Twitch question

[Scarface32]

I just learned that PS4 has a Twitch app so I'm considering setting up a Twitch account to make some money streaming games and I was just wondering if a PS Plus membership is required? I know you need one to play games online, but what about streaming offline games to Twitch?

Also, are there any other requirements to stream from PS4 to Twitch? Also are there any "not allowed" games? For example, would Twitch ban me for streaming South Park?

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

I just learned that PS4 has a Twitch app so I'm considering setting up a Twitch account to make some money streaming games and I was just wondering if a PS Plus membership is required? I know you need one to play games online, but what about streaming offline games to Twitch?

Also, are there any other requirements to stream from PS4 to Twitch? Also are there any "not allowed" games? For example, would Twitch ban me for streaming South Park?

You can stream the games, but you can't stream Netflix or Amazon Prime content, or something like MLB games. You should be able to stream to Twitch without PS+, but if you're going to make money, it's going to take passion, a full time effort and a bunch of friends to help you get started. Personally, I would recommend doing some networking before you start might help you get affiliated faster, but once you get there, you will still be growing your own audience from square one. Also, if you want to grow as a small streamer, depending on your personality, Battle Royale and Action RPG's seem to be where the growth potential is, but you will need PS+ to play with your viewers. Consider a camera, if you don't have one, and streaming through a PC, if you want to have a more professional appearance. It's a tough gig. You know how you earn revenue with Twitch, correct?

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

You know how you earn revenue with Twitch, correct?

I'm assuming via donations, like with YouTube live streams. If not, please correct me.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

I'm assuming via donations, like with YouTube live streams. If not, please correct me.

You can ask for donations, but the main model is via subscriptions and in-stream transactions using a currency called bits. But in order to earn that revenue you have to become affiliated which requires meeting certain criteria, including having 50 followers and having 3 average viewers in a month during which you streamed a minimum number of hours. You might achieve that in a few weeks with the help of friends, but you can follow some guys who take a year or more.

You might check out some Twitch streams of the games you plan to stream at the top and bottom of the list. If it's Fortnite, there are tens of thousands of viewers to try and attract, but you have to compete with the guys who earn $10k/month streaming. If it's less popular games, you might find a pool of 150 total viewers to work with, 90% of which will be viewing the stream of the top streamer. You find a lot of streamers streaming to zero viewers.

Good luck. I don't think most would be streamers ever see dime of revenue much less break even.

[Scarface32]

That sounds like a lot of work. I’ll have to re-evaluate this whole thing.

Thanks, you’ve given me a lot to think about.

[Derb]

I have a few friends on both consoles that stream on twitch & very much doubt they have made much of any real $ during their years. I tried streaming on Twitch with Xbox just because.. Didn’t research anything. Though my intent was never to make any money what so ever, I learned real fast that you have to be a sheep to gain followers & by that I mean play games that may or may not be of “your” interest. Playing Wolf games will attract a few viewers but ultimately they will fade away to the sheep crowd.

So you simply ask yourself this question. Do you enjoy the game or do you enjoy the attention?

[Groot]

Twitch is over-crowded now so unless you have interesting game play, chat interactions, or happen to be a woman you aren't going to be making any money on there - at least not quickly.

[dyne]

You give them too much credit Groot. Be a ******** and play a shooter and you'll find an audience. And to Scarface, this isn't like Uber. You don't do it for a couple hours and immediately make money.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Derb

So you simply ask yourself this question. Do you enjoy the game or do you enjoy the attention?

That's a good question. And depending on the answer, you may just enjoy streaming as a hobby for the occasional viewer interactions you get. Especially, say, if you like retro gaming or have a niche like speedrunning, you will get return viewers. If you are the gamer who is thinking I might as well make a few bucks doing what I do for fun, it's probably not ever going to happen.

You also have to consider that the revenue comes from those so-called sheep many of whom actually get off on the attention and don't so much care about what's being streamed or who is streaming. So arguably, you need to invest in a PC to stream through, such that you can apply overlays to your broadcast handing out audible and visible rewards to those who contribute, both instantaneously and going forward. It's Pavlovian reinforcement. It's a very strange economy to me.

I admit I've tested the water myself, did some networking and grew a small stream with a lot of help. But I really don't fit in, and it was really just about hanging out with a few gamers who in reality I don't have much in common with.

[Destinys Memory]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

Also are there any "not allowed" games? For example, would Twitch ban me for streaming South Park?

https://help.twitch.tv/customer/port...ohibited-games

[Firefoxie]

If you decide to stream via Twitch, or just in general, I think having a face cam would help you get an audience. I've noticed face cams tend to draw in more viewers on average. (At least it seems that way.)

Sadly, like other people have mentioned, Twitch is very over saturated. If you're looking to make money it will be very competitive. Streaming is not a get rich quick scheme. To build and maintain an audience (unless you're bringing over people from a YouTube channel or something) takes work, dedication, and passion. You need to be an engaging speaker, and interact constantly with your chat, for hours on end. Starting out, you'll essentially be engaging with no one, but you have to still try, in case someone actually does click your stream.

If you're dedicated, you never know where you'll end up in time. Just know it's not as simple as immediately logging on and getting Ninja money.

[Talal86]

Originally Posted by Destinys Memory

https://help.twitch.tv/customer/port...ohibited-games

Suck My Dick or Die!

[supersix4]

People really don't understand what it takes to grow from the ground up with this.

You either need to be:
1. really entertianing
2. A hot chick or chick in general
3. Be a monster at games to get the viral feeds to pick up your stream (which gets followers)
4. some combo of all of the above

This is why I respect the people who have millions of followers yeah theres are a few that either had 1 catapult event to take them to stardom and built on that, or they're hot or rich etc. etc. but generally it takes a grinding daily slog to grow a base.

I watched my buddy grow his on PUBG from about 300 followers to about 1k when I stopped watching and I think he kinda gave up around there. But its a real commitment its not oh I think I'll make a few extra hundred bucks for a bit doing viral videos.

Better off driving uber on the weekends unless you're seriously gonna commit to it.

[dyne]

It also comes down to pure luck. Calebheart was doing Mega Man X and FF7 runs and had a following but he EXPLODED one night (and I was tuned in to see it) when he was rotated to the Twitch front page. He got THOUSANDS of followers and subs in one night.

The thing is when people get that hot that quick you almost see a cult like mentality in their followers and personalities change. I’ve see it many times. It gets less about them playing games and them appeasing their followers by doing the same things day in and day out. At that point the communities become meme factories.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by dyne

It also comes down to pure luck. Calebheart was doing Mega Man X and FF7 runs and had a following but he EXPLODED one night (and I was tuned in to see it) when he was rotated to the Twitch front page. He got THOUSANDS of followers and subs in one night.

The thing is when people get that hot that quick you almost see a cult like mentality in their followers and personalities change. I’ve see it many times. It gets less about them playing games and them appeasing their followers by doing the same things day in and day out. At that point the communities become meme factories.

Again watching my buddy grow it 100 followers a night on mixer when the hype zone feed would pick up him almost winning rounds and he'd win and quickly pick up 10-50 followers each time. It isn't pure luck. it took him about 2 months of streaming and hes a good player to get to 1000 followers so its entirely possible if you're fun to watch/ with a personality to grow it piece meal.

But like you said with whatever that persons name is sometimes there can be a catalyst same as on any social media platform maybe your dog jumps through a fire pit and you get 100m views and instantly your feed/gram/youtube/fb whatever has 500k-1m new followers. Thats overnight success and you can build on it rather quickly to cash in. But its entirely possible to grow it slowly.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by dyne

It also comes down to pure luck. Calebheart was doing Mega Man X and FF7 runs and had a following but he EXPLODED one night (and I was tuned in to see it) when he was rotated to the Twitch front page. He got THOUSANDS of followers and subs in one night.

The thing is when people get that hot that quick you almost see a cult like mentality in their followers and personalities change. I’ve see it many times. It gets less about them playing games and them appeasing their followers by doing the same things day in and day out. At that point the communities become meme factories.

You said it. It does not take becoming an overnight sensation to generate the cult mentality, or at least a personality change. It happens to streamers with 100 followers.

[Suntory_Times]

^ The reason to stream is to share your experience with others. You may make some money with it eventually but that is very unlikely. Give it a go, see if you have fun or not. You don't have to commit hard, just tinker with it every now and again and see when people start watching how it goes.