Interacting with others was the heart of every conversation that I had with the streamers attending an NYC Streamer Meetup hosted by Twitch Streamer Swiftor.
The chance to meet fellow content creators across a plethora of platforms to network, laugh, and share the experience of what it means to be a content creator was the purpose of the night.
I was amazed to see the excitement of the streamers present. Being able to share the passion of their craft with others, and that is something I truly learned would be present in every answer my questions received.
Streaming is an Art form in Itself
Now cards on the table, while I have appeared on numerous streams as a guest and also consume streaming content myself, my experience no way compares with those who do it either part/full time.
Factoring this in, I knew the idea of what it is I wanted to know. What I hope would make me understand why streaming content is so unique.
Taking place in Mid-town Manhattan’s New York Beer Company, I ordered a drink and got to work talking to those in attendance.
It makes sense that people who form, manage and entertain communities for a living are ready, willing, and fantastic at socializing. Getting into their world was easy, and learning just what they find captivating about streaming was easier.
Community and the Two Way Street of Support
Stevie Unic0rngirl, the moderator of Twitch streamer OctoOG set the tiding for the day and let me learn just what is important about streaming content…
Community means everything.
Community is everything, if you don’t have a community then you don’t have a stream. Our entire community is called The Aquarium, and honestly, we wouldn’t be here today, none of us I think would be where we were today without our communities. Your community becomes your adopted family. We look forward to seeing our regulars coming into chat saying hello, talking on discord and seeing them in person. When you do its not like you are meeting someone you have only chatted with, you are meeting family.
Stevie Unic0ngirl, Moderator for Twitch Streamer OctoOG
This sentiment was one that every streamer there had.
Streaming sorta lets me see the petri-dish of the world. It’s a gateway to meet new people while letting me work from a safe space. The people I chat with, the people who watch my stream offer some of the greatest support. Support I hope that I give them whenever they come in to watch!
Twitch Streamer ThatSoAlyKat
You get to reach a wide amount of people that allow you to build a community over time all around a thing you all enjoy. My community is just a bunch of people I get to hang out with and talk about whatever is on our minds. In a modern day society, it can be hard to meet new people and make new friends as adults, but with streaming, it is so amazing to connect with people. I have mods (moderators) who will just come in and ask me how I’m doing and my how my day is going and vice versa, and that is so nice to have. It is just so heartwarming.
Namibow – Twitch Streamer, Cosplayer, Designer
As streamer ChibaaPasta told us:
Gaming was my hobby and I figured if I was going to game I can use it interact with others. Even when I’m watching someone else play, it’s just fun to be able to talk to someone and watch them game live.
ChibaaPasta
I like the idea of showing people just what i do in games. Someone entering your chat is the chance to say whats up, how your day going and they do that back with you. The whole experience is just the chance to connect.
Tofu2Day
Something that his friend JackofTrade also believes
For me it started up by joining up with my friend tofu2day. We were already playing games together so when he told me that he was starting to stream, i said sure i will link up with you and it has been a fun time. It reminds me of those old Xbox 360 party chat days and to me the community that watches us play is just a part of that. They give us feedback, we get to joke and its just a blast!
JackofTrade
JMcGPlays made sure it was passion and shared experience that drives him to stream.
I Love being out there I love playing games, I love talking to people, streaming gives me all of that. People come in, we talk, it’s like one big hang out! Its always good time, community is important. At the end of the day, I’m playing video games anyway. I remember back in the day waking up early to sneak in some games on the family tv, and no matter what era of gaming you grew up with, retro or now, that is something we all share. Streaming is just another way to share being a gamer.
Twitch Streamer JMcGPlays
NeoIvan let me know that entertaining people is always his goal.
I Like video games and I just like entertaining people. The acting was a past goal of mine and streaming is like that in its own way. I Like to talk to people and I just think of it as being a radio personality and we all get to experience something together!
Streamer NeoIvanGaming
And speaking to a Silentwarlock, a memeber of a streaming group
Our group is great to bounce jokes back an forth people can just come in a chill and participate in what basically is a hangout and that is so cool that we are able to do this online using nothing but games to bring people together. People just come into chat sometimes, saying they love the game we are playing and they end up just hanging for a bit.
Cosplayer and streamer SilentWarlockCosplay
And of course, streaming is more diverse than games. I got the chance to speak to Paula DevilMayCats who not only streams games but also the creation of art.
I love gaming and I love the chance to just sit down and either create or game with company. Interaction is the key to streaming, it’s the best part about why you choose to stream. If I didn’t want to chat or interact, I would use a different platform (laughter).
Streamer and artist Paula DevilMayCats Valbuena
Its the fact that at the end of the day, I get to make silly jokes, I get to have fun, I get to offer people a place to be comfortable and chat. All this means so much to me. I make sure my stream is a place where no one can be disrespected and that is something that makes it a fun place to not only be but for me to entertain every stream!
FhaeLin, Voice actor and Twitch streamer
And honestly Streamer JokerJayTV I think said it best
My community is my family. Streaming for me has brought me together with so many people out in the world. It is exciting that I get to entertain people just by being me. I got a community of people who enjoy what I do while I enjoy talking to them and just making jokes.
It’s the best job in the world (laughter)!
JokerJayTV
So at this point in the evening, I wondered to myself just how does one not only stream but, and let’s be honest here, get people to not only watch but to also come back again and again. Thankfully Gil of Streamguru.net had just the guide I needed.
It is forming long term connections with the people who watch you. Work on your content and being consistent. Not staying stagnant is paramount to the Healthy growth of a channel. Know just what it is that you do that hooks people to your content and make sure to engage with them, because the community you make, means everything.
Gil creator of Streamguru.net
Overall, I learned that the thread of streaming, the drive to do it, is people. It is not just connecting but relating. It was kinda heartwarming to hear that the drive behind streaming was so tied to people. That on a level beyond what I knew going in, every streamer there just was online being themselves and in came people cheering them on while they game, create, educate, or just offer a familiar and constant voice of support.
Streaming has a power that I don’t think we realize is there.
I’m glad I got to learn what it means to be a streamer.
For those who would like to attend the next NYC Streamer Meetup, check out these links:
Their Meetup.com group
Twitter
Facebook
Discord
Instagram
And Site – snyc.live
And for those interested in the streamers I spoke to:
ThatSoAlykat
- Twitch – ThatSoAlykat
- Twitter – @thatsoalykat
- Facebook – ThatsoAlykat
- Instagram – thatsoalykat
- YouTube – ThatsoAlyKat
FhaeLin
JMcGPlays
- Twitch – JMcGPlays
- Twitter – @jmcgplays
Paula “devilmaycats” Valbuena
- Twitch – devilmaycats
- Twitter – @devilmaycats
- Instagram – paulavalb
Namibow
NeoIvan
- Twitch – NeoIvanGaming
OctoOG (Via Unic0rngirl)
Gil, Creator of Streamguru.net
- Website – Streamguru.net
JokerJayTV
- Twitch – JokerJayTV
- Twitter – @JokerJayTV
- Instagram – jokerjaytv
- YouTube – JokerJayTV
- Facebook – JokerJayTV
SilentWarlockCosplay
- Twitch – Silentwarlockcosplay
Tofu2Day
(Featured image source – snyc.live)
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