Jon Young, Senior Product Manager at XSplit Gamecaster talks about the software and what streamers can expect when they dive in for the first time.
Streaming has become the new normal when looking at gaming. Between Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer there are now countless people eager to jump in on this trend and make it big. While most consoles on the market have some way to jump in on streaming, if you want to take your gaming to the next level, you will want to invest in some gear and utilize software like OBS or X-Split.
Having long been the industry standard for professional steaming, XSplit offers a wide range of tools that make all the tasks of streaming easier. From a professional level video production suite to the countless levels of hardware integration to make your gear work out of the box, XSplit has built a sterling reputation in the field of streaming.
Now with Gamecaster 4 being made available, XSplit is looking to improve on the core experience by adding themes and making it a better tool for all your streaming needs. To this end, CGM reached out to Jon Young, Senior Product Manager at XSplit Gamecaster to talk about the software and what streamers can expect when they dive in for the first time.
CGM: What separates XSplit Gamecaster from the competition?
Jon Young: XSplit Gamecaster V4 is the easiest way to go live and look like a pro whilst playing your favourite games. We have built the app in a way where anyone can adopt or build a beautiful and fully customizable stream in just a few clicks. Gone are the days where you’re drowned in settings upon settings and confusing terminology.
On top of a simple and elegant user experience, we also thought about the best way XSplit Gamecaster can complement any and all PC setups, which means whether you are using two monitors or one, XSplit Gamecaster works as intended. Unlike competing apps that require the user to alt+tab and maintain a multitude of windows and app screens, XSplit Gamecaster lets you control everything from in-game. Start and stop your broadcast, switch scenes, and interact with chat all without leaving your game.
On top of that, we offer full and complete cloud support so that you never lose your setup, we’ve included extensive capture card support so you can easily hook up your console or streaming PC, and we’ve got well over 300 themes covering a variety of games, styles, and colours. To top it all off, we are even offering this product for free to anyone who joins during the open beta!
CGM: What should streamers look forward to from this new release?
Jon Young: We basically went back to the drawing board and rebuilt everything for XSplit Gamecaster V4, using nearly a decade’s worth of experience building streaming apps for gamers. In particular, streamers should be most excited for the level of quality we are offering in this app (and we are still only in beta!)
If you have ever tried to stream and the overall user experience has felt somewhat overwhelming, unstable, or just plain difficult to wrap your head around, we believe XSplit Gamecaster V4 is the answer.
We already have a whole slew of features, and wrapped them up in a package that feels polished from the get go.
CGM: Why should prospective streamers look to XSplit over some of the open-source alternatives?
Jon Young: The landscape for streamers right now is pretty much made up of Open Source alternatives that are based off of our friends over at the Open Broadcast Software project (or OBS) and XSplit.
What we offer to streamers is a highly polished, stable and easy to use experience that comes from keeping both the tech and design in house, and all without sacrificing the ability to personalize or customize your content. It’s fair to say the app isn’t for everyone, which is why I believe both OBS and our own XSplit Broadcaster are the perfect supplements for those who really want to customize every feature at every level and get into the nuts and bolts of streaming.
Ultimately though, as an XSplit user, you are getting the best of both worlds, with Gamecaster, a highly polished and easy to use streaming app and with XSplit Broadcaster, a live production powerhouse that helped kick start the whole streaming revolution nearly ten years ago.
CGM: As the streaming landscape changes, how does Xsplit keep up with the growing demands of the industry?
Jon Young: For us, it’s about focus. We have seen competitors branch out to offer a full-service suite of tools for creators with everything from website builders to ad management and merch. For us, our background is making awesome apps with our own in-house video technology, so it only makes sense to work within that area of expertise. This is why, in 2019 alone, we have launched not only XSplit Gamecaster V4, but a whole bevy of applications that help make up the XSplit Creator Suite such as the Express Video Editor and XSplit VCam that allow for A.I powered background removal and blurring without the need for a green screen.
Going forward, we plan to iterate and improve on these products, creating a cohesive experience for creators wanting a tool box of powerful live stream production and content creator tools.
CGM: What does XSplit offer that cannot be found in competing products?
Jon Young: With XSplit we are working to fulfill our vision of making a suite of apps built for today’s content creator. No matter where you choose to stream to, or what type of content you are interested in making, XSplit will help make it happen.
Many competing products tend to focus on either locking in the money you can make from your stream, or forcing you down a very specific path for what is defined as a streamer. Or on the polar opposite, you are given complete and utter freedom with little to know guidance, which can often result in a quite frustrating experience for those not willing to put the time and investment in. Neither of these are true with XSplit, we just give you the apps, the guidance and support to create a kick-ass stream, and then leave the rest to you. Do you want to just stream for fun, or turn it into a living and explore multiple platforms? XSplit lets you decide, and does so while offering a suite of powerful applications with features that can be found nowhere else.
