Ahoy there mateys, and welcome to this quick introduction to setting up your streams for Xbox!
This guide is written very much from a perspective of someone starting out their streaming journey, but there might be tips/tricks/advice that applies to some more experienced streamers (and some tips/tricks that I’ve missed too).
Streaming from an Xbox is just as rewarding as streaming from a PC, but there are some additional things you need to consider about what you want your stream identity to be like.
Do you want overlays and alerts? How about a webcam? Or would you prefer a lo-fi stream of just you and your exploits on the waves?
Before we go in to detail about the different options, there are a few things that you’ll need regardless.
- An Xbox
- A twitch account
- Sea of Thieves
See, it really is simple to start out!
Some important points though:
- If you're broadcasting with a microphone, you may want to enable Push to Talk for your in game comms, otherwise everyone in game will be able to hear you talking to your twitch chat!
- Speaking of Twitch chat, you will need a second device to monitor your twitch chat. A laptop or a mobile phone with the Twitch app will work perfectly for this.
A lo-fi stream
If you're just dipping your toe in to streaming, then this may be the option for you! Alternatively, you might want to focus on the beauty of the game and provide a distraction free stream for people.
First thing you will need to do is link your Twitch to your Xbox account.
- Open the Xbox guide's Capture & share menu and select Live streaming.
- If you have already linked your Twitch account to your Xbox, select More options. If not, your Xbox will prompt you to Go to Settings to sign in and Link your accounts.
- Once on the page for More Options, ensure that Destination is set to Twitch.
That's it, once you hit "Go live" your gameplay will appear on your Twitch channel!
A stream fit for the Gold Hoarder himself
You might have already built up a following on Twitch streaming from console, or you might want to start out with Overlays, alerts and other assets. On PC, this is considerably easier than it is on Xbox but it's not impossible.
There are two options available to you as a console streamer.
- Third party services
- A capture card
Third Party Services
Xbox Guide Capture & Share will let you stream directly to two third party services; Streamlabs and Lightstream. Both of these are paid services, ranging in price and what they offer. I would suggest that you research them both and decide which one suits your needs the best.
Both Streamlabs Console and Lightstream let you log in using your existing Twitch account, and act as a middleman. You stream to their servers, they work their magic and pass that stream to Twitch.
Once you have picked your favourite service, you will be able to pick overlays that come with the service or upload your own.
For full details on how to configure each of these services, click the links below:
Streamlabs Console Setup
Lightstream
You can also combine StreamElements overlays, widgets and alerts with Lightstream or Streamlabs tools!
A Capture Card
Using a capture card will give you all of the benefit of streaming from a PC but whilst using your Xbox.
Most capture cards will require you to connect to a PC/Laptop to pull the video feed from your console, then send that feed to a broadcasting program like OBS or Xsplit to be recorded or broadcast as a stream.
The list of capture cards available is endless, and again I would advise you to research which one meets your needs.
For full details on how to stream using a Xbox with a Capture Card, be sure to check back and view the Introduction to Streaming using PC thread coming soon.
So that's it! A quick intro to streaming using Xbox. If there are any questions or comments, please let me know down below and I'll do my best to answer. I'll also try to keep this updated with any tips/tricks/recommendations that others might have.
So until next time, may the wind be in your sails and your barrels full of pineapples!
