Streaming Software is different than Streaming platforms.
Streaming PlatformThis is where you can upload, broadcast, or share your game. These include Twitch and YouTube as well as DLive, BigoLive, and other streaming platforms. You have the chance to stream on any of these live streaming or gaming platforms. However, you will need software to organize your content.
Software for StreamingSoftware encoding programs is available. This is essential for live streaming. It converts video and audio into a digital format that can be played on various platforms.
Software encoders can be simple to broadcast your stream or more complex to allow you to add graphics and mix in audio sources. Prices can vary depending on the functionality of the encoder.
However, we won’t be discussing all the expensive ones in this article. If you already own expensive computer equipment, let’s not spend more. We’ll be listing the best streaming software available for live stream gaming.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio, also known as Open Broadcaster Software Studio, is both a screen recording and editing program that allows you to create seamless broadcasts. OBS Studio is the most powerful and free screen recorder and live streaming software available to gamers. OBS Studio allows you to record your games and lets you add images and videos to your screen. You can also adjust audio and music, and record directly from your webcam or microphone.
OBS may seem a little more difficult if you are new to using this software. It might take some trial and error to get used to it but practice makes perfect. You might want to practice mixing things on a prerecorded version first before you go live. This will help you get familiar with the software and how it works.
Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. Supports Twitch and YouTube, Hitbox, Facebook, and many other streaming platforms.
Streamlabs OBS
Streamlabs OBS is a simpler version of OBS Studio. SLOBS offers a simpler interface that makes it a great choice for streamers who are just starting out but still have all the same features as the original OBS. The CPU and memory usage is also lower than other streaming platforms.
The software is completely free and easier to install than OBS. You can customize your stream with a large theme library. It includes widgets and text-to-speech, a website integration, and everything you need for streaming your game on Twitch or YouTube. The mask feature allows your audience to dress you up by donating money. It offers more functionality, higher performance, and an overall better user experience. This software is currently in Beta and runs only on Windows. However, you can download Streamlabs OBS Mac with Bootcamp.
Nvidia Shadowplay
This software is best suited for NVIDIA Graphics Cards. NVIDIA Share is now ShadowPlay. It offers an intuitive interface for live streaming and gameplay recording. You can increase the bitrate and resolution to improve the quality of your videos.
It is a solid streaming platform that can be used on low- and mid-range computers. This feature has a significant advantage, as it encodes in GPU rather than CPU. Even at a higher frame rate, it does not impact CPU performance. It does, however, limit compression. This can make files larger and would require more bandwidth to upload them.
You can save your last 30 minutes session using the Instant Replay Mode by hitting the hotkey. Nvidia Shadowplay makes it easy to broadcast your games to Twitch or Facebook Live. NVIDIA ShadowPlay will not work for every game. ShadowPlay supports only Direct3D games, not OpenGL.
OpenGL can be recorded by going to NVIDIA GeForce experience > Preferences > ShadowPlay. Activate the “Allow Desktop Camera Capture” option. ShadowPlay will now allow you to capture your Windows desktop and any OpenGL games that are running in a separate window.
Keep in mind that when game streaming you need a high-performance CPU. It is an advantage for game players because it allows recorder software to work without any interruption and loading issues.