From real life to PCs, Facebook Live streams games now

Facebook Live is making the big leap from mobile devices to the desktop PC, opening up new possibilities for the famous game streamers who you may already watch on the likes of Twitch.

Facebook Live – which, as the name suggests, allows for the direct broadcast of live video footage – has been up and running on mobile since last year, but it now supports screen capture for users on desktop computers and laptops.

Of course, you’ll need a webcam attached to your PC, or built into your notebook, to be able to use the service.

Previously, since at least January of this year, businesses and brands with Facebook Pages have been able to broadcast live video from a desktop machine, but now everyone can.

To fire up a livestream, all you need to do is click the red Live Video button which you’ll find at the top of your newsfeed, and away you go. It’s obviously a much more stationary experience than broadcasting video recorded from a smartphone, but a number of options have been added…

Facebook noted that it has added a new feature for those who have dedicated streaming software or external hardware to go live directly from their PC with ease.

The social network said: “With this update, people can seamlessly share their screens, insert graphics, switch cameras, or use professional equipment in Facebook Live videos.”

All this could be useful for gamers trying to make their broadcasts more interesting, and indeed those concocting the likes of how-to guides who can superimpose text and instructions on footage, and so on.

Will this cause Twitch to quake in its (so to speak) boots? That remains to be seen, but for now this is definitely a very useful addition for PC users who fancy connecting with a new and potentially huge audience (Facebook has closing on two billion users worldwide).