This article will be of interest to all fans of computer games. Today you will learn about game streams and whether a beginner can make money on them.
For those who don’t know, streaming is video broadcasting in real time.
Is it possible to make money by streaming games? How to become a successful streamer? How to get views? Development strategy What do you need for streaming? How to make money from streaming? How much do newbies earn from streaming? How to earn more: tips for beginners
Just as you can monetize your video on Youtube, you can also monetize your online streams on Twitch and other streaming platforms.
Monetization of videos and streams are very similar and the techniques used, for example, in let’s play videos, are also applicable in online game streams.
Video game streaming is a fast-growing market where more and more people want to watch other people play and thus have fun without even playing themselves.
Playing games especially against other opponents can be mentally exhausting, but seeing who is good at the game can be not only interesting but also useful in terms of gaining new knowledge.
The rise of eSports has further expanded this niche, attracting millions of viewers to watch spectacular cyber battles.
What does stream mean?
Stream (English stream, lit. stream) is an online broadcast of actions that are commented on.
A streamer is a person who broadcasts live on video hosting sites: Twitch, YouTube, GoodGame, etc. Demonstrates something and communicates with the audience.
The emergence of streams is tied to eSports tournaments. It was necessary to prove to the world that these are not toys, but a serious sport with huge prize funds. It all started with video recordings of tournaments on the Internet. Commentators explained the course of the game to the audience and assessed the actions of the cybersportsmen.
There is a stereotype that you can only play live. If you don't like it, stream about something else. Cooking, handicrafts, drawing, playing the piano will find their audience.
Where does the money come from in streams?
Many streamers earn a lot of money simply by playing computer games. Why is this happening? There are several reasons for this.
The fact is that there are several ways to make money in the streaming industry. No one will just pay you for streaming.
One of the easiest ways to start making money is through an affiliate program. An “affiliate partnership” is an agreement between Twitch (or another streaming site) directly with the streamer.
What are the types of streams?
Streams can be different: cooking, gaming, music. It is impossible to list everything, because new directions appear every year.
For example, people like to watch food porn, a video where a person eats and whets the appetite of others. Quite a money topic. After all, you can eat a sponsor’s food on camera and make money from it.
Culinary
I have to go online for recipes when the time comes. Not all mothers and grandmothers taught how to cook. Hundreds of culinary articles are written every day. Only in them it is difficult to show step-by-step preparation of dishes. It will be difficult for a beginner to even cook pasta, let alone create a culinary masterpiece.
During the stream, a person shows how to cook a difficult dish and how tasty it is. A great opportunity to take a culinary master class without leaving home. Avoid mistakes and learn to cook.
The Korean streamer manages to cook, eat on camera, and review music videos. She earns more than $23,000 from subscribers.
Quebber suffers from autism and lost his wife due to his gaming addiction. He streams about everyday life, games and earns $861 – $900.
A Russian streamer, who will show gameplay and cook barbecue live, earns more than 400,000 rubles a month.
He has 13,499 rubles worth of top donations alone.
Although the direction is still developing, it will still compete for first place with game broadcasts in the future.
Conversational
You need to raise a current topic, speak out about it and discuss it with the audience.
Two years ago, philosophical broadcasts were popular. Experts answered vital questions. Similar to popular science channels.
Chatting on camera is a great way to add variety to your channel and earn extra money. But it is suitable for well-promoted streamers who average more than 500 viewers.
Talk about plans for the future, solutions to problems, books, relationships. About anything, as long as it somehow helps your viewers and interests them. For example, fans of game streams are unlikely to like chatting about children and shopping in stores, because the main audience is men.
Shopping in the first person with conversations about quality of service, costs and other pressing matters.
Twitch has a dedicated Just Chatting category on the main page.
Reaction videos to someone or something are still loved to watch. You can count on several thousand views.
Gaming
It is profitable to stream games because they are watched more often than they are played. There are 2 reasons for this:
- The streamer completes the game faster and better.
- The streamer is a pleasure to listen to and watch. Jokes, appearance, behavior are riveted to the screen.
Game streams are the same as football with fans, only instead of athletes there are gamers, and viewers have the opportunity to communicate with their favorite. Many people watch the broadcast just for the chat. Such phrases fly by there, worse than a collection of jokes.
Creative
Playing the guitar, handicrafts, dancing - everything falls under this mite. The most popular in this category is drawing. People watch these streams to improve their skills in something or for inspiration. When the streamer is doing something on the other side of the screen, you no longer want to be lazy.
A woman knits live. Gathers 100 – 200 spectators. She has 267 subscribers and gets paid $1.75 for each one. You can also sell handmade items to fans of such streams.
What do you need to make money from streaming?
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At first, equipment will certainly not be critical to the success of your channel. The main thing that attracts subscribers, and after them sponsors, is the uniqueness of the stream and your ability to turn the passage of the game into a process that is interesting to watch.
It is not necessary to have top-end hardware, the main thing is desire and time. Work on yourself, learn to communicate and put on a show. In general, I believe that the key to success is the human factor; this must always be remembered.
ScaryMita, Just Dance streamer
Although Human Factors seems like a rather abstract concept, some concrete recommendations can be made.
Interact with the viewer
Streams would not be so popular if the audience was only interested in the process of completing the game. It is generally not necessary to play skillfully if you do not want to win a cyber tournament.
What is important to the viewer is the content of the broadcast, how the streamer behaves in the frame. And people also come to the channel for witty comments and answers to questions. A good streamer not only plays, but also manages to read messages from the chat and respond to them.
Choose your niche carefully
Hundreds of thousands of people play virtual Dota 2 today. There is no point in starting just another channel about this game: you will get lost among the competitors. Or not - if you are sure that you can turn each of your streams into an exciting show thanks to emotions and appropriate jokes. Still, it might make sense to start with less popular games like The Sims 4 or Overwatch.
You can make your streams educational. For example, if you are playing through some relatively old game, tell at the same time some interesting facts about it that the public may not remember.
Work on your speech
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If you burr or stutter slightly, it doesn’t matter, you can even make it your highlight. It’s much worse if you pause too long, stop speaking mid-sentence, or abuse filler words. A stream plan can be a salvation so as not to get lost in the process and not forget something important.
Record your test stream, this can be done, for example, in the Open Broadcaster Software program. No one will see it except you, and you will be able to see from the outside how you look and sound.
Stream regularly
If you go live once a month, you will quickly get lost among other newcomers. If you have a day job, you won’t be able to stream every day, but it’s worth trying at least a couple times a week. If possible, stream according to a schedule, and make announcements of new broadcasts on your social networks.
What a beginner streamer should have
To stream, you will have to invest a little in equipment. I will tell you below what you need and how much it costs.
Powerful computer. It’s better to stream through a cool laptop that can handle the game and broadcast at the same time. A gaming laptop will cost at least 62,000 rubles. Of course, you can try light games like Sims or Perfect World on Dell for 40,000 rubles.
It is cheaper to assemble a PC from components. Here you can keep within 39,000 - 45,000 rubles. I'm talking about a regular computer that can handle toys, but the picture speed may be a little lower.
Computer requirements:
- minimum 8 GB of RAM, but for new products – 10 GB;
- 4-core, but for new products a 6-core processor is better;
- GTX 960 video card (RUB 13,000) or GTX 1060 Ti (RUB 14,000);
- processor for 480p expansion – Intel Core i5-670, for 1080p – Intel Core i7 7700k;
- SSD hard drive for fast data processing.
Webcam. Choose a model more expensive than 1,000 rubles. You can do without it if you show only gameplay without your face. One less reason to watch you. People come to watch someone else’s game because of the charismatic gamer, remember?
Invest in the Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam. It costs 7,299 rubles, but viewers will appreciate your high-quality picture.
What characteristics should you use to choose a webcam for streaming:
- FPS (frame rate) 40 and above,
- resolution 1280×720 or 1920×1080,
- autofocus
High-quality cameras are made by Logitech, Philips, A4tech, Microsoft, Gemix.
Which models are worth paying attention to:
- Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000,
- Logitech HD C270,
- Microsoft LifeCam Cinema.
Microphone or headset. You can save money and buy a good microphone on AliExpress. Do not take it for less than 1,000 rubles. A copy for 150 rubles will hiss terribly.
Studio microphones from AliExpress that are suitable for streaming:
- Neewer NW-700,
- Felyby BM 800,
- Gevo mk f100tl.
High speed internet. For normal streaming you need a speed of at least 2 Mbit/s. Check via YouTube. If the 720p video doesn’t freeze, then that’s enough.
Program. Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is free. It can be downloaded from the official website. It will take a little time to master it.
How to start streaming
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Playing games is perhaps the most profitable area in streaming. And if the stories of highly paid streamers inspire you, you love gaming and are ready to show it - go for it. The first thing you need to do is start a channel on one of the platforms and find a secluded place to stream where no one will distract you. Ideally, a separate room, and when you become a seasoned streamer with an audience of thousands, you will have to get a separate studio.
To conduct broadcasts you need special software. In it you will configure sound and picture settings and select a streaming platform. There are many solutions for video recording and streaming, the most famous of which are Xsplit Broadcaster and Open Broadcaster Software. The first one is relatively easy to understand, but access to all its functions is paid. The second is free, but more complex. Fortunately, there are detailed manuals for setting it up.
A certain technical base will be required, and here everything is limited only by financial capabilities. The most economical option is a computer that can handle both the game and the broadcast, a webcam and microphone, or headphones with a headset.
When you get involved and understand that you want to develop in this direction and improve the quality of your broadcasts, you can purchase additional equipment:
- The second computer is actually for broadcasting (and the first is for playing the game).
- A capture card is a device for connecting two computers.
- Professional microphone with stand - for clearer sound.
- Lighting - just so your skin doesn't look sallow in the video. This often happens due to the light of ordinary chandeliers. An inexpensive LED lamp is also suitable, the direction and intensity of the light can be adjusted.
How much money will you need at first?
Let's do the math. Economy option: hand-built PC (45,000 rub.) + webcam (1,859 rub.) + microphone (1,667 rub.) + Internet (400 rub.) = 48,926 rub.
It should pay off in 3 – 6 months of regular broadcasts. Of course, if the number of subscribers grows.
An option for those who can't sit still. Gaming laptop (62,495 rub.) + headset (4,190 rub.) + Internet (400 rub.) = 67,085 rub.
It’s realistic to earn this money in 5–7 months, and then how things go.
Minimum investment to make money on streams
In order to make money from streaming, you need good hardware. A laptop for 20,000 rubles is not suitable even for running the game at maximum settings, not to mention streaming to it. That’s why, if you haven’t already done so, you’ll have to spend about 60,000 rubles on hardware.
Popular games are not particularly demanding on hardware, so for streaming, 8 gigabytes of RAM, a video card similar to the GTX 1060ti, and an i3 process will be enough.
Such a computer can be assembled for 40 - 50 thousand rubles, if you try hard enough. But ideally, in order not to change hardware every time, you need to invest 70,000 rubles and buy normal hardware.
You also need to buy a webcam and microphone. A good microphone costs from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. I don’t recommend buying regular headphones for 1,000 rubles and thinking that you can stream just like that.
At first you can do without a webcam, but you can’t do without a microphone.
As a result, the total investment for the stream: from 50 to 80 thousand rubles. The payback depends on your efforts, but usually it is 3 - 6 months.
Which game to choose and by what criteria: list of popular ones
- Dota 2. Is in great demand in Russia. Suitable for beginner gamers. It's easy to get 50 spectators at the beginning. Monetizes without problems.
- CS:GO. A well-known shooter that is more valued in Europe. If you are planning to broadcast for English-speaking viewers, this is what you need.
- League of Legends. Getting more than 1,000 viewers is problematic, but possible.
- Fortnite. There probably isn't anyone on Twitch who hasn't streamed this game. In Russia, maybe not so quickly, but they watch such broadcasts.
- PUBG. Alternative to Fortnite. Many popular streamers gained subscribers with this game. Quickly and easily monetized.
- Overwatch. Actively used by e-sportsmen. No more than 2,000 viewers come to the stream, but it will do for a start.
- Lesser-known projects: Fifa, WoW, Sims 4. There are few competitors, so they are good to start with. But if you want to grow your channel, you will have to switch to popular games.
Trends are fickle. More viewers are attracted to new products that have recently been released. Everyone remembers the success of GTA V.
To remain a popular streamer, you need to review the latest games, stream trending ones and not forget about the interests of the audience. Read our article to learn about ways to make money from games.
Games for streaming
Dota 2. The most popular game in the CIS. Very good for beginner streamers. Simply because there is a very large concentration of people from the CIS, a novice player can easily get 20-30-50 regular viewers. Monetization is quite simple.
CS:GO. The most popular shooter, continuation of the legendary game CS 1.6. Averagely suitable for streamers, because gaming content is practically not valued in the CIS. It looks very good in Europe, in particular in the Scandinavian countries.
League Of Legends. The worst idea for a Russian-speaking streamer. Due to strong anti-advertising from dota players, the League is watched by a very small number of people in the CIS. Streams of ordinary players rarely reach more than 1,000 people. Most often - 350-400. Very difficult to monetize.
Fortnite. The most popular game today. More than 100,000 people watch it every day, but it is not so wildly popular in Russia. An interesting, dynamic game, but it seems to me that in a year or a year and a half it will be safely forgotten.
PUBG. Similar to Fornite, only more realistic. Huge interest from the Russian community, it is well monetized. Many famous streamers play PUBG to earn money and build an audience.
Overwatch. A popular eSports game, but mediocre for streaming. The situation is the same as with CS:GO. Europeans and Americans love the game very much, but in the Russian community it is difficult to get even 1.
Other games. These are less popular projects such as Fifa, Rainbow Six Siege, Hots, Warcraft and single-player games. It is very good to gain an audience on them, because there is no high competition there. But such games are not suitable for further growth and development.
Trends are constantly changing. E-sports disciplines remain in the TOP, interest in which is fueled every day. Cool new products that are just coming out are gaining great popularity. A striking example is GTA 5.
A streamer should always focus on the interest of the entire community. Play new games after release, play popular projects and always be in trend.
Advantages and disadvantages
Making money at home without leaving your computer is a dream. But like any job, streaming requires some effort. In order not to draw castles in the air, I will tell you about the advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- flexible schedule,
- A lot of money,
- easy to work,
- combining hobbies and income,
- accessible to everyone.
Minuses:
- investments are needed
- many competitors
- criticism,
- Promotion and recruitment of subscribers takes time.
What content to use
Various options:
- play by yourself;
- show master classes;
- make walkthroughs of games;
- comment on the game of the master (replays);
- comment on major tournaments, championships, etc.
I advise you to choose based on two parameters. The first is personal inclination. If you're better at talking about a friend's game than playing it yourself, become a commentator. If you prefer the process, then show your game. The second is financial return. When one type of broadcast is worth 50 cents and another type is worth $500, the choice is obvious, isn't it? All that's left to do here is testing.
And besides games?
The rules allow broadcasting not only games, but also conferences, meetings, etc. The “Creative” section stands out, in which you can show the process of creating something like that. If you are a great painter, compose sonatas, or are learning a brilliant trick, I recommend taking a closer look.
At the same time, opportunities to earn money are available to creators to the same extent as to gamers. You also need to apply and become a partner. That's it, the path to income is open, go for it!
Where to stream
You've decided which games to show and stocked up on the necessary equipment. The next step is choosing a platform for the stream. I've reviewed the best sites to try. Each has its own specifics, viewers and monetization methods.
Twitch
Twitch is the leader in video game streaming. Every day more than 1,000,000 viewers visit the site for the broadcast. Fast and easy registration. If you want to develop your channel, get rich and become famous, then this is the place for you.
Why is it profitable to stream via Twitch:
- you can broadcast even through an average PC,
- no problems,
- development without limits ad infinitum,
- easy to connect donation,
- you can start as many broadcasts as you like,
- many potential viewers,
- just monetize.
And there is only one drawback - an overabundance of competitors. It may take six months to regularly gain 500–1,000 viewers.
On Twitch, you can make anyone your moderator.
YouTube
You can conduct live broadcasts. They are not so popular because the main audience comes to watch ready-made videos.
Bloggers make good money from streaming. Alexander Dzerzhinsky sets financial goals like “50,000 rubles for food and camera.” Collects at least 10,000 rubles at a time.
Game streamers fare worse on YouTube. Gamer Chudo8585 earns 6,000 rubles for 1 broadcast, and Perfect_rii only 3,000 rubles. But popular players of World of Tanks, World of Warcraft and Diablo III also receive 20,000 - 30,000 rubles at a time.
The audience on YouTube is diverse. Streams with purchases are better received here.
Advantages:
- more directions,
- convenient and familiar interface,
- monetized without problems.
Flaws:
- the feature with paid subscriptions is still being tested and is not very well received by users,
- It’s difficult to get more than 5,000 viewers.
GoodGame
GoodGame is the domestic answer to Twitch. There are few competitors and audiences, and the requirements for partnership are lower. Suitable for beginners who want to try their hand, but are not yet ready for the global scale of Twitch and YouTube.
Advantages:
- it's easier to get through
- It’s easy to enable monetization.
Flaws:
- few spectators
- development is limited,
- there is censorship.
Social media
You can also broadcast live on social networks. This is much easier to do than on Twitch.
The target audience of game streams is not here. ESL launched a stream on Facebook. And with difficulty it got 5,000 spectators, and the pirates, who showed it in the right place, gathered 40,000 people.
Advantages:
- you can use a simpler computer,
- few competitors
- high attendance,
- It's easy to start a stream.
Flaws:
- there are no options for standard earnings on the stream: paid subscriptions, donations, partnerships;
- not enough target audience for streams.
On social networks they manage to broadcast films, TV series, and other people’s funny videos and make money from it.
Online broadcasts on social networks are suitable for communication, attracting community subscribers, and retaining them. It is better to entrust the display of your virtual battles to another service.
The biggest challenge for streamers
Most average streamers talk about one difficulty that all newbies will have to face - getting out of the streamer bottom. Getting the first regular viewers, promoting the channel higher, getting the first monetization - all this is very difficult for a beginner who has just started streaming.
The biggest problem in modern streaming is channel display. The most popular people with huge number of viewers are displayed above. And if you just started and no one knows about you, then you will be displayed at the very bottom of the list, and you will get random users who, without knowing how, came to you.
There are several ways to get your first viewers.
Redirection from more famous streamers.
This is the coolest, but most difficult to implement way to attract viewers to streams. A more famous streamer, finishing his work, starts re-streaming your channel. Essentially, he simply transfers his viewers to you.
Most users will leave, but some will remain. Some because of a good attitude towards the streamer, some because they like the broadcast. If you have more experienced friends, promoting a stream channel will not take so much time. Especially if you are charismatic.
You can even buy viewers this way. But if you are a beginner, you shouldn't do this. Simply because after the purchase you need to retain the viewer, and without experience this is very difficult to do.
Advertising through social networks.
Many beginning streamers start their own public page, invite friends, start promoting it and actively collecting subscribers, and then advertise their own streams.
This method of getting viewers is not easy. Simply because most people don’t understand that their streams are not interesting to their friends, and to get someone else, you need to try. Development with your public will go a little faster, but it will still be difficult.
Cheat.
This is the simplest, but riskiest way to get viewers. Its scheme is extremely simple:
The stream starts -> A huge number of bots are added to the channel -> The channel reaches the TOP -> Real viewers come.
Since you are not recruiting direct viewers, it is impossible to monetize with bots. You only push your channel to the TOP. But by working with bots, you give up 3 out of 5 monetization methods. There will be no direct advertising, no affiliate programs from the site, and it will be unprofitable to use other affiliate programs. For a beginner, this method will be the fastest, but its effectiveness is questionable. It's better not to use it.
If you can overcome the challenge, your audience will expand over time. They will show you to their friends and acquaintances, the audience will grow, and therefore, so will your earnings. The hardest part will be at the beginning.
How to get money from stream
Do you still doubt that they pay for broadcasting games or other hobbies? Now I will tell you about 7 ways to make money that work.
Video hosting affiliate program
All those services that show broadcasts are ready to pay you. Only under one condition: you meet the criteria of the affiliate program.
Twitch Affiliate Terms:
- an average of at least 500 spectators,
- at least 3 streams per week,
- compliance with American copyright law (DMCA),
- compliance with the terms of service.
You can ask for a partnership when there are not yet 500 viewers. If the moderators see you as a future stream star, they will approve your application.
It is officially possible to monetize a YouTube channel when you have:
- 1,000 subscribers,
- 4,000 hours of viewing per year,
- link to Adsense.
When you become an official partner of a video network (Twitch, YouTube), you will be able to include advertisements between games. With every 1 money will drip.
Native advertising
You unobtrusively use the sponsor’s product on air for money. For example, you eat chips of the brand you paid for.
What streamers usually advertise:
- computers and components;
- headset and microphone;
- graphic t-shirts;
- decorations;
- food and drinks;
- cosmetics;
- beauty salon services, tattoos, etc.
The more viewers, the higher the fee for such advertising. With an audience of 50,000 people, you can safely count on 80,000 rubles. Why are they willing to pay so much for a native? Man by nature follows the interests of the crowd. If someone eats chips in front of him, he is more likely to go out and buy them for himself than to cook a healthy dinner.
Custom advertising
You look for an advertiser yourself, or he comes to you. He buys banner space on your broadcast, a text mention in the description, or a few words on your live broadcast.
There is more money circulating here than in the official affiliate program of the services. The main income of streamers on YouTube and Twitch is direct advertising. How much they will pay depends on your popularity.
Donations
Viewers transfer money to you during the broadcast. The amount can be any: at least 10 rubles, at least 100,000 rubles. You set the minimum threshold. It starts from 10 rubles, and then whatever you want. I don't recommend overestimating it too much. What if only schoolchildren watch you? The smaller the amount, the easier it is to decide to donate. It's like buying gum. You take it automatically at the checkout.
To receive donations, you need to connect the DonationAlerts service. When you receive a donation, the donation amount and a message will appear on the screen.
Motivate your viewers to donate:
- activities for money: cheerful dance - 300 rubles, put on music - 250 rubles;
- put a strip with a goal and the amount for its implementation, for example, “I am collecting 30,000 rubles for lighting”;
- voice recording of messages received with a donation;
- display a list of the best donations.
Official advertisement
For 1 Twitch pays 3.5 $, YouTube – 1 $. You are applying for a partnership with a video hosting service. If you meet the requirements, you are given the go-ahead. Then you can embed advertising in videos and live broadcasts. Just don't overdo it, otherwise irritated viewers will leave you.
You earn the minimum wage, and then withdraw the money to a card, by postal order, or PayPal. YouTube makes payments from $100.
This method can be turned into passive income. Upload recordings of broadcasts and videos to YouTube and insert advertisements.
It is impossible to calculate exactly how much you will earn. Viewers may have an ad blocker; some will not watch it to the end.
Subscriptions
On Twitch, paid subscriptions cost $4.99, $9.99, and $24.99. The service takes half of it under the terms of the partnership agreement.
Bonuses to be given for subscribing:
- chat icon,
- branded emoticons,
- access to private chat,
- no advertising.
Selling goods and services
You can sell your products and offer services through streaming. Branded T-shirts, mugs, hand-made items, toys. Everything your audience needs.
To trade on streams, you must become popular. And while you haven’t reached the heights yet, use the above methods of earning money.
You can redirect viewers to a blog or online store and there you can already receive income from sales and contextual advertising.
A guide for beginning streamers: how I stopped being afraid and fell in love with the monitor.
How to learn to talk not only with the monitor, but also with people on the other side of the screen?
Or how can you make sure that in addition to your voice, people can also see a picture, preferably without unnecessary portions of Minecraft on the screen? Many people have to deal with this issue on their own or torture people who understand it, often ending up quite rightly ignored. Not so long ago, streaming in the world was an extremely difficult activity, taking a lot of time and effort to set up a bunch of crutches that made the pictures on the monitor move. Now all this is simpler: a large number of programs have been created to easily and conveniently set up broadcasts, and on consoles this is done by pressing one button X. And it can still be difficult to understand the intricacies of the interface of all these casting programs, because the price of a mistake is the screams of people who brand and fight against low-quality products. Yes, fight so much that they will discourage any desire to do anything further, forcing you to hide in a corner and quietly cry over your own hands. Still, streaming is a very creative hobby, and creative people are so vulnerable...
To save you from unnecessary problems, I tried to collect in this article everything I know - fortunately, I was successfully engaged in this wonderful business for a year and a half. Enough unnecessary words - let's go!
Technical training
Preparing for a stream begins with choosing hardware for your computer. A good streamer must provide the 60 frames per second required for pitch gaming not only for himself, but also for the audience. Although in these tolerant times, 30 frames do not greatly reduce the pleasure of viewing.
The main load from the stream falls on the processor - it is its share of processing and encoding of information. Then your internet connection comes into play. The resulting frames are sent to the server, where they are displayed on the viewers’ player.
Most modern processors (even those in laptops) can handle the load quite well, especially if we are not talking about modern AAA projects. Here, in addition to the load from the stream, the game itself also interferes, and even if everything goes fine individually, then running everything together can result in excellent lags.
A few examples: your humble servant uses an Intel Core i7-3770K - this is enough to handle any load up to high resolutions like 1920:1080 and 60 frames per second. Although I haven’t tested anything on relatively modern examples of “excellent” optimization, yes. A slightly more budget option is the Intel Core i5-3570K. It will no longer allow you to completely disregard the settings and sometimes you will have to look at where it is slowing down and where it is not, and maybe lower the settings somewhere. But in most cases it is an excellent choice.
With the Internet, everything is much simpler - a stable connection, and that’s basically it. Of course, the channel must be large enough. At least 1 megabit per second, although I myself managed to stream at lower speeds - albeit in Minecraft and turn-based strategy mode. This is not a problem if you stream turn-based strategy games and Minecraft.
And of course, don’t forget about the sound. A regular headset with headphones is usually enough. I used Razer products for a while, but they crashed too often, although perhaps that was due to my crooked hands. The most important thing in this matter is that the sound is relatively “clean”. Your voice should not be interrupted by extraneous noise and the background should not be too loud. This is precisely the main criterion for choosing a headset.
Player
You can’t just go and start a stream. To do this, you need a player to which the image you capture will be sent, and from which you will be watched. Well, or they won't. This is entirely voluntary.
In the CIS the choice is quite small. Although it is not very big in the world. Let's look:
Twitch.tv is the largest streamer portal in the world, YouTube for streamers. The site’s interface is very convenient, there are a lot of people, but despite all this, there are also problems. First: for some reason, for some viewers, Twitch can blatantly lag just like that, but you can fight this by frequently updating the player - sooner or later it will redirect to a closer server. The second problem is more difficult to deal with: image delay, which can sometimes reach a minute or more. It is clear that interactive communication with chat in this case is difficult.
CyberGame.tv is a purely Russian site, the servers are located in Moscow. The delay is minimal, lags are also rare (unless of course you live in the Far East). And everything would be fine... But the site has big problems with saving VoDs (Video on Demand) - recordings of streams that are created at the end of them. On Twitch they are regularly saved by pressing the stop button, downloaded, and uploaded to YouTube. On Cybergame, the recording can appear at any time. And sometimes it doesn’t show up at all. Record directly to your hard drive if you plan to stream to this player - there will be fewer problems with losses.
GoodGame.ru - unlike the above sites, not only provides a player and chats, but is itself an information portal with a separate community. It’s almost useless to find an audience on Twitch and Cybergame if you stream only to them. On Goodgame, there is a chance that a viewer skimming through the list of streams will become interested in yours. Delays are minimal; however, records are not saved at all (perhaps this has already been fixed; I haven’t been interested in this site for a long time).
But my acquaintance was overshadowed by one small problem...
CONSTANT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS.
You make a big stream, you spend a long time preparing for it - oops, our server is broken, your viewers will see the lagodrome for an hour!
I wanted to include only the released exclusive - sorry, there are too many of you, the server is down. And in the morning, and in the afternoon, and in the dead of night, no one is safe from the fact that the Goodgame server thinks about questions of life, the universe and everything else. Yes, they have a big head. But this doesn’t make things any easier for streamers and viewers. YouTube.
Here, unfortunately, I can give very little information, because this player has always been away from the areas where I lived. Just a few facts: to start a stream, you need an affiliate of the site on the channel (again, I could be wrong, you can correct me), the image itself is slightly reduced in quality due to the peculiarities of YouTube itself. But it saves the stream to the channel quickly and immediately, and there is a simply amazing rewind function even when the stream itself is online. In principle, other players have no analogues of this function. Setting up a stream
Here it is - the holy of holies! What makes a stream a stream. That magic that, from the numbers and letters entered into the fields, makes the pictures on other people’s screens come to life. If I were a caveman, I would have already started worshiping this. And even lower there will be a lot of text and a lot of pictures. But under spoilers. So get ready.
To start broadcasting, you need to download one of the programs that provides the entire process of encoding and transmitting image and sound. There are two of them: Open Broadcaster Software and Xsplit.
Just a few words about the second: this program, unlike OBS, is paid and costs quite a lot of money. Compared to its analogue, it has a little more functionality, but at the same time it loads the processor more. It is precisely because it is paid that in this guide I will not say anything about setting up a stream in it - it is, after all, for beginners and those who do not plan to develop this business beyond a small hobby.
Picture with directions
First of all, our path lies in the settings (1), section “Broadcast” (2). We select the player on which we registered (3) and enter all the necessary information: the server to which the information will be sent (4) and a special “key” (5). On each site it is located in a specific place, but noticeable. The key is exactly the thing through which the program will determine which player to send materials to. Therefore, do not transfer it to anyone else if you do not want completely different people to stream under your account. If you want, in the same section you can set the path to save the recording of your stream to your hard drive. If you switch the mode from live broadcast to local recording, the stream will not go online, but will be immediately recorded on your computer. Useful for testing new settings or checking grips.
Picture with directions
Next, go to the “Coding” section. The choice of encoder determines what exactly will be loaded from your system to process information. X264 (1) is the standard, default path through the processor, and in most cases it is worth working through it. But if your player is rather weak, then you can try streaming via Quick Sync and Nvidia NVENC (2) - in this case, the video card will handle the processing. It usually helps, but this is still a so-so method, and should be used only as a last resort - after all, your video card is usually already busy, and with the current optimization in most games... Moreover, to unlock the second one, you need the technology was supported by a video card (and, accordingly, was required by the company). For the first one you need to dance a lot with a tambourine. The necessary dances and chants can be viewed here
The maximum bitrate (3) is what will determine the final quality of your stream. The higher the bitrate, the less the image sent to the player breaks down into pixels, but also the greater the load on your system. And also on the viewers’ Internet channel. With high values, there is a possibility that the person who turned on the player will load the image more slowly than it is sent, ultimately leading to loading times and lags. So, setting the bitrate is a very delicate process and there are no ironclad values here. There are general guidelines for certain video resolutions so that the image you send will comply with them.
At 1280*720 it is recommended to set values from 1000 to 2000-2500. Less - minecraft from any game, more - the difference will be invisible. For 1920*1080 - from 2500 to 4000. However, in the latter case, the same situation may occur when the quality is too high for viewers. Usually in such cases, switching the quality helps, but it does not appear immediately for the streamer. Each player has its own specific conditions for receiving this button. If you don’t have it, it’s a good idea to stream in 720p so that as many people as possible can comfortably watch your stream.
In most cases, leave the audio bitrate (4) at the default 128. I knew “advisers” who always suggested setting it to the maximum possible. Well, please, no one prohibits it, except common sense. The increased audio bitrate will only be noticeable if you stream live music and other rare cases where the maximum quality will only be heard when the audio bitrate is increased. In other cases, it’s a waste of power and the sound difference will be absolutely unnoticeable.
Picture with directions
Since we are talking about resolution, let’s go to the “Video” section. Set the resolution (1) that will be captured by the program (it is recommended to set the one that is maximum on your monitor). By the way, it would be better if your resolution was 16:9. This is the format in which all players come, and any deviation from it will result in “cinematic” black bars on the side or bottom. Don't be like the authors of The Evil Within, please. If you can’t get rid of it at all (well, it’s the wrong monitor format, but you don’t want to play in a window), there is an option to fill up the stripes with some kind of design. Pictures related to the stream, links to VKontakte/Twitter, etc. - anything, but just not black stripes. They irritate people, they really do. If your resolution is too high, you can scale it (2) using the item of the same name. For example, the required 1080p will be captured, but the program itself will “narrow down” to 720p, and in this quality it will be sent to the player. A very useful item for those who do not have quality switching on the player.
You should stay in the Audio section if you have more than one microphone and need a specific one.
That’s it, in other places there’s not much for a beginner to do. There are very fine settings that can greatly improve the quality of the picture, or, conversely, reduce it if the system cannot cope, but this is rarely needed and in specific cases. The standard settings there are quite average and good in any respect.
Picture with directions
Let's get out of the settings. Now we need to capture the image itself. Under the large screen (on which the image you configured when starting or previewing the stream will be displayed) and to the left of the settings and launch buttons there are two tables. The leftmost one is scenes (1), the rightmost one is sources (2). A scene is an image that will be sent to the player, while sources are its constituent elements.
Pictures with directions
Pictures with directions
If you want to add any image directly to the screen, add it to the list of sources through the “Image” module (1). Once - and on top of the game we have a beautiful anime art about the gods of Chaos, why did I choose this one? But then we wanted to have a placeholder in the form of a picture that would cover the image when it is better for the audience not to see what is happening on the screen - for example, your brave Captain Shepard is about to retire with Lieutenant Cortez. You can make an image through the source and keep it as a layer behind the game, so that later, if necessary, you can manually “raise” it on top.
Picture with directions
But it will be much more convenient if you create a separate scene “ImageName” and, using the right click on the scene name, select the “Select key” option (1) and, in fact, assign this key (2). Do not use only those that will be often used in the game itself; this generally applies to any “binds” of settings.
That’s probably all you need to know in order to start a stream and conduct it more or less stably and without technical problems.
How to stream
But this is where purely armchair analytics begins, so many pieces of advice can be challenged. Well, I had to communicate with people who gather a huge audience, and with the very beginners. So maybe something from here will be useful to you.
1. Know how to talk about more than just the game.
Listening to the constant “well, now let’s go into this corridor, wow, what beautiful Centauri rats, let’s beat them” is very boring and uninteresting.
Know how to find abstract topics, tell us about the origin of these Centauri rats. During the long breaks between the action on screen, don't hesitate to tell some amazing stories - just so that the audience doesn't get bored. And always, always respond to audience questions. The difference between a stream and a let’s play is that here the presenter can communicate with people in real time (adjusted for delays), and people expect that this will be the case. 2. The second point follows directly from the first - know how to find a balance between commenting on the gameplay and outside reflections
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Especially if the game is interesting and has a twisted plot, do not interrupt the characters during conversations. You can explain what happened and where you were sent. Constantly being disconnected from what is happening on the screen is just as annoying as constantly focusing on it. 3. Don't stream alone
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I learned this point mainly from watching the broadcasts of StopGame itself with the traditional division of roles between the presenters. This is really very convenient - a co-commentator can help with reading chats or comments, give advice and simply conduct a dialogue with the host on various topics. Silence is golden, but on stream you still have to talk so that, again, the viewer doesn’t get bored. 4. Be polite
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Here, in my opinion, everything is obvious. But if someone starts insulting you via chat or simply talking nonsense, you can respond. The order must still remain decent. Nikita Sergeevich, thank you for the aphorism lessons. 5. And most importantly, be interesting
. In addition, to simply start a video, you can prepare a script for the upcoming stream. Make it dedicated to some topic (building civilizations in Ukraine, for example), prepare some small videos that would be inserted somewhere along the way. It would be good to show some kind of challenge on stream, or just a master class of the game. Starting a broadcast of a new product released on Steam is also a good idea. Do anything - the main thing is that it looks high quality and interesting.
Well, just some small observations: Without variety in the choice of material for broadcast, you gradually lose your audience (there are exceptions).
It is best to schedule the stream for 2 hours. This time is enough to lead it energetically and with soul, then fatigue accumulates and you can barely move.
Don't expect to become popular right away. Viewers stick to their favorite streamers and rarely visit others, especially new ones. Try to place your player on various sites, accumulate an audience and retain it.
Something like that. Leave your questions and comments below, and I will try to answer them and make changes to the text as best I can. I hope that this guide will help at least someone on this wonderful portal.
Author: LordSerket Text editor: purpleSyrup
guide, stream, for beginners, tips, help
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Getting ready to stream in 3 steps
Once you conduct your first broadcast, you will continue to do so. Your reputation and career as a streamer depend on your preparation.
Step 1. Decide on a style
Choose what you want to be: funny, aggressive, sweet, kind. You can take the behavioral traits of famous streamers, the main thing is not to become a copy of someone else. Observe the audience's reaction.
It is not necessary to create a false image. Be yourself, just show your emotions brighter.
Step 2. Choose a game or direction
Stick to the game you like. It is advisable to pass it better than a beginner. You can choose something popular. But due to a lot of competition, it’s not a fact that you will be noticed.
If games are not your thing, but donations and communication with viewers warm your soul, then show what you love and know how to do. Are you sewing? Make a stream “How I make a wedding dress in 3 hours.” Do you do copywriting? Speak out loud as you write, talk about the nuances of the work. You can even organize a competition to see who can type 1,000 characters faster, or come up with a title for the text together with the audience.
Step 3. Setting up and starting the stream
You can watch video instructions on how to turn on the program and stream.
If you decide to try yourself on YouTube, watch this useful video about starting an online broadcast.
Content
- What are Streams
- Types of Streams
- Cooking streams
- Conversation streams
- Everyday life
- Game streams
- Minimum investment to make money on streams
- Games for streaming
- Pros and cons of making money on streams
- Streaming platforms
- Twitch.tv
- Youtube
- Goodgame
- Social network
- Ways to make money on streams
- Platform affiliate program
- Direct advertising
- Donations
- Partnership programs
- Paid subscriptions
- How to prepare for your first stream: step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Choosing a Playstyle
- Step 2: Selecting Games
- Step 3. Setting up a stream
- Step 4. You can start playing
- The biggest challenge for streamers
- How much do they earn from streaming?
- How to become a successful streamer: 5 tips
- Conclusion
How to attract attention to your channel
The likelihood is small that some guy will accidentally click on the video and bring 10 friends, and they will also talk about you. Without advertising and strategy, even an interesting person will not be noticed.
It doesn’t matter what method of earning money you choose, promotion through marketing is the basis.
Advertising is needed so that they know about your stream, come to watch, and you get your money for it.
Mutual views and subscriptions . Watch someone else's stream. You get coins for it on Twitch Master, Stream Booster, TurboTwitch.ru. Exchange for views of your streams. There is a lot to choose from, so you need to stand out and choose the time to be chosen. Most viewers are unlikely to return. They are only interested in the domestic currency.
This is a budget-friendly way to increase your stats because you're spending time, not money.
Buying bots. Special programs that reel in the viewer service counter. For this they can be blocked, deprived of monetization, and the number of views reset to zero. Twitch pays less attention to cheating than YouTube. If complaints about bot farming are received, inspections and punishment cannot be avoided.
You can't make money from bots. They do not count toward ad views, do not pay for subscriptions, and do not make donations.
Automatic promotion of Reyden-X. If you are wondering how to attract interested viewers, you can try this service. You pay the tariff, advertising your stream is placed on hundreds of sites where the target audience is located. How many viewers you get in the end depends on the creativity, quality and style of the broadcast. It’s easier to reach the top without the risk of being banned.
You can ask the service for 1 free. To do this, you need to write to support. They do not credit only created accounts without broadcast history.
You can buy 1,000 thematic views on Twitch for 100 rubles and for 200 rubles on YouTube.
In the statistics section you will find out the percentage of conversions and the level of audience involvement.
Restream. A top streamer recommends you at the end of his broadcast for a fee or as a friend. The price for sending can reach several hundred thousand rubles. Depends on the popularity of this person.
Fans will want to come to your stream, but if it seems boring or the content is of poor quality, they will immediately leave.
Rest. Teaser, targeted, contextual advertising will help you find target viewers. Purchasing posts on social networks. You just need to configure it correctly.
To avoid wasting your budget and time, pay for posts in thematic communities. For example, you decided to play Dota 2 today, enter the name into the search and see what suits you in terms of price and audience coverage.
You can post an announcement of your stream for free in public pages like “Twitch Promotion”, “Twitch PR”.
A scheme to help you get views:
- Start a YouTube channel.
- Post videos regularly.
- You are gaining subscribers.
- You recommend streaming through your YouTube videos: “Guys, I’ll be streaming on such and such a date. It will be interesting, come.”
Gamers can preview the game before its release. You need to sign up for beta testing with the developer. He will give you an early access key. Because of the top game, you will gain viewers quickly and with a minimum of competitors.
A review of a game before its release can only be done if the developer gives the go-ahead. Otherwise, you will get banned from the channel.
Spot trends before they become trends. The audience developed a serious interest in the game, but other streamers did not notice - this is your chance.
How to become a successful streamer: 5 tips
I would like to give some tips on game streaming. Firstly, this is the most profitable niche, and secondly, absolutely anyone can start. It is important to avoid mistakes.
Tip 1. Follow trends.
In order to have a stable income, you need to follow trends. Trends in the gaming community are constantly changing. A new, interesting project will be released, and new users will immediately be attracted to it. This means that the streamer of this game will receive money.
The simplest fact. Six months ago, the most popular game for streamers was the 3rd person shooter PUBG. Tens of thousands of spectators, many donations, unabated interest. But now PUBG’s analogue, Fortnite, is in the top. And those who stream this particular game get a lot more money.
Trends in games change with the wave of a hand. Therefore, in order to earn money, you need to carefully monitor game updates. An interesting project has appeared that everyone is watching - to make several streams. “Old games week” has arrived, you can stream some old games. This is a very flexible and competent path to success.
Tip 2. Come up with your own style.
There are different categories of streamers. Ordinary calm professionals, speedrunners who try to do everything faster, toxic people who blame their teammates for everything, etc. But successful people always have a certain style. Some combine aggression, the desire to win and support for teammates, while others react violently to failure.
But all successful streamers have their own broadcasting style. You need to come up with your own. After all, you are the most interesting thing on the stream. It's not how you play, it's how you show up.
Tip 3. Don't try to be a professional.
This and the previous advice are interconnected. People come to watch you, not your performance. This means you don’t need to be a professional to attract an audience. There are a huge number of streamers who play mediocre games, but know how to make a show out of it.
In the TOP 3 in CS:GO there was a guy who played very poorly. He was drawn in by subscribers and friends who played in the same band. But he knew how to create a bright and interesting atmosphere. People didn't watch him play. It was interesting to watch the person.
Many professionals receive far less views and hype than well-known streamers who play much worse.
Tip 4: Talk to your audience.
There is a very narrow circle of people who can afford not to talk to the audience on game streams and gather a huge number of people on broadcasts. These are very charismatic people, and newcomers are not included in this list.
At first, until you are popular, you will not be able to retain your audience if you do not talk to them. You can communicate on any topic. From ordinary chatter to politics. The main thing is that you are talking, which means you show that you value your audience. And these people will appreciate you.
To communicate with your audience, keep your phone/tablet near you or install an additional monitor. This will be much easier than constantly minimizing the game and looking at the chat.
Tip 5. Emotions are cool.
It is interesting to watch not mechanical robots that simply press keys. The coolest thing about streaming is the emotions of the player himself. How he reacts to game moments, to teammates and to what is happening in the chat.
Don't be afraid to seem stupid. Your emotions are the key to being liked by other people. A straight face is not an option. But you shouldn’t go to extremes, like streamer Karina, who gained an audience and donations solely by screaming and screaming.
These are basic tips, but many beginners forget about them. Keep all this information in your head and you will have a chance to become a successful streamer. And don't try to stream Lol. It's useless.
How much do streamers earn?
Now let's count other people's money. Yes, I know you're not like that. But I want to know how much they get for streaming, and what kind of success can be achieved.
The most popular streamer Karina Sycheva (sharishaxd) makes the salary of an ordinary Russian per day - 20,000 rubles. For 2 hours of streaming on donations in January, I received 8,400 rubles, that is, 4,500 rubles per hour. She earns at least 6,000,000 rubles a year.
For the first year, Karina did not receive anything from the channel. And then a sharp start awaited her - she earned 849 thousand rubles in a month.
She earns more from the crowd of schoolchildren who send small donations of 30 rubles. She is paid to insult and provoke a violent reaction with obscene words. Anyone who was on Karina’s old streams will understand.
The best Twitch streamer - American Tyler Blevins (ninja) receives $500,000. He has 3,700,000 subscribers. He mainly streams the popular survival game Fortnite. Started in 2009.
With the popular ones everything is clear. What about the Russians who recently joined? Let's take typical Russian streamers who have no more than 200 viewers:
- Vanes13Oyamakasi (on average) - 29,879 rubles;
- promotive (150 spectators) – 6,700 rubles, not including donations;
- MakcoH (100 – 130 spectators) – 9,000 rubles. + advertising with a percentage of sales.
Of the entire Russian audience of the streamer, only 5–7 people pay, the rest come just to watch. If schoolchildren come to you, and not guys with a wallet, you will get crumbs, says streamer Ontgjke.
And with 100 views you can earn 30,000 rubles per month. It depends on how many opportunities your audience has. It doesn't matter, love, hate, question, support. Something must make you want to pay. Karina’s thing is contradiction. Nice girl swears like a shoemaker. She plays on the feeling of hatred. What do you think is your specialty? Write comments.
How much do streamers earn on Twitch?
I wonder how much Twitch streamers earn? The income of beginners depends on themselves. Promoting a page and getting views is not an easy task. In addition, you need to invest money. Now let’s look at the ranking of the top bloggers on Twitch.
TOP 10 ratings in the World?
The top 10 best streamers in the world include only foreigners.
- Ninja - became famous in 2020 due to high-quality broadcasts. Has a high level of acting that attracts the audience. The total earnings per year are 5 million.
- Shroud is a professional streamer who gained popularity due to emotional communication with the audience. Prime subscription income is 3 million per year.
- TimTheTatman plays on the OverWatch and Warcraft platforms. The manner of the game allowed him to gain subscribers. Salary per year is 2.7 million.
- DrLupo is a professional online player with an annual income of 2 million.
- DrDisRespect is a Battle Royale streamer who earns $2 million a year.
- MOONMOON_OW is one of the few representatives who publishes his personal life and films real events on camera. In the first year of streaming, he received 1.8 million.
- AdmiralBahroo earned the trust of users thanks to its masterful game and earned 1.7 million in 12 months.
- Sodapoppin is the creator of an eSports team, a professional player with a total income of 1.7 million.
- LIRIK is a popular blogger who plays Day Z. Has an audience response and an income of 1.5 million.
- Tsm_Myth closes the top ten. A player with an interesting pitch, who receives 1.3 million from subscriptions.
Twitch in the CIS
There are not many bloggers in the CIS countries. In addition, they hide the amounts received. The most popular profiles in Russia:
- Cheatbanned has a large number of subscribers. The main audience is children and teenagers;
- Dendi is an e-sportsman. He gained popularity by playing Dota;
- Arthas has a strong following and is a teen idol.
Thus, making money on the Internet is easy! The service is open to people over 18 years of age. The main thing is not to become completely immersed and confuse life on the Internet with reality.
Where does money and earnings come from on YouTube?
It is not surprising that the older generation is quite skeptical about making money on the Internet. It is not clear to them where money can come from in virtuality. The answer is as simple as possible: they are pumped there by advertisers and the users themselves. In the first case, it is clear - we are talking about various marketing campaigns both in videos and on streams on YouTube. And in the second - about donations. If you don’t know what this is, again, I’ll enlighten you. This is a donation. In general, this is how you can make good money on video hosting and various streaming services.
Twitch in the CIS
Now let's take a quick look at the 5 most popular streamers on Twitch in the CIS. No one talks about their income, but according to unverified sources, each of them earns more than 3 million rubles a month.
1st place: Cheatbanned. This streamer ranks first in terms of the number of subscribers. I gained a huge audience of schoolchildren using various online casinos and roulettes for in-game items. Plays CS:GO, PUBG and many other popular games.
2nd place: Dendi. The most media personality in Russian eSports. He became famous for his excellent play and adequate attitude to what was happening on his streams. He was a legend in the NaVi Dota2 team. For every mistake his teammates make, he always says, “It’s okay, it’ll work out next time.” True, when he turns off the microphone in the game, he speaks a little harsher.
3rd place: Arthas. He was once a strong Dota 2 player, then retrained as a casino streamer. Vitaly has a loyal army of fans who are ready to watch even a black screen if only the stream is launched.
4th place: Sharishaxd. The same legendary “Streamer Karina” who literally blew up the RuNet in 2020. Now she behaves more calmly, but still not far from the image of a loud and inadequate girl who attracts young guys.
5th place: S1mple. Alexander Kostylev is a professional Counter Strike player. He plays in the best team in the CIS - NaVi. In 2020, he was recognized as the 2nd strongest player in the world. On streams he shows how he trains and how he plays random matches. He is loved for his high skills and strong emotions during games.
