Most gamers have sat down and wondered what it would be like to be a streamer on twitch, some may have even tried it. But what is it like to put an even semi serious effort into it? Honestly vastly different than most people expect. Many people think its just a simple matter of sitting down with whatever game you want, hitting that stream or share button and away you go. Technically speaking thats all it actually is. But what if you actually want people yo show up or more importantly stay?
This is the part people don’t usually talk about. Sure we all get the idea that you have to be either insanely good or insanely entertaining when it comes to playing, and being both really helps. That part is kind of a no brainer. But there is that part we don;t think about. Networking. That first milestone on Twitch of 50 followers can be brutal for some people and for others it is that 3 concurrent viewers achievement. Both of these are hard to do if you aren’t on other social media sites talking to people and letting them know your stream exist in the first place. My first stream was 3 viewers, and all of them were family or a friend I pretty much harassed into watching. This is however where your streams will start. Since than I have spent hours talking to people from Scotland and Ireland and all over the world..
The real question you have to ask yourself before streaming is, do you mind spending hours playing for no audience while building a small community? Also do you mind grinding away at a labor of love for the hope of someday maybe making a few bucks to supplement your income, because honestly most people won’t stream for a living. You might, most people won’t. If you can do these things long term and stay positive, it might just be for you. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
