Video game live streaming

People who live stream their video game play, either by hobby or profession, are known as streamers. The practice became popular in the mid-2010s on sites such as Twitch and later, YouTube. By 2014, Twitch streams had more traffic than HBO's online service. Professional streamers often combine high-level play and entertaining commentary, and earn income from sponsors, subscriptions, and donations. Amateur streamers spend long hours competing for an audience.

Overview

The practice of livestreaming video game play became popular in the mid-2010s on sites such as Twitch.[1] By 2014, Twitch streams had more traffic than HBO's online service and eventually hastened the closure of Justin.tv, which Twitch had originally spun out of.[2] In 2015, YouTube launched YouTube Gaming—a video gaming-oriented sub-site and app that is intended to compete with Twitch.[3] Other video-game oriented streaming websites include Mixer, which is owned by Microsoft, Smashcast.tv, which was formed after the merging of Azubu and Hitbox.tv, and the South Korea-based afreecaTV.

Streamers and viewers register for free accounts with a service which lets them interact with each other by name and subscribe to, or "follow", specific streamers. Home video game consoles, such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, contain built-in streaming and optional camera integration. Home computers use software such as Open Broadcaster Software or XSplit to upload a livestream to Twitch's servers.[2]

Building an audience, CNET advises, is more difficult than setting up the software. Among other advice, game streamers recommend selecting a popular game, which is more likely to interest viewers than a rare title without a following. Popular titles in the mid-2010s include League of Legends, Dota 2, first-person shooters such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and card games such as Hearthstone. Viewers are more interested in players who play and entertain well, offering jokes, pop culture, and current event commentary instead of repetitive gameplay. Streamers also recommend keeping a schedule so viewers know when to watch, self-promotion on social media, and giveaway contests to build a follower count.[2]

Profession

Professional streamers often combine gameplay with highly knowledgeable or dextrous play and entertaining commentary. They can generate livable revenue from viewer subscriptions and donations, as well as platform advertisements and sponsorships from eSports organizations.[4] An October 2017 report from SuperData Research estimated that more people subscribed to video game streams and Let's Play videos on YouTube and Twitch.tv that for all of HBO, Netflix, ESPN, and Hulu, combined.[5]

Risks


Streamers run the risk of being victim to stalking, as with other publicly known individuals. For example, a teenage viewer showed up uninvited to a streamer's house and requested to live with him after having saved up for a one-way transcontinental flight.[6] Another risk to streamers is swatting, where someone makes a false report to police of serious criminal activity taking place at the streamer's residence, resulting in a raid by police, which is often captured live by the streaming service.[7] Such activity can create serious risk to the streamer, and has even resulted in deaths. On December 28, 2017, Wichita police officers killed a man named Andrew Finch at his Kansas home in a reported swatting. Based on a series of screenshotted Twitter posts, the Wichita Eagle suggests that Finch was the unintended victim of the swatting after two Call of Duty players on the same team got into a heated argument about a USD 1.50 bet. On December 29, 2017, LAPD arrested 25-year-old serial-swatter Tyler Raj Barriss, known online as “SWAuTistic” and “GoredTutor36,” in connection with the incident.[8][9][10][11]

Live streaming of video games has many of the same legal issues that Let's Play videos may have. First and foremost, such videos can be considered a copyright violation, though is argued to be protected by fair use defenses.

Nintendo has generally taken a strong stance compared to other publishers for allowing their games to be streamed or recorded. Initially, they have used YouTube's Content ID system to register their games such that they can generate ad revenue from streaming videos and Let's Play videos.[12] By about 2014, Nintendo crafted its Nintendo Creators Program, which would allow players providing live streams and Let's Plays of Nintendo games that sign onto the program to receive some monetization of these videos through YouTube.[13][14] However, in September 2017, Nintendo changed the program specifically preventing affiliates from using streaming video of Nintendo games, monetized or not, though non-affiliated accounts, and Let's Plays with commentary, remain unaffected.[15]

The playing of copyrighted music without proper permission may cause archived streams to be removed or muted, or streamers to be suspended, due to complaints under laws such as the U.S.Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act, or automated content matching. More than 10 popular Twitch streamers, including Félix "xQc" Lengyel and Zachary "Sneaky" Scuderi, were banned for 24 hours on June 22, 2018, allegedly for playing a song by Juice WRLD. Some of the bans were lifted, and the artist's record label Interscope claimed the banning was accidental.[16][17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Slotnik, Daniel E. (March 15, 2017). "Gamer's Death Pushes Risks of Live Streaming Into View". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  2. 1 2 3 Graziano, Dan (September 4, 2014). "The complete guide to streaming games on Twitch". CNET. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ Dredge, Stuart (August 26, 2015). "Google launches YouTube Gaming to challenge Amazon-owned Twitch". The Guardian. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  4. ↑ Leslie, Callum (2014-12-31). "Hearthstone players won more than $1 million in the game's first year". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Bailey, Dustin (October 19, 2017). "Gaming videos are bigger than HBO, Netflix, and Hulu combined". PCGamesN. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ D'Anastasio, Cecilia (May 2, 2017). "When Fans Take Their Love For Twitch Streamers Too Far". Kotaku. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  7. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/05/gaming-streamer-gets-swatted-as-online-griefing-enters-real-world
  8. ↑ Manna, Nicole (2017-12-29). "Call of Duty gaming community points to 'swatting' in deadly Wichita police shooting". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  9. ↑ Darrah, Nicole (2017-12-29). "Kansas police investigate whether fatal shooting was result of prank called 'swatting'". Fox News. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  10. ↑ Sommerfeldt, Chris (2017-12-29). "Kansas man shot to death by police was reportedly unintended victim of 'Call of Duty' 'swatting' prank". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2017-12-29. Sommerfeldt, Chris (29 December 2017). "Kan. man killed by cops was victim of 'swatting' prank". NY Daily News.
  11. ↑ "Kansas Man Killed In 'SWATting' Attack — Krebs on Security". krebsonsecurity.com. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  12. ↑ Gera, Emily (2013-05-16). "Nintendo claims ad revenue on user-generated YouTube videos". Polygon. Retrieved 2013-05-16.
  13. ↑ Tolito, Stephan (2013-06-24). "Nintendo's Turn For a 180? 'Let's Play' Drama Might Have Happy Ending". Kotaku. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  14. ↑ Williams, Katie (2014-05-27). "Nintendo Announces Affiliate Program for YouTube Let's Play Creators". IGN. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  15. ↑ Alexander, Julia (September 29, 2017). "Nintendo restricts livestreaming games for YouTubers in Nintendo's partners program". Polygon. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  16. ↑ Grayson, Nathan (June 22, 2018). "Popular Twitch Streamers Temporarily Banned For Playing Copyrighted Music". Kotaku. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  17. ↑ Goslin, Austen (June 22, 2018). "Popular Twitch streamers temporarily banned thanks to DMCA takedowns". Polygon. Retrieved June 29, 2018.

Further reading

  • Bowman, Ben (January 16, 2017). "How Twitch is turning 'always be streaming' into a career with zero balance". Polygon. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Marino, Joe (February 24, 2017). "Trying To 'Make It' As A Twitch Streamer Could Have Killed Me". Kotaku. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Brant, Tom (March 2, 2017). "Here's What Twitch Thinks of Games, Streamers, and Viewers". PC Magazine. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • D'Anastasio, Cecilia (April 12, 2017). "It's Time For YouTubers And Twitch Streamers To Organize". Kotaku. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Seppala (April 21, 2017). "Twitch opens up a way for more people to make money broadcasting". Engadget. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Sawyer, Michael (March 29, 2017). "Three reasons streaming is replacing the Let's Play industry". Polygon. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • D'Anastasio, Cecilia (February 15, 2017). "For Twitch Streamers Who Spend Their Lives On Camera, It's Hard To Know When To Stop". Kotaku. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • D'Anastasio, Cecilia (June 22, 2017). "YouTuber Reminds Fans How Much Fake Donations Can Hurt". Kotaku. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • GamesRadar Staff (December 1, 2016). "Start your own livestream on Twitch with our full guide". GamesRadar. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Marks, Tom (January 29, 2015). "The beginner's guide to Twitch streaming". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Savov, Vlad (August 10, 2015). "YouTube is now better at live streaming than Twitch". The Verge. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Andronico, Michael (August 11, 2017). "The Ultimate Guide to Twitch Streaming". Tom's Guide. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  • Hernandez, Patricia (February 6, 2013). "They're Attractive, They're Women, And They Play Games Live On The Internet. But They're Not 'Camwhores.'". Kotaku. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • D'Anastasio, Cecilia (July 28, 2016). "The Mom Who Moderates Her Daughter's Rowdy Twitch Chat". Kotaku.
  • Hernandez, Patricia (March 11, 2016). "Twitch Player: I'm Done Being a 'Boobie Streamer'". Kotaku.
  • Grayson, Nathan (March 20, 2015). "Why People Are Arguing About Women Streamers Showing Skin". Kotaku.
  • D'Anastasio, Cecilia (November 23, 2016). "Study Shows Twitch Chat Is Very Different When Women Are Streaming". Kotaku.
  • Hernandez, Patricia (September 26, 2016). "Banned From Twitch, 'Bikini Streamer' Finds Success (And Haters) On YouTube". Kotaku.
  • Campbell, Colin (May 12, 2016). "Racism, Hearthstone and Twitch". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Kollar, Philip (December 8, 2015). "Popular Twitch streamer comes clean about drug use on stream". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Sarkar, Samit (May 15, 2017). "GTA Online's biggest role-playing streamers make for must-see Twitch viewing". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Frank, Allegra (August 3, 2017). "PUBG players won't stop honking at streamers". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Frank, Allegra (July 30, 2017). "Playerunknown's Battlegrounds 'stream sniping' ban divides community". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Hall, Charlie (March 24, 2017). "Why are streamers and players flocking to survival shooter Battlegrounds?". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Corriea, Alexa Ray (July 4, 2014). "Someone is donating thousands of dollars to Twitch streamers". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  • Campbell, Colin (November 24, 2016). "Twitch chat research shows how women streamers face objectification". Polygon. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
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