Quick Answer:
You can record yourself while playing a game on your PC or Mac by using SurFlex Screen Recorder, OBS Studio, Bandicam, and Camtasia. All these tools allow you to record screen and webcam at the same time and thus will help you record a game clip with a webcam overlay with ease.
Although there is a built-in screen recorder on your computer that allows you to record gameplay on PC or Mac, they can’t record a webcam during the game recording. Therefore, when you want to record yourself while playing a game, you will need a third-party screen recorder to help. If that’s what you are looking to do, check the tips below and then you will know how to record yourself playing video games on your PC or Mac with ease.
Table of contents
How to Record Yourself Playing Video Games on PC or Mac
Tool: SurFlex Screen Recorder
To simultaneously record screen and webcam on your computer, SurFlex Screen Recorder provides a straightforward solution. It allows you to capture any on-screen activities on your computer along with system sound, microphone audio, or both. Whether you intend to record full-screen games or specific parts of your screen, this screen recorder can fulfill your requirements. When you want to record yourself while playing a game on a PC or Mac, you can enable webcam recording to overlay your webcam footage onto the game video.
Moreover, SurFlex Screen Recorder offers customization options for video quality and format, which are essential when recording game videos for platforms like YouTube or other video-sharing platforms.
Additionally, SurFlex Screen Recorder proves useful in various other scenarios, including meeting recordings, webcam recordings, and audio recordings. If you frequently need to capture video and audio on your computer, don’t hesitate to give it a try.
To record yourself playing video games on PC or Mac:
Step 1. Launch the screen recorder on your computer and click Settings to customize the output settings.
Step 2. Select System Sound and Microphone as the audio recording option.
Step 3. To record yourself playing a game, enable Webcam recording and select the camera you’d like to use.
Step 4. Select the game window you’d like to capture and adjust the size and position of the webcam. When you are ready, click REC to start recording yourself playing a game.
Step 5. When you are done, click Stop and then go to the recording list to check the gameplay.
How to Record Yourself While Playing a Game for Free
Tool: OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a widely recommended screen recorder for both Windows and Mac operating systems, frequently mentioned in blog posts as a reliable choice. It is no exception when it comes to recording gaming videos. By configuring the necessary screen recording sources, you can effortlessly capture yourself playing a game on your computer. Importantly, OBS Studio is a free, open-source, and cross-platform video recorder, allowing you to record game clips on both PC and Mac without incurring any costs.
To record yourself while playing a game with OBS Studio:
Step 1. Download and install OBS Studio on your computer.
Step 2. Go to File > Settings > Output to customize the output settings for the game video.
Step 3. Go to the Sources panel and click the plus icon to add Window Capture (choose your game window), Video Capture Device (choose your webcam), Audio Input Capture (choose your microphone), and Audio Output Capture.
Step 4. Adjust the position of the webcam overlay.
Step 5. When you are ready to record, click Start Recording in the Controls panel.
Step 6. When you are done, click Stop Recording and go to File > Show Recordings to check the gameplay.
Note: OBS Studio also has the capability of recording past gameplay, allowing you to record the last 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, and more on your computer. To do so, you need to use the Replay Buffer feature, which you can enable from Settings.
How to Record Yourself Playing a Game on PC in High Quality
Tool: Bandicam
Bandicam, being one of the top game recorders, offers an exclusive game recording mode and allows you to capture various games in high quality. Additionally, it provides the option to enable webcam recording while you record gameplay on your PC, making it convenient to capture yourself playing a game. Afterward, you can share your gameplay on YouTube or Vimeo within the app.
However, it is important to note that Bandicam is only available for Windows. If you require a game recording solution for your Mac, it is recommended to apply other tools mentioned in this guide.
To record yourself playing video games:
Step 1. Download and install Bandicam on your PC.
Step 2. Launch the app and click Game Recording.
Step 3. Select the game window, enable webcam recording, and select the audio recording option.
Step 4. Click Start Recording to start recording yourself playing a game.
Step 5. When you are done, press F12 to end the recording.
Step 6. Go to the Videos section to check the recorded gameplay.
How to Record a Video While Playing a Game for YouTube
Tool: Camtasia
If you intend to create gaming videos for YouTube, using Camtasia would be a better fit for your needs. Camtasia combines the functionalities of a screen recorder and a video editor. After capturing game clips on your computer, you can utilize its extensive video editing features to enhance the gameplay footage. Furthermore, Camtasia allows you to directly share your edited video to YouTube from within the software. Therefore, if you plan to record gameplay for YouTube, using this professional game recorder will meet your requirements.
To record a video while playing a game:
Step 1. Download and install Camtasia on your computer.
Step 2. Launch the app and sign in. Then click New Recording.
Step 3. Select the recording area, enable webcam recording, and select to record both the microphone and system sound.
Step 4. Click REC to start recording yourself playing a game.
Step 5. Click Stop when you are done.
Step 6. Edit the gameplay if needed and click Export > YouTube to upload the gameplay to YouTube.
Wrapping Up
When recording gameplay, it is advisable to utilize the screen recording shortcut to conveniently start or stop the recording. The specific shortcut may vary depending on the game recorder you are using. You can access the settings of the screen recorder to check the preset shortcut or customize the start/stop recording shortcut based on your preferences.