As it looks to build upon its content offerings, and branch out into Elon’s “everything app” vision, X is now also looking to integrate game streaming as part of its expanded content offerings.
gamers ???? X https://t.co/pO1naIvT3P
— X (@X) October 2, 2023
As you can see in this example, there are quite a few steps involved in setting up a game stream at present, but you can run a gaming broadcast in the app, providing a means to stream gameplay and response content directly within the X stream.
X owner Elon Musk showed off the capacity with his own stream of Diablo IV over the weekend (the real broadcast begins about 12 minutes in).
Just a quick test of X video game streaming https://t.co/5NCsDczpT4
— Gamer (@cyb3rgam3r420) October 2, 2023
The stream is functional, and provides all the elements that gaming viewers are used to, with a reasonably stable flow within the X feed.
But it does still have a way to go in becoming a truly viable game streaming option.
Musk admitted that it’s currently “way too hard” to set up a game stream in the app, with this initial demonstration taking hours to put together. So while it is possible right now, it’s far from optimal, with Musk further noting that they need to make it “effortless” to stream gaming content.
It’s also relatively limited in presentation options, while X will also be looking to integrate donations and revenue options for creators, similar to other apps.
Gaming is a critical area of focus for all video platforms, given the influence of gaming within modern web culture. It’s hard to identify any major online talent that isn’t at least somewhat connected to the gaming community, with the majority of YouTube’s most popular creators, for example, deeply connected to gaming subscultures in the app.
On X specifically, gaming there are billions of gaming-related posts submitted every year, while gaming conversation in the app saw a 36% YoY increase in 2022.
Given such interest, the opportunity is there for X to build out its gaming offering, and integrate more of this engagement directly in-stream, as opposed to leaving users to drift off to other platforms for gaming events, while still posting about them in the app.
If X can get it right, this could be another growth opportunity.
It’s a big ask, with other, established platforms already dominating the market. But the numbers suggest that there is an opportunity, if X can build a seamless, integrated game streaming option.
Musk says that X will continue to iterate on its gaming streams, with a view to enhancing their appeal to more creators.
