How I Started Creating Gaming Content (Without a Clue)

In 2019 I clicked "Go Live" for the first time. Zero viewers. Zero idea what I was doing. Today, 5+ years later, I have 3,500+ followers fragmented across 9 platforms. This is my story.

The First Stream

It was a Friday at 10pm. I had OBS open, a game (I don't even remember which one), and a lot of nerves. I started talking to myself, like a crazy person, to a screen that showed "0 viewers."

I lasted 45 minutes. Nobody came in. And still, when I finished, I felt something: I like this.

That feeling is the only thing that kept me going those first months. There were no metrics to celebrate. Just the sensation of creating something, even if nobody saw it.

The Mistakes at the Beginning

Mistake #1: Not Having a Niche

"I'm going to stream whatever I want." Sounds good in theory. In practice, it means nobody knows what to expect from you. One day you stream Fortnite, another day an indie roguelike, another day you react to videos.

Your audience can't form if they don't know when to come back.

Mistake #2: The Audio Was Terrible

I invested in a webcam before a microphone. Critical error. People can watch bad video, but they can't listen to bad audio. When I finally bought a decent microphone, the difference was immediate.

Mistake #3: 4+ Hour Streams

I thought more time = more exposure. Reality: long streams dilute your content and burn you out. Today my streams are 2-3 hours max, and they're better.

Mistake #4: Not Saving Clips

Months of content lost because I didn't clip or save VODs. When I wanted to make a YouTube video, I had no material.

Why Gacha Gaming and Anime

The question I always get asked: why that niche?

Honest answer: because it's what I genuinely like.

I tried streaming what was "popular." Fortnite, Valorant, whatever was trending. I got bored. And when the streamer gets bored, the audience notices.

Gacha games (Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, etc.) and anime are my real entertainment. When I talk about them, there's genuine passion. That authenticity attracts similar people.

The Advantages of the Niche

• Specific community - People who arrive know what they're looking for
• Less competition than mainstream - You're not competing with Fortnite streamers with 50k viewers
• Evergreen content - Guides, tier lists, character analyses stay relevant

The Disadvantages

• Lower audience ceiling - The niche is the niche
• Game dependency - If the game dies, your content suffers
• "Gacha" stigma - Some people automatically dismiss this content

The Reality: 3,500 Followers Across 9 Platforms

It sounds impressive until you do the math:

• YouTube: ~800 subs
• Twitch: ~600 followers
• TikTok: ~700 followers
• Kick: ~400 followers
• Facebook Gaming: ~300 followers
• Twitter/X: ~400 followers
• Instagram: ~200 followers
• Discord: ~100 members

No platform has critical mass. The audience is fragmented. A YouTube video doesn't automatically translate to Twitch viewers.

Why I Stay on All of Them

1. Diversification - If one platform dies, I don't lose everything
2. Different formats - TikTok for shorts, YouTube for long-form, Twitch for streams
3. Experimentation - Some things work better on certain platforms

The Downside

• More work to maintain all of them
• Metrics always look "low" compared to focused creators
• Hard to build community when it's dispersed

What Did Work

Consistency > Virality

I never had a viral video. But I've uploaded content consistently for 5 years. That builds a more solid foundation than one hit and disappearing.

Genuine Interaction

I respond to comments. I talk on Discord. I recognize the regulars. They're not "followers," they're people. That's noticed and appreciated.

Combining With My Job

Being a developer gives me useful skills: I can make custom overlays, automate things, understand analytics. And content gives me communication skills I use at work.

Looking Toward 2026

My goal isn't to be a full-time streamer. My goal is:

1. Grow YouTube to 1,500 subs - Long-form is where I see the most potential
2. Consolidate community on Discord - A central place for everyone
3. Better quality > more quantity - One good video > five mediocre ones

Was it worth starting without knowing anything? Absolutely. The mistakes were the best lessons. And 5 years later, I still enjoy that click on "Go Live."

If you're thinking about starting: do it. Don't wait for the perfect setup, the perfect niche, or the perfect idea. Start, learn, improve.

The best time to start was 5 years ago. The second best time is today.