Steam’s Game Recording feature has officially transitioned from beta to full availability, marking a significant milestone for PC gamers. This innovative functionality allows players to automatically capture their gameplay, provided they are using titles that support Steam’s overlay feature. According to reports from VideoCardz, users can set the feature to ‘Background Recording’ mode, which records the last 120 minutes of gameplay for quick access. Alternatively, players have the option to initiate a manual ‘On Demand Recording’ to start and stop the recording at their discretion.
The feature takes advantage of the video encoding capabilities of AMD and Nvidia GPUs, ensuring high-quality recordings. For those without a dedicated graphics card, the system will rely on the CPU, which may lead to performance issues during gameplay.
An eventual dream team of Steam streaming integration?
While the introduction of Game Recording is a commendable enhancement for Steam users, Valve has yet to roll out any streaming capabilities. Currently, platforms like OBS Studio and StreamLabs provide manual recording and streaming options that cater to popular social media channels such as YouTube and Twitch.
Fortunately, Steam’s Game Recording offers various bitrates within its video settings, including low and high presets. This flexibility allows users who previously relied on external streaming platforms for manual recording to transition to Steam with ease. The integration of game recording directly within Valve’s platform simplifies the process for the vast community of PC gamers, eliminating the need for additional software installations.
Looking ahead, if Valve can successfully incorporate streaming services into Steam and enhance the ability to stream directly to friends, it could potentially reshape the competitive landscape in this segment of the gaming industry, positioning itself as a formidable contender against platforms like Discord.
