Game streams on Twitch are becoming increasingly popular. But what is Twitch anyway? Twitch is a streaming platform for video games – in the broadest sense. Because now you can watch Bob Ross painting landscapes there and follows live games. But also watch players win and lose in the online game stream.
Watching gamers play video games and socializing table games had been the case for some time. But the fact that classic online casino games are also served on Twitch is new. It’s no secret that you can make real money with streaming. Just as YouTube pays out shares of the advertising revenue to the creators of videos, you can also earn a golden nose on Twitch.
But how does it all work? In this article, we are going to explain the basics. We show how game streaming works. How do you make money with it? What equipment do you need for this? And is it even worth it?
Make money while playing online
To avid online game fans, it sounds like the best job in the world at first. Log in to the game, have fun and potentially make money. Let people watch and not only earn money from winning at esports, but also from the game streaming. A lot of players also opt for live watching the games with their viewers from websites like 22bet.
However, one must not forget that Twitch is also entertainment. Just watching someone play is not much fun. You also want to have a good time. Jokes, a bit of small talk and nerve-wracking situations should be part of the program. Because every day, you can find a live game stream on both YouTube and Twitch. Of course, streamers look forward to the viewers and subscribers who want to enjoy a good time with them.
Of course, if you want to stream games yourself, you shouldn’t be camera shy. Make sure you stand out from the offer of other streamers. And that you know how to make money right from the start. But how does that even work?
When can you start earning money with game streaming?
If you can manage to land a few thousand followers and garner a lot of views in the process, then you are ready to start monetizing.
- You must have transferred at least 500 minutes within the last 30 days. That’s a little over 8 hours and 15 minutes.
- In addition, you must have performed your online game streaming in at least 7 individual transmission days within the last 30 days.
- On average, you need at least 3 viewers to watch at the same time—even that within the last 30 days.
- Your game streaming channel needs at least 50 followers.
So if you broadcast a little longer than an hour on Saturdays and Sundays at the weekend, you already have an average of 8 broadcast days and easily reach 500 minutes. Followers and viewers have to be earned through entertaining content. But if you have a few friends who mean well with you, these minimum requirements shouldn’t be a big problem either. But how do you get from this state to a nice income?
How to generate income with a game stream
Once the hurdles listed above have been overcome, you can earn money with your game streaming channel in different ways:
- Share in ad revenue as a Twitch Affiliate: The most obvious method is to have you partner with the streaming site. Then advertisements will appear, of which you will get a share.
- Winnings from the game: Streamers also receive a bonus. And sometimes it is even higher than what normal players get. Since you have to stream a few hours anyway, you can implement the bonus well and often leave the stream with a good portion of profits.
- Donations from viewers as a Twitch partner: You can also receive one-time donations from viewers.
- Selling Twitch Subscriptions: If your audience likes your videos, you can go a step further by offering a pay-per-view service. All hardcore fans will be happy to pay for exclusive content at a reasonable price, but make sure you don’t neglect your core fan base in the process.
- Outside of Twitch: Don’t forget that either. Streaming and video portals such as Twitch and YouTube are the latest generations of television. Anyone who makes a name for themselves here is as prominent as the show host of the old era. So you can also earn money outside of Twitch. For example, as advertising face for online games.
The question is whether it is ultimately worth it and how much can you earn with such a Twitch channel?
How Much Can You Earn From Game Streaming?
Of course, nobody knows exactly how much German game streamers earn on Twitch. This depends on various factors. This of course includes the popularity of your Twitch channels so the number of followers and regular viewers and how loyal they are to you.
It is also related to what content you offer and how. And of course, how much you encourage viewers to donate to your channel and upgrade to premium subscriptions. As a rule of thumb, one can assume that successful streamers will certainly earn between € 2,000.00 and € 20,000.00 per month. However, this is of course only a rough estimate.
Now of course it is important to know how much money you have to spend to get started with your own game stream because a startup is not always cheap.
How can I start a game stream?
Fortunately, a game stream on Twitch is relatively inexpensive and it’s easy to get started. It would be best if you had software that can record a stream and a computer that can do it. A fast internet connection is of course also included. Most people already have computers and the Internet at home.
The software can be downloaded for free. You can choose between XSplit and Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). Both are completely free and open source. Of course you have to get used to the software a bit. And maybe buy a more professional microphone and webcam when things pick up. But seen this way, the startup costs for most will be € 0.00.
Then you should of course choose a good online game because the best online game sites offer a wide selection of live esports games. In addition, these are more successful than lesser-known online games and are therefore probably more willing to get into an interesting advertising deal later.
Once you’ve done that, you can start with online gaming. Every beginning is difficult. But once you have a few followers and offer an entertaining program, it becomes easier and easier. And with enough work and passion, you can soon reap the benefits.
It’s pretty easy to get a stream going to earn some revenue (500 minutes of streaming a game within 30 days isn’t so bad, though the challenging bit might be to gain 50 followers although this might be easier if you’re a part of a gaming community).
I think the difficult part would be getting the right equipment and actually setting everything up; like a good microphone and a good camera is important, but there are so many other things that you would need to maintain (like choosing a stream overlay, creating channel emotes to make your viewers feel connected to your community, and just trying to be unique from other streamers). It’s not something I would want to spend time doing, but someone who’s passionate and committed enough to go through a lot of hassle shouldn’t have that much trouble.