Fun And Potentially Lucrative: Streaming Games On TikTok

TikTok Live streams have become a very popular feature on the social media platform since it was introduced in 2020.

TikTok users can conduct all sorts of Live sessions, ranging from how-to demos to Ask Me Anything Q-and-As. They also love the gifts they receive from viewers during streams, because each gift represents a monetary tip. Those gifts can add up and become a lucrative revenue stream for those with large fan bases.

One of the most common uses of TikTok Live is to stream live gaming sessions, which draw enormous audiences when run by prolific gamers.

There’s no native gaming function on the app, though, which means you need a bit of technical prowess — or some instructions — to stream games on TikTok.

We happen to have the instructions right here.

What to Know Before Starting

You must be eligible to run TikTok Live sessions before you can open a stream on the platform. Fortunately, the requirements aren’t too difficult to satisfy.

• You must be at least 16 to host a TikTok Live, and you can’t receive gifts until you’re 18.
• You must have at least 1,000 TikTok followers.
• You must have a clean record of adhering to TikTok’s terms and conditions.

The age and follower requirements may be slightly different in some regions of the world.

Streaming a Game on TikTok

TikTok users stream many types of games from different gaming platforms. The connection process varies with the platform that the game is played on, though, so the instructions can be quite different.

Using Third-Party Streaming Software

If you’re a pro and already broadcast your streams elsewhere with dedicated streaming software like OBS (the most popular choice), you need a TikTok stream key to connect your setup to the app.

If you’re eligible, open TikTok and click “GO LIVE,” choose a stream category and enter a title for your session, tap “SAVE and GO LIVE,” scroll down to find “Server URL and Stream key,” and copy your stream key and the server URL.

That will allow you to connect to TikTok by pasting the information you’ve copied into your streaming software. You may want to switch to portrait mode to show your stream vertically to the bulk of people who use their phones to watch.

Using TikTok Studio Live

It’s OK if you don’t have a dedicated streaming setup; you can connect directly to a separate TikTok streaming app if you game on a Windows 10 or 11 machine.

1. Log into TikTok on your computer.
2. Download and install TikTok Studio Live from tiktok.com/studio/download.
3. Launch the app and you’ll be taken through setup screens that connect your camera and microphone, and let you choose settings (it’s best to select portrait view for TikTok broadcasts), a layout, and a theme.
4. Choose “Game capture source” or “Display capture source” from the drop-down menu under “Scenes.” The first shows just your gameplay, the second shows your entire desktop. You can also use the feed from a capture card if you prefer.
5. If you want your webcam feed to show, click “Add source,” choose “Camera,” and select your preferred resolution and framerate.
6. Optional settings can also be chosen, including “Alert” which welcomes new viewers and thanks people for gifts, and “Viewer ranking” which displays your top viewers.
7. Finally, you can click and drag displays or other images in your theme to move them to their desired positions.
8. Click “Go Live,” choose a cover image and category for your stream, enter a title, and click “Go Live” a second time.

That does it; you’re streaming your game live. When you’re done, click the clock at the bottom and the stream ends.

Streaming From Your Phone

If you want to play fun games like Pokemon Go or Candy Crush on your phone and stream live on TikTok, here’s what you need to do.

1. Open the app, tap the “Create” icon, and go to TikTok Live.
2. Choose the “Mobile camera” option below the “Go Live” button.
3. Choose a topic and add a title for your stream.
4. Adjust settings to 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second.
5. Hit “Go Live” and you’re ready to roll.

You’ll be able to see TikTok from the side or bottom panel, depending on how you’re holding your phone, and you can hide the panel if you want to game in full-screen mode. When you’re done streaming, hit the power icon.

It may take a little while to get the hang of running Live gaming streams, but it’s a great way to share a good time with your followers — and perhaps bring in some extra cash while doing it.