How to Broadcast Live on Your Steam Store Page
Steam lets developers and publishers stream live or pre-recorded video on a game's store page. Here's how store-page broadcasting works, how to set it up through Steamworks at a high level, what to show visitors, and how to keep it running without a PC left on.
To broadcast on your Steam store page, approve a Steam account to stream for your game in Steamworks, generate an RTMP upload token while logged in to that account, point its broadcast at your base game, and start sending video. Public broadcasts then show on the store page, usually within a few minutes.
A broadcast is often the first thing a visitor notices on your page. This guide covers setup at a high level, since Valve's Steamworks broadcasting documentation is the source of truth and changes over time, then what to show and how to keep it running.
Key takeaways
- Steam supports both live and pre-recorded store-page broadcasts.
- The broadcasting account needs app approval, access to the game and an RTMP token.
- Valve lists a 2-second keyframe interval as required, so set it before launch.
- Label replays as not live, and keep the feed running yourself, because Steam won't loop it.
What store-page broadcasting is and where it appears
Steam's broadcasting feature lets partners stream video to a game's store page at no extra charge. Valve's documentation says a broadcast can appear on the store page, in the Community broadcast area, on developer, publisher and sale pages, and in more prominent places on Steam if it draws enough viewers.
Unlike Twitch or YouTube, there's no channel to grow. Your audience is whoever visits the page: people arrive mid-stream, watch for seconds or minutes, and decide whether to wishlist, buy or move on.
Valve explicitly supports live and pre-recorded feeds. You can go live for a developer session and run a replay the rest of the time, as long as replays are clearly marked as not live.
Accounts, permissions and games that can broadcast
Sort out the account side before touching an encoder. At the time of writing, Valve's setup documentation lists these requirements for the Steam account that sends the stream:
- A non-limited Steam account. Limited accounts can't broadcast.
- Access to the base game. Steam's broadcast servers block content the account isn't permitted to play.
- Approval for your app, granted through a broadcast event in Steamworks, which Valve describes as the preferred route, or through your store page's settings.
- An eligible game. Adult-only titles can't be broadcast.
Many studios use a dedicated broadcasting account rather than someone's personal profile, so tokens and permissions survive staff changes. Only public broadcasts appear on store pages, so keep tests friends-only.
Creating the RTMP token and linking it to your game
Logged in as the broadcasting account, open Steam's broadcast upload page and create an RTMP token. Steam shows an upload server selected for your location plus the token: the server goes in your encoder's server field, the token in the stream key field. Treat the token like a password and invalidate it if it leaks; our guide to keeping a stream key secure applies.
Valve's setup page calls a 2-second keyframe interval essential, and without it the stream may not start. It also specifies H.264 at 16:9 and 30 or 60 fps, AAC audio up to 128 kbps, and constant bitrate under a cap of 7,000 kbps at the time of writing.
Then link the stream to your game. The account must be approved for your app, and its broadcast settings must name your base game's app ID, not a demo or DLC. Set the broadcast to public after testing and allow a few minutes for it to appear. Demo gameplay has its own Steamworks page, because the Steam client's built-in broadcasting would tag the demo's app ID; an RTMP encoder such as OBS avoids that. Test privately first with our checklist for testing a stream before going public.
What to show store visitors
Picture the viewer: someone who has never played your game and may be watching muted. Content that tends to work:
- Uninterrupted gameplay. Real play shows pacing and mechanics better than a cut trailer.
- Developer commentary. A walkthrough of a system, level or update and why it works that way.
- Your trailer as a bookend between longer gameplay segments, so late arrivals still get the pitch.
- On-screen text or captions for key features and talking segments.
For pre-recorded feeds, Valve's FAQ asks you to add a banner or update the title so it's clear the stream isn't live. Don't imply a developer is present when nobody is, and use music you own or have licensed, usually your own soundtrack. For structuring promo content, see our trailer and showcase loop guide.
Running your Steam store page broadcast from the cloud
Steam doesn't record or re-air broadcasts for you. A replay stays on your page only while something keeps sending it, and for many small studios that's a spare PC running OBS, right up until an OS update reboots it overnight.
StreamHouse removes that machine. Upload your gameplay captures, trailer and commentary, arrange them into a playlist, and add Steam as a destination with the upload server and RTMP token. Press Start and the playlist loops in the cloud with your computer off. Uploads are prepared to one consistent encode profile, so the bitrate stays steady from clip to clip, and the stream reconnects automatically after a hiccup.
You can add a patch-notes video while live, schedule the start for launch hour, and multistream the same loop to YouTube or Twitch. Keep the account's broadcast permission active for as long as the loop runs. Details are on the Steam streaming page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stream pre-recorded gameplay on my Steam store page?
Yes. Valve's broadcasting FAQ allows pre-recorded feeds and replays, provided you add a banner or update the title so viewers can tell the stream isn't live. You still have to keep sending the video yourself, because Steam doesn't loop or re-air it.
Why isn't my broadcast showing on my Steam store page?
Common causes are a friends-only broadcast instead of public, an app ID pointing at a demo or DLC instead of the base game, an account that isn't approved for your app, or a missing 2-second keyframe interval.
Do I need special permission to broadcast on Steam?
Yes, inside Steamworks. The Steam account doing the streaming must be approved for your game, through a broadcast event or your store page settings, and your partner account needs the right broadcasting permissions. Check Valve's current docs, as the flow can change.
Can I broadcast on Steam and Twitch at the same time?
Yes. Valve's FAQ says store-page broadcasts don't need to be exclusive to Steam, so simulcasting to Twitch or YouTube is fine. If you're a Twitch Affiliate or Partner, also follow Twitch's simulcasting rules for that side of the stream.
