During a recent Tetris 99 stream, we had a spirited discussion about how to improve as a streamer on Twitch. There was enough interesting conversation from that stream that I felt it was best to break out those clips into a separate post!
career
The Harsh Reality of Twitch as a Career Path
I did not enter the world of streaming in 2017 with visions of being the next Ninja. Already doing Let’s Play videos for my YouTube channel, I figured that if I was going to spend the time adding commentary to my videos in real time anyway, I might as well stream it. Could potentially hit two birds with one stone that way.
As I’ve built up my presence on Twitch, it’s been fascinating to follow the culture around streamers attempting to “make it big”, whatever that means to them. This includes thousands of resources on how to make game streaming your career, Reddit threads on users asking for advice on how to generate more money from their stream, a deluge of stories from streamers ready to call it quits after falling short of their expectations, and countless #roadtoaffiliate tweets. Heck, even I have sent a #roadtoaffiliate tweet or two.
Having hit Twitch Affiliate somewhat recently, it’s gotten me thinking about the possibility of making this a full-time gig. Others have made it happen, but is it something I could achieve if I really wanted to?
Video Games as a Coping Mechanism
What started out as a retro game show-and-tell takes a turn when we begin talking about how we used video games in the past as an unhealthy means of dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety. Video games can be a positive coping mechanism, but in these particular cases, they weren’t. We then talk about our career anxieties today.
It’s a topic I’ve touched on before, but it was a very therapeutic chat with Muligoon. If you’re going through anything, please know that you’re not alone. There are people out there willing to help, whether it’s family, friends, or medical professionals. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help!
In Third Person 