“Where there’s a will, there’s a way” – it’s so fascinating how much this quote can be applied in our daily life. Take Switch for example, it came out in 2017 & the bare minimum Nintendo still hasn’t provided any official support for Discord.
But that hasn’t stopped gamers from finding out workarounds & streaming their Switch gameplay on Discord.
Let’s see two such methods that’ll allow you to go live from your Nintendo Switch in no time.
Requirements for Streaming Switch Gameplay on Discord
Despite Discord tweeting in 2019 that they’re keen to integrate their app on Nintendo Switch, we still haven’t heard any news of official support. So as I’ve mentioned before, we’ll need to rely on workaround methods instead of simple plug-and-play like on PC or PlayStation.
Anyway, since there’s no native Discord app for Switch, it creates a few limitations and a need for extra hardware to go live from Switch on Discord.
Here’s what you’ll need in order to stream Switch on Discord:
- A laptop/computer.
- A capture card.
- An HDMI cable.
- A streaming software(OBS, VLC Media Player, or the video capture card’s software).
I’d recommend using VLC Player as it is more intuitive and beginner friendly. Otherwise, go for OBS in case you want extra customization options. You’ll also need to install Discord on the said computer/laptop and log in with your Discord account.
Last but not least, you have to keep your Switch docked while streaming. So you’ll have to forget about streaming your gameplay in handheld mode.
Keep in mind, these requirements are for streaming with a capture card. There’s another(less effective) method that doesn’t need a capture card or any of these requirements. We’ll talk about that later on.
Stream Gameplay from Switch on Discord using Capture Card
Now that you know the required hardware and software, let’s see how to use them to stream your Switch gameplay on Discord:
Step 1: Set up the Capture Card with Switch
- Turn off the console.
- Place your Nintendo Switch in its Dock. To ensure a solid connection, use a type-C cable and connect the Switch to the Dock using the USB C ports.
- Disconnect any TV monitors from the Dock.
- Connect the Dock with a capture card using an HDMI cable. I’m using Elgato Game Capture HD60 S.
- Make sure the HDMI “out” port from the Dock is connected to the HDMI “in” port of the capture card.
Step 2: Connect the Capture Card to your Computer/Laptop
- If the capture card has its own software, download and install it on your PC. You can visit the manufacturer’s official website or check the user manual to download this software.
- Turn on your console using the power button on the top left corner.
- Plug in the capture card with your PC using a USB cable. The Nintendo Switch’s screen should be displayed on your computer/laptop monitor. It should also open up the capture card’s software if you haven’t launched it already.
Step 3: Configure VLC Media Player or OBS
- Launch the software(VLC Player or OBS) that will be used to display the capture card’s output. I’m going to show the steps for VLC Player as it’s less complicated.
- Click on Media and select Open Capture Device… from the drop-down menu.
- Make sure that the Capture mode option is set to DirectShow. Also, ensure that the Video device name and Audio device name are the same as your capture card’s name, such as Elgato.
- Tick the box for Show more options. A new set of options should appear.
- Copy and paste the following script in the Edit Options box: “C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe” dshow:// :dshow-vdev=”Game Capture HD60 S (Video) (#01)” :dshow-adev=”Game Capture HD60 S (Audio) (#01)” :dshow-aspect-ratio=”16:9″ :dshow-audio-samplerate=48000 :dshow-audio-channels=2 :live-caching=0 :dshow-fps=60
Note: The quotation marks are important, so ensure they are included when you paste the script. Also, change the installation location and the capture card’s name from the script if needed.
- Exit the VLC app.
- Find the desktop shortcut for the VLC player and right-click on it.
- Select Properties and paste the aforementioned script in the Target box.
- Hit Apply > OK. It’ll create a shortcut that’ll allow you to stream from Switch anytime you connect it with the capture card.
- Double-click on the VLC shortcut.
Step 4: Set up Discord for Streaming
- Launch the Discord app on your PC and join the text channel where you want to stream your content.
- Click on the screen share icon from the bottom left corner of the app.
- Select VLC from the Screen Share menu.
- After modifying the Stream quality, Resolution, and Framerate, click on Go Live.
Voila! Your gameplay capture from Nintendo Switch will be streaming on the selected Discord server.
Expert tip: To ensure the best possible video output from Switch, go to System Settings. Then set the TV Resolution to 1080p and select Full RGB Range.
How to Stream Switch Gameplay on Discord without Capture Card
If you don’t have a capture card or simply don’t want to go through all these hassles, you can stream your Switch gameplay on Discord without using a capture card. To do so, all you’ll need is a smartphone, which I’m pretty sure you already have.
I think you know where I’m going at. Simply point your phone’s camera at the Switch and stream your phone’s video capture via Discord mobile. For some people, it might not be an ideal solution but that’s all there is.
That being said, if you’re still interested in streaming Switch on Discord without a capture card, download and install Streamlabs on your smartphone. Now grant all the necessary permissions and customize the layout of options according to your preference.
Then place your phone on a tripod and make sure that the phone’s camera is properly framing your Switch. After you’re done setting up all the options, start your Switch gameplay session and hit Go Live on Streamlabs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you stream Switch gameplay on Discord with OBS?
Yes, you can stream Switch gameplay on Discord using OBS. But I’d recommend using VLC player or Streamlabs if you want to go live from your Switch console.
Does Nintendo Switch have a screencast feature?
Nintendo Switch doesn’t have a built-in screencast feature, but you can use a capture card to enjoy screen sharing.
To Sum It Up
- Unfortunately, there’s no native Discord app on Switch. So you will have to rely on workarounds to stream your Switch gameplay on Discord.
- You need to use a capture card and a laptop/computer to go live on Discord and livestream from Switch.
- You can also use your smartphone and Streamlabs app but the end result might not be as satisfying as native streaming.
