As platforms like Twitch and Youtube Gaming grow to vast heights, more people are turning to livestreams as a way to share their love and passion for video games. But as it stands now, coordinating the hardware and software needed for streaming can be quite a pain.
That’s a problem Forge is trying to solve. Today, the startup announced a new free tool that allows gamers to easily start and share streams to Twitch or Youtube.
“All you need to do is pick which service you want to stream to,” Jared Kim, founder and CEO of Forge, told TNW. “We’ll take care of it automatically.”
Available for Windows, Forge begins running in the background of a game, allowing users the option to start a livestream to either Twitch or YouTube. From there, the software does all the heavy lifting, configuring server settings, detecting available systems and managing other variables to keep streams smooth and steady.
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Currently, Forge only supports streams and audio — for experienced streamers with webcams and overlays, the tool is barebones. But Kim says that’s for a reason.
“Once you start adding complexity, like a webcam, the less likely users are going to want to go do it,” he said. “We’re starting with the least barrier to entry.”
In addition to the livestreams, users will be able to access Forge’s highlight clip functionality — the original tool that the company brought to beta a month ago. Users can take their gaming moments and edit them down to short digestible clips, which they can then share online or via Forge’s social-focused user platform.
Both services are great for entry-level broadcasters who want to get their feet wet, but might be less useful for those with more experience. Still, for a free tool, it’s worth checking out.
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