A Stardew Valley gameplay archive can be sent to YouTube Live on repeat by playing a local recording or playlist in OBS and connecting OBS to a stream in YouTube Studio. The setup differs depending on whether you want one recording to restart or several recordings to play in sequence, and neither choice guarantees continuous playback or channel eligibility.
Before you broadcast, check that your channel can go live, prepare the archive and its audio, then test the encoder feed in YouTube’s preview. Keep a separate copy of any recording you care about: a livestream is not a dependable backup.
Check that your channel can go live
YouTube’s live-streaming guidance says a channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. These are eligibility checks, not a promise that any particular channel will be approved or that a stream will remain available. Check YouTube’s current live-streaming requirements in the account you plan to use, because the status of the channel matters more than instructions written for someone else’s account.
If live streaming is not enabled, resolve that before spending time building an OBS scene. YouTube’s Studio interface will show whether you can create a live stream or whether you need to complete an account step. If the option is missing or unavailable, use the channel-specific message and the current Help guidance rather than repeatedly changing encoder settings. Our guide to why YouTube says live streaming is not available walks through a sensible order for checking common causes.
An encoder is a suitable route for prerecorded gameplay because OBS can play the archive locally and send the resulting audio and video to YouTube. This does not turn a file into a livestream by itself: OBS must be running and connected to a live event, and YouTube must accept the incoming feed. Keep the stream key private. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your channel’s stream.
Prepare the Stardew Valley recording
Start with the file you intend to broadcast, not with the OBS settings. Play it locally from beginning to end, or review the parts that matter if it is a long recording. Confirm the picture is present, the game audio is audible at a reasonable level, and there are no sections you would not want viewers to encounter on repeat. A silent menu, a long pause or a desktop notification can become much more noticeable when the same file returns again and again.
Check what is actually in the recording. Gameplay, music, overlays, alerts and any added soundtrack may have different rights or permissions. YouTube’s guidance says monetisation of game content depends on the commercial-use rights granted by the publisher; it also cautions that extended gameplay without the appropriate licence may not qualify. That is YouTube’s platform guidance, not a finding about the rights to your individual Stardew Valley recording. Review the applicable publisher terms and the provenance of your footage and audio before deciding to rebroadcast or monetise it.
YouTube also scans live streams for third-party content. It may replace a stream with a placeholder, interrupt or terminate the broadcast, and apply a claim to an archived live video after the stream has ended. A short music passage in a long gameplay file is still worth checking. For more on that specific risk, see how a few seconds of audio can lead to a YouTube live claim. A successful test of the technical feed does not establish that you have permission for every element in the recording.
Keep an independent local copy of the source archive. YouTube says broadcasts shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, but streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. Treat that as a reason not to rely on the YouTube copy as your only recording. If the archive is important, keep it on local storage or another backup location that you control.
Choose one file or a playlist
There are two useful ways to repeat an archive in OBS. Use a Media Source when you want one file to restart at its end. Use a VLC Video source when you want several recordings to play as a playlist, in an order you choose or with shuffle enabled. OBS documents both source types and their loop controls in its Media Sources guide; VLC must be installed on the computer for the VLC source to appear.
| What you want to play | OBS source | Repeat setting | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| One gameplay recording | Media Source | Enable Loop | One archive that should begin again after it ends |
| Several recordings in a fixed sequence | VLC Video | Enable Loop Playlist | A set of episodes or sessions with a planned order |
| Several recordings in a changing order | VLC Video | Enable Loop Playlist and set shuffle as desired | A less predictable rotation, after checking the result |
The choice is about playback, not YouTube. OBS handles the file or playlist locally; YouTube receives the encoder’s outgoing feed. If you only have one complete recording, a playlist adds no benefit. If you have distinct sessions, a playlist can prevent viewers from seeing the same opening every time the stream restarts, but check transitions and relative audio levels across every file.
Loop one file in OBS
Create or select a scene in OBS, then add a Media Source. Give the source a recognisable name such as “Stardew archive” so you can identify it later if you build more scenes. In the source properties, browse to the local video file and enable Loop. Start playback in OBS and let it run through the file’s ending to confirm it starts again. The loop control tells OBS to replay that source; it does not create or publish a YouTube broadcast.
Check the source’s other behaviour before you settle on the scene. If the source should begin playing whenever the scene becomes active, set that behaviour in its properties; if you change scenes or stop and restart OBS, check what happens rather than assuming the file will resume at the same point. A local file can be moved, renamed or disconnected from an external drive, so keep its location stable for the length of the planned session.
Listen through OBS as well as watching its preview. The audio meter should move when the game sound is present, and desktop audio should not accidentally duplicate the same sound. If you hear an echo, reduce the capture path to one source rather than lowering every channel at random. Make a short local recording from OBS and play it back; that lets you catch a silent source, distorted audio or an incorrect crop before involving YouTube.
A loop boundary can be technically correct but still feel abrupt. If the final frame cuts off a sentence or the file ends with a long static screen, viewers will encounter that moment on every cycle. You can edit the archive before adding it, or choose another cut if you have one. Avoid promising a seamless loop unless you have watched the actual transition in the output.
Build a repeating playlist of recordings
For multiple files, add a VLC Video source in OBS and populate its playlist with the recordings you want included. Arrange the order deliberately, then enable Loop Playlist so the list returns to its beginning after the last item. You can use shuffle if you prefer variation, but first test what OBS plays and whether that order suits the channel. A playlist is not a substitute for reviewing each video: one unsuitable clip or unexpectedly loud recording will recur along with the rest.
Keep the files accessible from the same machine and path while OBS is running. Before a long session, verify that every playlist entry opens and that the first and last items behave as expected. The transition between two separately recorded sessions may include a black frame, a desktop capture, a pause or an audio jump. Watch the transitions in a local test recording so you can remove problems before going live.
If you plan to change the playlist later, remember that a live broadcast only contains what OBS sends at the time. Changes to the local list do not repair an earlier section of a YouTube archive, and a removed or relocated file can leave a gap in playback. Keep a written note of the intended order if the rotation matters, and avoid reorganising files during a broadcast.
One-file playback is easier to diagnose because there is one source and one repeat point. A playlist offers more variety, but more entries mean more transitions and more opportunities for a file to be missing or have a different sound level. Choose the simplest setup that matches the material you actually have. If your goal is a continuous rotation of different clips, compare this with the broader MP4 file workflow for a 24/7 YouTube stream, while adapting its general file-looping ideas to gameplay and checking rights independently.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
Open YouTube Studio and enter Live Control Room. Create or select the live stream you intend to use, then find its encoder settings. YouTube provides a server URL and stream key for the selected stream. In OBS, open stream settings, choose the available YouTube connection method or configure the server and key as prompted, and enter the matching details. YouTube’s encoder setup guidance describes these values and the connection process.
Treat the key like a password. Do not include it in a screen capture, public tutorial, stream overlay or chat message. If it is exposed, change or regenerate it in YouTube Studio before relying on that stream again. Confirm that you copied the credentials for the correct event; a key belonging to another stream will not send the feed where you expect.
YouTube recommends RTMPS for delivery and advises choosing stream settings that fit the available upload connection. Set resolution and bitrate according to the stable upload capacity you actually have, rather than selecting the highest setting because it appears in a menu. The feed has to travel continuously from your encoder to YouTube; a connection that fluctuates may cause dropped frames or a health warning. YouTube transcodes incoming streams into multiple output formats, but that does not remove the need to send a stable feed.
For a home setup, the computer running OBS must remain on, the archive must remain available, and the internet connection must remain usable. A laptop that sleeps, an operating system update or a router interruption can stop the feed. If your connection is unreliable, first diagnose it rather than trying to compensate with a higher bitrate. Our notes on YouTube streams disconnecting on a VPS in India explain why transport and connection stability deserve attention even when the video file itself is fine.
Preview and test before broadcasting
Do a test before announcing the stream or leaving it unattended. Start the OBS feed to YouTube’s preview, but do not assume that seeing the file play in OBS means the platform is receiving it correctly. Check YouTube’s preview for moving video and audible sound, and look at the stream health indicators. YouTube’s own live encoder troubleshooting guidance is the right reference if the incoming feed shows an error or poor health.
Test a representative section, including the beginning and end of the file or the transitions in a playlist. Check that the picture is framed as intended, that game audio is present without clipping, and that no private desktop content is visible. If you changed resolution, bitrate or audio routing, test again after the change. A problem fixed in OBS is not confirmed until the corrected feed appears in YouTube’s preview.
When you go live, monitor the stream rather than leaving it entirely unattended. Watch for an OBS disconnection, a YouTube health warning, missing audio or a playback source that has stopped. Automatic recovery should not be assumed: the cited OBS and YouTube guidance describes source playback and ingest, not a guarantee of uninterrupted broadcast. If a long-running channel cannot tolerate gaps, plan who will check it and what they will do if the feed stops.
For a stream intended to run all day, consider the practical difference between broadcasting from your own computer and handing off the always-on burden. A computer-based OBS setup keeps control of the scene and playlist in your hands, but your computer and connection have to keep running. StreamNeo can remove the need to leave your own computer on for an uploaded video: you upload the file, provide the YouTube stream key, and the broadcast runs with monitoring and restart handling. It is YouTube-only, and you should still test the file, check channel eligibility and consider rights before starting.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can YouTube loop my Stardew Valley video automatically?
Do not assume that YouTube turns an uploaded archive into a livestream or repeats it as a live broadcast. Set up playback in an encoder such as OBS, using a looping Media Source for one file or a looping VLC playlist for several, then send that feed to a live event.
Should I use a Media Source or VLC Video?
Use Media Source with Loop enabled when you have one recording to repeat. Use VLC Video and Loop Playlist when you have multiple files to rotate; install VLC if the source is not available in OBS. Test the order and transitions before you send the feed to viewers.
Will YouTube keep an archive of the whole livestream?
Not necessarily. YouTube says broadcasts shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured. Keep your own source recording if it matters, and check YouTube’s current guidance rather than treating an archived live video as your backup.
Does a successful test mean I can rebroadcast or monetise the recording?
No. A test confirms that the technical feed is reaching the preview; it does not determine your rights to the game footage, music or other material, or your monetisation eligibility. Review YouTube’s guidance and the applicable publisher terms for the specific archive.