Whats the current bitrate cap for streams?

The current bitrate recommendation for twitch streams is 6000 kbps. You can go higher to about 8000 kbps but risk getting source disabled if it becomes an issue on the network. Here are more details on various resolutions and bitrate settings for you to use on your channel.

x264 or Nvidia NVENC Encoding

• 1080p60
  
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Framerate: 60, 59.94, 50
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
    
• 1080p30
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Framerate: 30, 29.97
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps or 4500 kbps
    
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
• 720p60
  
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720
  • Framerate: 60, 59.94, 50
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
• 720p30
  
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720
  • Framerate: 30, 29.97
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps or 4500 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps

• Rate Control: CBR
• Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds
• Preset
  
  • x264
    
    • Very fast to Slow
    • For this setting test out how far you can go with slow being the best but requires a lot of cpu power. If you set it to slow preset and notice your cpu spiking over 80%, it cant handle it, try medium, then fast, and lastly very fast.
      
  • Nvenc
    
    • Quality
      
• Profile: Main/High
• B-frames: 2
  

For OBS Users
Here are some screenshots showing the various location in settings that you need to update for resolution and bitrate.

In the output tab under settings for OBS, you can configure the video bitrate, encoder and audio bitrate.

For video resolution and fps configuration its under the video tab in the settings on obs.

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Here is a bitrate recommendation chart based on game type that I created a couple of years ago that still applies today.

High motion / FPS / First person games

Medium motion / RTS Games, usually has scrolling

Low motion / static action, turn based games

Note the colors and what bitrate is recommend for the game type. For some games with high action, we still do not have enough bitrate to stream at 1080p60 at very high quality.

How to link your twitch with prime gaming

Are you an avid Twitch user looking to get the most out of your gaming experience? If so, then linking your Twitch account with Prime Gaming is the way to go! Not only will you gain access to exclusive in-game content and free games, but you’ll also have the chance to support your favorite streamers with free channel subscriptions.

Here is a quick guide on how to link your Twitch account with Prime Gaming:

1. First, go to https://gaming.amazon.com/ and sign in with your Amazon Prime account.
2. If you already have Amazon Prime, click “Connect your Twitch account” and sign in to your Twitch account. Then, click “Confirm.”
3. If you do not have Amazon Prime, click “Start your 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime.” Sign in to your Amazon account, sign in to your Twitch account, and click “Confirm.” Review your information, and then click “Start your 30-day free trial.”
4. Once your accounts are connected, you can start enjoying all the perks of Prime Gaming! This includes exclusive in-game content, free games, and free channel subscriptions to your favorite Twitch streamers.

But what if you decide you want to unlink your Twitch account from Prime Gaming? No problem! Here’s how:

1. Go to your account on Amazon.com by visiting https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/homepage.html.
2. Under “Settings,” click “Manage Twitch account settings.”
3. Find the Twitch account you want to disconnect and click “Unlink account.”

That’s it! By following these simple steps, you can easily link or unlink your Twitch account with Prime Gaming. Whether you’re a casual or avid gamer, linking your accounts is definitely worth it for the exclusive content and free subscriptions alone. So what are you waiting for? Link your accounts today and start enjoying all the perks of Prime Gaming!

Follower Bots still actively working in 2020

Does twitch still have a follow bot problem in 2020?  Sadly yes, this is one of the ongoing issues on the platform that keeps popping up.  Due note this issue also happens on many other platforms with people all focusing attention on follower numbers which leads to people finding ways to exploit it via botting.

Recently a ASMR streamer noticed over night that their channel gained 104 thousand followers overnight.

Here is a screenshot showing the channel gaining 104,000 followers and some other metrics from previous days.

Very rarely does a channel receive this much followers in a single day. This generally only occurs during a high profile channel being launched or a special event. Another noticeable entry that the metrics show is video views. If 100k people really were all following the channel on that day, at least base minimum there would be alot more then 6k video views on that day.

In the past Twitch did some auto following via the on-boarding of new app users. Could this be some new experiment Twitch is running with users and having them auto follow certain channels? I guess time will tell if such a thing is occurring! 


Another interesting event also occurred recently on a similar category channel.  Here is the tweet with a video clip showing tons of host botting.

August 7, 2020

This maybe now more of a targeted attack against ASMR streamers on Twitch. Additional investigation is needed but this video clip is extremely interesting because of the shear amount of automated bot hosting occurring.

Insider's look into Bounty Board Rates

Curious to know what kind of rates Twitch's bounty board program provides to the top end streamers on the platform?  Well look no further, thanks to a streamer who is careless and shares this data we can come up with the general rates of bounty boards.

Here is what a streamer who generally averages 12,000 viewers gets for a 1 hour bounty board.

It lists 7,091 dollars for 1 hour which is about 59-60 cents per viewer if we assume 12,000 concurrents.

Here is another screenshot of the same streamer during a different period showing the actual bounty internal data.

On this panel it lists that they must average 10,675 concurrent viewers to get the max payout of 3,789 dollars.  This leads to around 35 cents per concurrent viewer.

Whatever way you look at it, this is a extreme amount of money for just 1 hour of streaming. If any gaming company or agency read this post and wants a opinion here is my own thoughts.  Don't pay for large streamers with big numbers, pay streamers who are in the range of 100 to 400 viewers. In my view these streamers are more likely to continue playing the game for a extended session.  Some may even start to stream the game regularly. A good example of this occuring is my own experience with receiving a Black Desert Online bounty.  Its a game I always wanted to try but never went into it until the opportunity with the bounty happened. I currently stream this game regularly on my twitch channel.

Upcoming game release dates 2020

Start planning for upcoming games early, get a hold of their release month and start to build content around whatever games you are planning to stream in the future. Being the first to develop guides and helpful information on upcoming games can help secure your spot on search engines in terms of ranking.

2020 Video Game release dates

• July
  
  • Trackmania
  • Little Town Hero
  • Marvel's Iron Man VR
  • Catherine: Full Body
  • Superliminal
  • CrossCode
  • Little Town Hero
  • Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
  • Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise
  • F1 2020
  • NASCAR Heat 5
  • Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
  • Dweller's Empty Path
  • Death Stranding
  • Rocket Arena
  • Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
  • Dragon Quest Tact
  • Superhot: Mind Control Delete
  • Death Come True
  • Ghost of Tsushima
  • Paper Mario: The Origami King
  • Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break
  • Carrion
  • Crysis Remastered
  • Tannenberg
  • Cuphead
  • Destroy All Humans!
  • Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection
  • Lost Wing
  • Lost Wing
  • Doraemon Story of Seasons
  • Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Sho
  • Hellpoint
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS. Maxiboost ON
  • Root Film
  • Yakuza Kiwami 2
  • Yoru, Tomosu
  • Cat Quest + Cat Quest II Pawsome Pack
  • Fairy Tail
  • Lost Wing
• August
  • Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
  • Fast & Furious Crossroads
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Hyper Scape
  • Risk of Rain 2
  • Collar × Malice: Unlimited
  • A Total War Saga: Troy
  • EA Sports UFC 4
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator
  • Battletoads
  • Cupid Parasite
  • Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue
  • New Super Lucky's Tale
  • PGA Tour 2K21
  • Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
  • Kandagawa Jet Girls
  • Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition
  • The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki
  • Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter One
  • Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions
  • Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars
  • Jump Force: Deluxe Edition
  • Madden NFL 21
  • Project CARS 3
  • Wasteland 3
  • Windbound
  • Serious Sam 4
  • Surgeon Simulator 2
• September
  • Ary and the Secret of Seasons
  • Crusader Kings III
  • MX vs. ATV All Out
  • Iron Harvest
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter Two
  • WRC 9
  • Doraemon Story of Seasons
  • Marvel's Avengers
  • NBA 2K21
  • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
  • Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
  • RPG Maker MV
  • Metal Max Xeno: Reborn
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter Three
  • BPM: Bullets Per Minute
  • Fight Crab
  • WWE 2K Battlegrounds
  • 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
  • Mafia: Definitive Edition
  • Re:Turn – One Way Trip
  • Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!!
  • Shantae
• October
  • Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
  • Star Wars: Squadrons
  • Ride 4
  • Dirt 5
  • FIFA 21
  • Robotics;Notes DaSH
  • Robotics;Notes Elite
  • Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  • Spacebase Startopia
  • Transformers: Battlegrounds
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
  • Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
  • Watch Dogs: Legion
  • The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
• November
  • Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia
  • Shadowverse: Champion's Battle
  • Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
  • XIII
  • Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • Assassin's Creed Valhalla
  • Cyberpunk 2077
• December
  • Jack Jeanne
  • Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition
  • Who's Your Daddy? 

Full Game list from the epic games store
- This is the A to Z listing for all the games available.

How to get affiliate sponsors for your channel?

Twitch affiliate sponsors

How to get sponsorships for your twitch affiliate channel! One of the best and most easiest ways for a new twitch affiliate to get sponsors is to use the following platforms.

Game Key Distributions
Keymailer - key distribution platform.  Keymailer is most likely one of the top key distro out their for game influencers.  Its going to be harder for a new affiliate to get keys from here but its something to look forward to down the line if your channel grows bigger. NOTE: Keymailer may sometimes lists games to which they dont have any keys for but collect your requests in order to sell that to game publishers.

Noiz.gg - distributes keys, sponsorship opportunities.  This is a great platform that has many opportunities for paid sponsorships with games even with low CV amounts.


Arsenal.gg - analytics, key distribution platform.


Xsolla - keys, affiliate programs, performance-driven


Terminals.io - key distribution platform, PR




These are all the various key distribution platforms that I have signed up for and use to get sponsorship opportunities and free game keys for my channel on twitch. If you happen to know of any that are not listed and provide similar services, please fill free to comment below or message me so I can review it and add it to the list.

Sponsorships / Affiliate Programs

Listed here are streamer + gaming focused type of brands with affiliate programs and sponsorships.  Some of these are accessible to new affiliates, while others are for geared towards bigger channels and communities.  Check out their website for more details and what type of connections are available.

• AKRacing - gaming chairs, accessories
• Astro Gaming - audio systems, headsets and accessories
• AVerMedia - capture cards, microphones, webcams gaming audio
• Arozzi - chairs, eyewear, gaming desks, microphones and more
• Battle Beaver Customs - custom gaming controllers, DIY parts, prebuild controllers, refurbished controllers
• BenQ - projectors, monitors, led lighting, digital signage, accessories
• Cinch Gaming - custom gaming controllers
• Corsair - gaming gear, streaming gear, pc components, and more
• DXRacer - gaming chairs
• Fatalgrips - mice, keyboards, mousepads, gaming controller grips / cases / skins / accessories
• GTomega - chairs, cockpits, wheel stands and more
• Gamergoo - hand lotion
• Green Man Gaming - digital video game key seller
• HyperX - gaming headsets, microphones, keyboards, mice, memory and more
• Jinx - video game / tv tees, outerwear, toys, plush
• Netgear - wifi gaming routers and more
• Razer - gaming laptops, mice, keyboards, audio and more
• Thermaltake USA - Chassis, fans, aio liquid cooling, air cooling, mice and more

Additional notes:

Make sure to have a business contact email address on your twitch channels about section and on your other linked in social media profiles.  Many times sponsors maybe interested in working with you but no email address is provided for contact which leaves them to move on to the next channel.

Other things to take into consideration is your audience, your community and what your niche is and how a possible sponsorship can make sense for both you and them.  If you want to work with a brand and you think there are possible synergies, reach out to a PR contact for the brand.  It never hurts to ask and attempt to network.

What are the affiliate perks for streamers?

Twitch Affiliate Perks

If you're a Twitch streamer looking to monetize your content, becoming an affiliate can provide a range of benefits and perks that are not available to regular broadcasters. In this article, we'll explore some of the key advantages of becoming a Twitch affiliate.

Monetization Perks

One of the main benefits of becoming a Twitch affiliate is the ability to monetize your content in various ways. Here are some of the monetization perks available to Twitch affiliates:

• Subscriptions: With Twitch subscriptions, viewers can subscribe to your channel at various tiers, including Twitch Prime subs. This allows you to earn recurring revenue from your loyal fans. Additionally, subscribers get access to custom emotes and sub badges created by the streamer.
• Bits: Twitch's in-house tipping system, bits, allows viewers to cheer on your channel with virtual currency. This can be a great way to generate additional revenue while also encouraging viewer engagement. Additionally, Twitch affiliates can create custom bit reward tiers for their viewers.
• Ads: As a Twitch affiliate, you can run advertising mid-roll blocks with the push of a button on the dashboard. This can help generate additional revenue, but it's important to use ad breaks strategically so as not to negatively impact the viewer experience.
• Bounty: Twitch's bounty program allows affiliates to browse and accept sponsored opportunities from brands and game companies. This can be a great way to earn extra income while also promoting products that are relevant to your audience.

Video Perks

In addition to monetization perks, Twitch affiliates also enjoy certain advantages when it comes to video content. Here are some of the video perks available to Twitch affiliates:

• Transcoding: With higher priority access, affiliates can access transcoding options that allow viewers to adjust the video quality based on their internet connection. This can help ensure that all viewers have a smooth viewing experience regardless of their internet speed.
• ReRuns: As an affiliate, you can use Twitch's ReRuns feature to restream a previous session or VOD. This can be a great way to fill in gaps in your streaming schedule or provide additional content for your viewers. ReRun mode feature has been removed, you can still do reruns but you have to broadcast the video from your end.

In conclusion, becoming a Twitch affiliate provides a range of benefits and perks that can help you monetize your content and grow your channel. From subscriptions and bits to ads and sponsorships, there are numerous ways to generate revenue as a Twitch affiliate. Additionally, the video perks available can help ensure that your content is accessible to all viewers, regardless of their internet speed. If you're looking to take your streaming to the next level, becoming a Twitch affiliate is definitely worth considering.