How to Stream Nintendo Switch Video Games on Twitch?

Richard Bennett

Sep 30, 2024• Proven solutions

Nintendo Switch is on the market for a relatively short period of time, and it already attracts a lot of attention from the gaming community. The Nintendo company is famous for producing powerful gaming consoles and their latest product continues this long tradition. Games like Dark Souls, The Legend of Zelda or Super Mario Odyssey are just a few of the most popular games you can play and stream from this console.

If you are looking for a way to start streaming Nintendo Switch video games on Twitch, you've come to the right place, because in this article we will take you through each step of the process.

Learn more about how to stream gameplay on Twitch.

The All-in-One Screen Recorder & Video Editor

• Record desktop screen, voiceover, and webcam simultaneously
• Edit recorded clips quickly with a wide range of professional tools
• Built-in plentiful templates and effects
• Export to MP4, MOV, MKV, GIF and multiple formats

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Secure Download

What Will I Need to Stream From Nintendo Switch on Twitch?

Broadcasting live streams from Nintendo Switch is slightly more complicated than from Xbox One or PlayStation 4 because Twitch application isn't available for Nintendo's latest gaming console. This doesn't mean you can't stream video games from Nintendo Switch, it just means that you need to have the necessary streaming equipment. Here's what you are going to need to start streaming from Nintendo Switch.

A PC or Mac Computer: Twitch broadcasts can be shared from any computer that uses Windows or Mac operating systems. The only thing you should keep in mind is that computers with low processing power don't support streaming in high video resolution.

Broadcasting Software: Controlling audio and video options of each of your streams are important, which is the reason why you have to choose your broadcasting software carefully. Most gamers use OBS Studio because it can be downloaded for free and it offers a rich selection of features. However, paid software products such as XSplit or Wirecast offer advanced streaming options that ensure high broadcast quality.

You may also like: How to use XSplit broadcaster

A Capture Card: You can either buy an external or internal capture card, but if you opt for an internal option, you have to be ready to take a few extra steps during the installation process. An external capture card such as Elgato Game Capture HD60 S can easily be connected to a gaming console and a computer via HDMI and USB cables and it can record videos in 1080p resolution at 60 fps.

Webcams, Microphones or Headphones: Each of these pieces of steaming equipment is optional because you can broadcast video without them, but your live streams are going to look and sound much better if you use a professional microphone to record your comments on the gameplay or to feature yourself in the stream.

Check out the best webcam and microphone for Twitch livestreaming.

How To Stream Nintendo Switch Video Games on Twitch?

Once you have all the necessary tools to start broadcasting the video games you play on Nintendo Switch, you have to connect the device to your Elgato Game Capture HD60 S card. If you are not using this particular capture card, you shouldn't worry because the process of connecting Nintendo Switch to similar devices is not much different.

Simply, unplug the HDMI cable that connects Nintendo Switch to a TV set and plug it into the HDMI slot on the capture card you are using. Now that you have connected the gaming console to the capture card, you should use the capture card's USB cable to connect it to a computer. When done, locate the HDMI Out port on Elgato Game Capture HD60 S and use the HDMI cable to connect the device to s TV set. You'll be able to see the gameplay from Nintendo Switch both on your computer and TV.

Before you can start streaming you should connect the broadcasting software to your Twitch account. If you are using the OBS broadcasting software you can do this by clicking on the Dashboard, choosing the Settings option and then selecting the Stream Key option on your Twitch account. Copy the number displayed on the screen, and head back to OBS. Go to the Settings menu, click on the Streaming Service option and select Twitch. Afterward, you should just paste the unique number you copied from your Twitch account into the appropriate box.

With your Twitch account and your broadcasting software connected your next step should be importing the Nintendo Switch as a media source into the OBS Studio. This is an easy thing to do since you only have to click on the Add menu and select the Video Capture Device. You'll be asked to name a new layer you just created, and we suggest using a name that will enable you to easily recognize the media source.

A drop-down menu will appear on the screen and you should proceed to select Nintendo Switch. Immediately after, you'll be able to see a box that displays the footage from Nintendo Switch in the OBS Studio and you can adjust its size or its position on the screen in any way you want. If you wish to use the webcam footage in your stream you should head back to the Add menu, choose the Video Capture Device option and select the webcam. The box with the webcam footage will appear on the screen and you can move it around or resize it freely. If you connected the microphone or a headset to your computer properly, the broadcasting software you're using will recognize it automatically, so you can just adjust its volume before you start streaming. Click on the Start Streaming button when you are ready to go live and enjoy sharing your Nintendo Switch gaming experiences with Twitch community.

Conclusion

Streams containing Nintendo video games are often taken down due to copyright infringements because the company doesn't allow users to mention their brands online without their permission. However, most of the videos that were taken down were posted on YouTube, while Twitch streams containing Nintendo's video games are still safe. It is hard to say for how long, though, because Twitch is growing rapidly and it can easily happen that Nintendo decides to stop the unauthorized broadcast of their video games on this platform.

Do you like broadcasting Nintendo Switch video games on Twitch? Which equipment are you using? What are your favorite games? Leave a comment and let us know.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett