Twitch is synonymous with streams these days. People stream anything, but one industry, in particular, has gained more notoriety than any other, the gaming industry.
Avid gamers, newbies, and experienced players love to watch others, share their experiences, learn from them, and discover new techniques.
Indeed, this industry is mostly aimed at new or super popular games, but retro gaming is quickly gaining popularity.
Some people are into retro games for the nostalgic feelings, while others simply appreciate the beginning of the video industry. Streaming retro PSP games is a thing these days, but how can you do it?
The process is split into two different steps.
First part, finding an emulator for your PSP games
There are quite a few emulators for PSP out there, and each of them has its own particularities. PPSSPP is appreciated for its diversity, as you can use it for more than just old PSP games.
PPSSPP is free to download, yet you can also spend a bit more for a premium version. It’s available for more platforms, including mobile devices, but most people stream over their PCs.
Download the software and install it.
Now, you’ll need some PPSSPP games. Whether you own the old school games and you still have them, or you find a reliable download source, you will need to extract all these ROMs into a specific folder. It's simply easier to play them later on if they’re all together.
Open and run the emulator, hit the browse button, and navigate to your games. Your games will show up in the emulator.
Before streaming, it might be a good idea to try out the game, make sure you are used to its mechanics and smoothness. The experience could be a bit different from what you’re used to. After all, many emulators tend to improve the overall gaming experience.
Besides, not all emulators are optimized for all PSP games. Luckily, PPSSPP is optimized for most of them, so you’re less likely to experience any bugs or glitches.
Now that you got your favorite games up and running how does you stream?
What to know before streaming PSP games on Twitch with PPSSPP
Nintendo is notorious for focusing on removing web content that could infringe on copyright. For example, YouTube and Twitch videos are often removed.
You’re less likely to get in trouble when streaming live, yet the saved video could trigger a DMCA, mainly with the game music. It might be wise to use some copyright free music or just keep it on mute while you talk, describe the game and what you’re doing.
That’s how most streamers avoid potential problems.
Twitch rules also claim pirated games are not allowed, but no one can prove whether you own the old PSP game or you’re using a downloaded ISO, so don’t worry about it.
Second part, streaming PPSSPP on Twitch
Streaming PPSSPP on Twitch is not hard, here are the step-by-step instructions to join the crowd and get some audience.
First of all, you’ll need a Twitch account. You can register for free and perhaps enable two-factor authentication, too, just for security.
Then, you’ll need to download software for streaming. Here are the most popular ones:
OBS Studio, probably the most used streaming software because it’s free
Streamlabs
XSplit
vMix
Restream Studio
Each software has its own particularities, so do your homework before starting your streams. OBS Studio makes a good option for beginners, as well as more experienced streamers.
To connect OBS Studio to Twitch, go to the settings and find the button to stream. Choose Twitch as the service and follow the instructions.
Everything must be added, from the microphone and webcam feed to the actual game you’ll be streaming. You’ll need to add such extras through the sources menu in OBS Studio. Add one source at a time.
Then, there are a few settings you need to go through, such as the resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and audio bitrate. They normally depend on your bandwidth or perhaps the type of content you want to stream. You’ll have some recommendations as well. If not sure, stick to them.
Once everything is set, you can start streaming. Do a few test runs without going public, just to make sure you've got everything covered, and your stream is alright.
Bottom line, learning how to stream PSP games on Twitch with the PPSSPP emulator may seem challenging for a streaming newbie, but the truth is the process is straightforward and less likely to cause any issues.
Most streamers use the original device, whether it’s a computer game or they stream directly from various consoles. This isn’t always possible, especially if you’re using an emulator to bring back old school games.
No matter which option you choose, you don’t have to be too technical to get up online and gain some audience.
Julia Palmer
Romspedia
Michigan
USA
