Multi Stream Setup Guide for Esports Events

A multi stream setup for esports lets you watch the main broadcast, player POVs, and your favorite co-streams all at once in a single browser tab. You can build one by pasting stream links from platforms like Twitch, YouTube, or Kick into a multi-stream viewer. This keeps all the action in one place, so you don't have to constantly switch between tabs and risk missing a crucial play.

Watching a major tournament final often means juggling sources. The official broadcast has the main commentary, but a specific player's stream shows you their perspective, and a popular streamer might be hosting a watch party with a completely different vibe. A proper setup lets you see all of these angles together.

Your 5-Step Multi Stream Setup

Creating a grid for an esports event is straightforward. You don't need to download anything; it all works in your web browser.

1. Open a New Grid
2. Go to ViewGrid's multi-stream tool. You'll see an empty grid with a bar at the top asking for a stream link.

1. Get Your Stream Links
2. Open new browser tabs for the streams you want to watch. Go to the Twitch, YouTube, or Kick channel page for each one (the main broadcast, a player's channel, a co-streamer) and copy the URL from your browser's address bar. You just need the main channel link, like youtube.com/@channelname or twitch.tv/streamer.

1. Add Streams to the Grid
2. Go back to your ViewGrid tab and paste the first link into the top bar, then press Enter. The stream will load in the grid. Repeat this for each stream you want to add. You can also search for live YouTube streams directly from the search bar inside ViewGrid.

1. Arrange Your View and Audio
2. Use the layout buttons in the toolbar to choose how the streams are arranged on your screen. You can have up to 20 on a desktop computer. Every stream starts muted. Click the speaker icon on the stream you want to hear. Clicking another stream's speaker icon will automatically switch the audio source. If you want to see a stream's live chat, click the chat bubble icon to open it in a side panel.

1. Share or Save Your Layout
2. Once your grid is set up, the URL in your browser's address bar updates to include all your chosen streams. You can copy this link and send it to friends, and it will open the exact same layout for them. If you want to save the layout for later, you can create a free ViewGrid account to store it.

Choosing Your Angles for the Big Match

The real benefit of a multi stream setup is combining different types of broadcasts to create your own personal command center. For most esports tournaments, you have a few key sources to choose from.

The Main Broadcast

This is the official tournament stream, usually found on the organizer's main Twitch or YouTube channel. It has the professional casters, the observer camera that follows the main action, and the analyst desk segments between games. This is almost always the centerpiece of any viewing setup.

Player POVs

Many tournaments provide individual streams for each player's point-of-view (POV). This lets you see exactly what they see, including their mouse movements, ability usage, and in-game communication. It's a great way to learn from the pros or follow your favorite player through the entire match.

Co-Streams and Watch Parties

These are broadcasts from other creators who are watching the tournament and adding their own commentary. They can offer a more relaxed, biased, or analytical take than the official casters. You can add co-streams from YouTube, Twitch, and Kick right alongside the main feed.

Shoulder Content

Some larger events have separate streams for the analyst desk, interviews, or even a "B-stream" with alternate casters. Adding these to your grid ensures you don't miss out on any of the discussion happening around the main event.

What Your Setup Needs (and What It Doesn't)

You don't need a professional broadcast studio to run a multi stream setup, but a few things make the experience much smoother.

A Stable Internet Connection

This is the most important part. Each video stream requires a constant flow of data. Watching four or five 1080p streams at once can use a significant amount of bandwidth. A slow or unstable connection will lead to buffering and low-quality video. For the best experience, a stable broadband connection is recommended. Connecting your computer with an Ethernet cable instead of using Wi-Fi can also help improve stability.

Your Computer and Browser

ViewGrid works in modern web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge on desktop and mobile. A reasonably modern computer can handle several streams, but be aware that each additional stream uses more of your computer's processing power. If you notice your computer slowing down, try closing other programs or reducing the number of streams in your grid.

On a phone, you can watch between 1 and 6 streams at once. On a desktop, you can create layouts with up to 20 streams.

Monitors

While you can absolutely use a multi-stream viewer on a single monitor, having a second screen can be helpful. It gives you more space to arrange your grid or to keep one stream on your main monitor while having chat or other windows open on the second. For a deeper look at arranging your screens, see our guide to a "Multi Stream Viewer: Set Up a Dual Monitor System".

Watching on a TV

To watch a grid on a TV, you typically have three options. You can use the web browser built into your smart TV, connect a laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable, or use your computer's or phone's built-in screen mirroring feature. These methods depend on your specific devices and are not features of ViewGrid itself.

Tips for Watching Live Tournaments

Here are a few extra things to keep in mind for getting the most out of your setup during a live event.

Check for Ready-Made Grids

For many major gaming and esports competitions, we build grids ahead of time with the main streams and popular co-streams already included. You can check the [Events calendar](/events) to see if a layout is available for the tournament you're watching.

Focus on the Action

When a big play happens, you might want to make one stream larger without losing the others. Just click on the video player of the stream you want to highlight. This puts it into "focus view," making it large while keeping the other streams visible as thumbnails. Click it again to return to the grid. You can also use the standard fullscreen button on any video player to make it take over your entire screen.

Follow Your Favorite Players

If your main goal is to follow your favorite players and their teams, a multi stream setup is the best way to do it. You can combine the main feed with several player POVs to get a full picture of their strategy. Our article "Esports Multi Stream: How to Watch POVs and Main Feeds at Once" has specific strategies for that.