Games
We asked one of India’s most popular YouTube streamers about the secrets to success for anyone who wants to be an esports streamer.
Gaming is for all to play and everyone to consider for a career too. In India, many people have made successful careers in esports with many different work profiles. You could be a pro athlete, a team manager, an organization owner, a talent manager, a streamer, a tournament organizer, and much more.
Animesh Agarwal, better known as 8Bit Thug, is someone who took this to heart and has become one of India’s top professionals in the esports industry.
Thug manages some of the top content creators and gaming influencers in the country. The most popular of these are probably SouL’s MortaL and Fnatic’s ScoutOP. Thug has proven his mettle with launching such talented gamers, and he is also very talented himself. He is an accomplished streamer with over 7 lakh subscribers on his YouTube channel and over 6.64 crore cumulative views.
Here are his tips on how you could become an accomplished streamer like him.
1. Get the right equipment
Thug says that equipment in this day and age, especially for mobile streamers, matters a lot. “It’s important to get the right investment into this if you wish to make it as big as MortaL. While it is possible to make it big without it too, I personally suggest investing in Elgato products.”
2. Picking the right game
It can be fun to be really skilled at a game and cruise through tournaments. But if you are going to become a streamer, it is vital to understand whether the game has any streaming value. “PUBG Mobile itself had a huge viewership which automatically translated in quick fame on YouTube and social media for most competitive players,” says Thug, who became very popular when he started streaming PUBG Mobile. “It is very luck dependant to see whether the game which you have skill in strikes gold.”
3. Choosing a platform
Online video game streaming is a big business. Each platform tends to be popular in a different region, and the popular games also vary. For example, if you are looking to build a North American or European audience, a platform like Twitch while playing Dota 2 and Counter-Strike makes the most sense. If you are looking to build an Indian audience, it’s probably best to go with YouTube Gaming on a mobile device. “Right now, YouTube Gaming is definitely the way to go. It has a proven track record of launching not only big names but also upcoming streamers and has greatly helped the streamer and the audience.”
4. Know your audience
If you are going to be a successful streamer, you should always know what the audience wants. Once you’ve understood that, figure out how you can cater by putting your own spin on it. Thug recommends uploading competitive highlights for most games. “The Indian audience absolutely adores watching competitive highlights. A quick look at every top competitive player-turned-streamer will show how they’ve boomed with clips of theirs. Even if you are a competitive player without entertaining skills, you’ll still have a skill edge which you can put on display.”
5. Above all, enjoy the game
Many can get caught in the numbers, worrying when their viewership will increase or when sponsors will come on board. But Thug says, “If you are just getting started, just enjoy the game. Don’t worry about the numbers. After all, if you can’t enjoy what you’re doing, you can’t expect others to have a good time watching you. If your content is good, you won’t have to worry about gaining traction.”
6. Once you’re in the flow, experiment!
An important part of becoming a content creator is to show interest in all games. “Once you’re in the flow of things, begin the experimentation. Don’t hesitate to try new things and above all, it’s okay to fail in the start. Success cannot come out of monotonous content and keeping stuff fresh on your channel is key. When is the right time to provide a variety of content? Take the call, but once you do it, don’t hesitate.”
7. Be patient
Success won’t come in a day. Or two. Or a month. To reach internet stardom demands hard work and above all, patience. “A good example is MortaL. He worked tirelessly for two years until he got his big break on the internet. These things take time, and it will take time for you too.”
