The Origin of Streaming Gameplay

Amusingly, the activity of sharing live gameplay over the Internet didn't really start with games. It started with the life of a man named Justin Kan, the co-founder of Justin.tv who started broadcasting/streaming his life 24/7 in 2007. This led to gamers hopping on the bandwagon who started streaming their gameplays (not their lives), particularly with the then super-popular “WoW” (World of Warcraft), causing the platform to create a dedicated spin-off called "Twitch.tv".

From then on, gamers from all over started sharing live gameplay content in whatever game they were playing, and pulling in a massive audience and following, that exploded into a big and profitable gaming niche and market of its own. The potential was huge in terms of advertising and social influencing, inducing product manufacturers, producers, and marketers to invest hugely in the ever growing activity. Platforms like Twitch and similar live streaming venues had opened up a business with a kind of reach and propagation like no other.

The Definition of Streaming

Streaming is a broad term. For all intents and purposes, pouring a bucket of water over an open pathway thus creating a small water stream is streaming by definition. Likewise, playing a game on a cloud-server where the game itself is fully stored (no game client on your PC), and having the results streamed back to you and your control commands streamed back to the server with your PC turning into a dumb terminal in between, is "Game Streaming". Digital information is streamed back and forth like a water flow.

The streaming we are interested in however, is the live broadcasting of gameplay over the Internet for everyone and anyone the world over to see. Not only that, the game streamer or game influencer can usually interact socially (online of course), with the people watching his or her stream. This is how the influencer gains support and follower as they not only give them pure unbridled gaming entertainment, but tips on gaming as well. As influencers, the potential is huge as they also (intentionally or not), act as a very strong marketing influence in a similar way that those ladies on YouTube demonstrating make-up, nail-polish, skin care, and whatever cosmetics, chemicals, and potions, are able to rake in dreamy eyed customers in the millions for a touch of eternal beauty.

Aside from the obvious marketing potential, gamers stream for varied reasons. Some provide it as a service, sharing for those who do not have the time or cannot afford to buy the game. They provide a third hand experience that otherwise would not be possible. Another as mentioned is to build up a gaming community, where information about the game and gameplay can be shared freely. But then, a girl gamer streaming live with a certain can of branded soda is advertising enough to her viewers who many would subliminally reach out for the very same soda can the next time they visit a grocery or convenience store. A side-effect that cannot be avoided.

Some Games Are Really Made for This

Now that we have an idea about the massive amount of potential a game streamer/influencer can have on his or her audience, it is no wonder that certain game developers will tailor-make their games to optimally serve this purpose. If one has the potential to rake in millions of sales the way those ladies tracing eyeliners and powdering their faces on YouTube do, there really isn’t much to think about. And in the gaming world and market, the game is the key.

Here are some reasons why some games are built for streaming first.

Best Way to Market the Game

Playing a game live online on platforms like YouTube or Twitch provides the kind of worldwide and immediate organic marketing. It’s a direct-to-consumer advertising where the viewers can see the game in action (along with the game streamer’s and audience reactions). To many, these provides a strong influence to purchase and experience the game for themselves. It’s a live game demo mixed with social media.

It Has To Be Good

As the game is being marketed real-time online, it has to be built in such a way that it will grab the audience attention and retention big-time. These games are usually designed with deep and engaging narratives, high-stakes gaming moments, humor, and are overall fun to experience. A good example is “Genshin Impact” that follows a “40-second rule” where the gamer and audience will encounter something new in the game every 40 seconds to ensure that those watching are glued to the screen.

Keep It Going

Many of these streaming oriented games are built with adjustable code-bases allowing the developer to bring in rapid updates. These provides an answer and service to the audience feedback in terms of performance, content, and new or continuing narratives. If the audience want a Little Red Riding Hood character in the game, the next update will put Little Red Riding Hood in the game. These provides a longer relevance and lifespan for the game. With continued updates, additions, and the proverbial something new, the game continues to sell through additional content than just the initial purchase.

A Good Way to Test the Market

Game streaming provides developers with feedback which they in turn can use to make better and marketable games. The gamer market’s perception is very important, and with the help of influential streamers, they are able to assess, study, forecast, and experiment with consumer reactions to their product(s) even before official launch. These is why many place their game prototypes on “Early Access” and let streamers do the market testing so they can insure the product gets sold when it is finally released.

There are many other reasons why certain games are developed with a foremost streaming feature in mind. Streaming, however, can be applied to almost any game that can capture the interest and following of an audience. Even if “Chess” seems to be a niche game followed by a certain few, if there is a massive interest for a certain Chess game or version, streaming a live gameplay wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

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