Sync, set my bitrate to the maximum Twitch will allow (3500kbps), and set my audio to AAC 160 kbps. To change the encoder, you’ll need to change the “Output Mode” to Advanced.

Under “Output,” you can also change your local recording destination and file type. That’s up to you and rests on whether you want to record to your PC while you stream or not.

It’s that simple to change your encoder to one of your hardware encoders in OBS. Note that NVIDIA’s encoder NVENC/ShadowPlay is only supported on the Windows-only client — not the Multiplatform version shown here.

Once again, if you find that your stream is not performing well enough, try lowering your video bitrate, or some combination of resolution, FPS, and bitrate. For example, your stream might perform much better by lowering the bitrate to 3000, 2500, or even 2000. Note that you sacrifice some image quality whenever you lower your bitrate, but that’s preferable to a choppy stream.

Step 6: Add Sources

Now that we’ve configured our settings, let’s add some sources.

On the main OBS screen, right click the sources box and click “add.” Here you can add your gameplay footage, some text, or a webcam.

For Game Capture, the game will need to be running beforehand.

And if I click Preview, I can see my preview – there’s no sound from my speakers because the sound stops on the game while I have it minimized.

And if I click “Start Streaming” – I’ve even opened up Task Manager for you here so you can take a look at the system usage:

I’m able to stream at my 3500kbps video with 160kbps audio on my rather meagre i5 4430 and GTX 760 with a minimal impact.

To add a webcam to this scene, right click sources again and this time select “Add Video Capture Device.” Select your webcam from the dropdown list, and positioning it accordingly. You would also go through the same process to add video from a capture card.

An extra note from me personally is that if you want to stream a game in windowed mode, capture the screen region. It’s a bit tricky to set up, but especially with indie games and some applications, using game capture doesn’t always work particularly well.

If it’s your first time streaming, I would strongly recommend you record yourself and get a friend to listen in. It’s very difficult to make sure the microphone and game audio levels are balanced. Having an extra set of ears to tell you if your mic is quiet or your game is loud can help tremendously.

That’s it!

Hopefully, this tutorial will help you get set up with OBS, and we hope you have fun streaming!

Anyone can start streaming on Twitch and become a gaming star. Countless people have done it. Part of the process of showing up live on Twitch is to use compatible streaming software available and understand them well enough to get the best out of the tool and your streaming creations.

Herein we will delve into the best software to use to setup your Twitch streaming software.

Note that the ranking below is in no particular order.

Table of Contents

#1. Twitch Studio

In the streaming industry, Twitch Studio is probably the most popular streaming software available owing to the popularity of Twitch as a streaming platform.

It is the to-go-to software form many novice Twitch streamers and many experienced streamers. Since the software is linked with Twitch, it a tad easier to set up and use.

You need not fret over the video and audio mixing, configuring the hardware and making sure the software detects your hardware and all other annoying preparation tasks you get accustomed to with the other streaming software.

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The software’s guided stream setup will automatically detect the hardware (microphone, camera, monitor resolution, and streaming bitrate), and by using one of the customizable templates, you can get started with your stream quickly and with little hassle.

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However, just like other Twitch streaming software, it does have some cons. For some streamers, Twitch Studio does not offer ample customization on the setup front like some third-party software.

#2. OBS Studio

Popular with professional and experienced gamers, Open Broadcast Studios is an open-source streaming software available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

It features advanced capabilities and ample customization possibilities. For instance, the software comes with powerful APIs that allow users to create scripts and plugins to customize their streaming to suit their needs.

Aside from streaming on Twitch, the software allows you to also stream on YouTube, Facebook Live, Livecoding, DailyMotion, and many other platforms.

Its various qualities make the software a bit of an overkill for many streamers, especially novice streamers. Case in point, mixing sources takes some time to understand and get used to.

OSB Studio is, however, the perfect streaming solution for power users and/or professional gamers looking to create a thrilling experience for their audience.

To get the best out of OBS Studio, you need to spend a considerable amount of time using the software. Moreover, there is not a lot of guidance available on using the software and you might need to do some trial and error first before you get going.

#3. Xsplit Broadcaster

This is a paid software renowned for the high fidelity sound it captures. Starting at $24.95 per 3 month license, the software provides streamers with a suite of tools that helps them create exceptional game recordings and streams.

Alternatively, you can purchase a lifetime license for $199 that gives you access to all the premium features without limits. However, users have access to a free version with a limited number and variety of features.

Among its notable qualities is the drag and drop users experience for streamers. You can select and organize the various sources in your stream by simply dragging and dropping them within the window.

Additionally, you can also save your setups as scenes, thereby negating the need to setup your streams every time you want to start recording.

This feature allows streamers with one screen to use multiple setups within one stream by switching between the different setups effortlessly.

Xsplit Broadcaster is available on Windows only (Win 7 and newer).

#4. Stream Labs

Stream Labs is another software designed and optimized for power users. It comes with ample features and, importantly, the ability to back up your recording to cloud storage.

Streamers will find it easy to setup their streams as it comes with numerous themes and overlays that allow you to setup you’re your streams fast.

And with 46 apps available to extend the functionality of the software, you get more control, better analytics, and advanced automation.

In all, streamers have capable software with the Stream Labs, and viewers enjoy high-quality streams and memorable interaction with you. And should anything go wrong, Stream Labs has one of the best support personnel ready to help.

#5. LightStream

Designed to give your streams on Twitch a professional look without the hassle of complex setups. “Dubbed the Google Docs for live streaming,” you can start live streaming your videos directly from your browser without downloading any software.

The software is hosted in the cloud and you use the browser as the interface with the software. Importantly, the heavy lifting of encoding and compositing is done in the cloud, freeing your computer resources for other things.

As such, LightStream is the perfect solution for streamers who lack the expensive hardware needed to stream high-quality videos on Twitch.

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#6. AverMedia Live Gamer Portable

The AverMedia gives streams a whole new way of capturing and sharing their video streams. This game capture device gives you a hardware and software solution, thereby doing away with the need for a computer to capture record and/or live stream your videos.

It is a portable plug and play solution to all your streaming needs. You can use the AverMedia with your computer, gaming console (Xbox, Wii U, and Play Station 3 and 4), and, mobile device.

The combination of PC-free mode and SD memory slot allows you to capture your gaming sessions even when you do not have a computer near you.

#7. Vmix

Vmix provides a suite of multimedia solutions for streaming on Twitch and other platforms. The live video production software has been optimized for streamlining multiple video and audio inputs and managing and mixing all the sources efficiently.

The software allows users to add and use multiple images, audio, cameras, web streams, Powerpoint, and much more. This is in addition to the ability to display, live stream, and record your videos.

However, to make use of all of these features, users need a high-spec computer as compared to other streaming software.

#8. Elgato Game Capture HD60 S

Another game capture device, Elgato is designed to capture your gameplay on your gaming console (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) and stream it or record it to your computer.

The device is perfectly suited to overcome the shortcomings of limited recording times that gaming consoles offer. The device is fast enough that you can incorporate the captured video to your computer streaming software.

However, it does give users the ability to set up stunning layouts and overlays. It comes with an HDMI input that can take unencrypted signals up to 1080p at 60fps, a 3.5mm audio input, a USB-C port.

On the software front, it uses Elgato’s Game Capture HD software available as a free download. The software allows video creators to stream online on Twitch (and other platforms) or record the video locally.

#9. Nvidia GeForce Shadowplay

As the name suggests, the Nvidia GeForce Shadowplay has been made by Nvidia to provide the best streaming and recording experience for individuals using Nvidia graphics cards.

As an extension to the GeForce experience, you can access this streaming software in the GFE window via the share button on the upper right corner.

The software is inherently easy to use and to share your videos via the Broadcast Live. You can stream up 1080p at 60fps on Twitch using.

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With three recording options, gamers have ample choice on how to create their content. The Instant Replay allows users to record the last 5 to 20 minutes of play up to 1440p resolution at 60fps for instant replays.

#10. OBS Live

OBS Live can do everything the OBS Studio can and then some more. As such, the software comes with additional features that improve the lives of streamers while creating a better experience for the viewers.

Some of the added features you get with OBS Live include a built-in chat and activity feed, custom bot name, and media requests that allows you to play videos and songs.

The software also gives users the ability to better control the replays, skip, and mute functions. You also get quick access to all of the StreamElements tools such as overlays, tipping, and ChatBot.

#11. Player.me

From its onset, Player.me has been designed to offer content to create more engaging tools. With easy to use in-game overlays (and hundreds of overlay templates available), powerful widgets, and a host of pre-made themes, streamers are in good footing when it comes to creating high-quality content with this software. The free software also has a donation system alerts, trains, and stream cups.

The only cone of using this software is sometimes it can be draggy, leading to frustration. As such, you need high-spec hardware to get the best experience possible.

#12. Telestream Wirecast

The Telestream Wirecast is an award-winning video capture software that gives users the ability to connect to multiple cameras, graphics, and much more with TV-like operability.

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While the software has been optimized for game-capture streaming purposes, users benefit from a robust software with an intuitive design.

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The software comes in two offerings – the Studio at $599 and the Pro at $799 with different features.

Among the software stand-out features include the Wirecast Rendezvous conferencing feature, the high-quality audio mixers, easy to use social media integration, and much more.

That said, users have to contend with some bugs, which the software maker is continuously fixing.