The game recording and streaming marketplaces become increasingly crowded recent years with the rising popularity of Twitch and other broadcast channels that allow gamers to broadcaster gameplay video and in doing so, increase their following. Many have become notorious for their broadcast and have turned it into a source of revenue. What used to be dominated mainly by hardware devices has increasingly moved toward software based platforms.
The consoles of the modern generation from Sony and Microsoft have built-in streaming and recording technology so for now, the current battleground for many is on PC. Enter into the picture Gameshow which is a desktop application that not only allows users to stream their videos, but adds a degree of customizations not previously available on most devices. After free trial, the service has a $90.99 yearly cost as well as the options for monthly subscriptions. It did take a little bit of getting used to, but thanks to their helpful tech department, I was able the up and playing in no time.
One of the key aspects is that being able to specifically have preset settings for each game allows users to enter the action quickly without having to do a lot of adjusting prior to getting into action. They can stream the live-action or of course edited up for broadcast at a later date. While software worked exceptionally well I kept coming back to one thing over and over; an incredible sense of déjà vu.
With products on the market such as Xsplit, Plays TV, and Shadowplay for NVIDIA based systems, I really did not see anything that was radically different. Yes the degree of customizations is better but also the complexity of use is much higher. Combine that with the fact that Gameshow is a fee-based service; I really did not see the value beyond other programs are arty on the market, many of which for free. While Xsplit is a paid service, they do offer a free option for those who are willing to allow a watermark to be placed on their recording. I have found that Shadowplay is a very solid device for capturing very high quality video and the free Windows Movie Maker program is more than adequate to make any of the necessary edits that I need.
Now mind you, I am not running broadcast of all sorts of crazy graphics and effects in my videos, but they can be added easily enough should I need them to.
The service has some ideal customizations such as being able to add a donor widget so your fans can support your broadcasts and once you get the hang of the software you will be up and running in no time at all.
In the end, Gameshow is a great and versatile tool for those who are looking to monetize their streams or need a higher degree of customization and do not mind paying for the service. For the rest of us, there are plenty of free programs on the market that will more than meet our needs and allow us to put our money toward other gaming needs.
You can learn more about Gameshow and start your free trial at Gameshow
