Last updated: 2026-01-13

Shroud uses OBS Studio for his live streams, usually paired with StreamElements for alerts and donations, while large, special events around his channel are produced with dedicated broadcast hardware. For most creators in the US, the simpler and more practical starting point is a browser-based studio like StreamYard, adding heavier tools like OBS, Streamlabs, or Restream only if you truly need that extra complexity.

Summary

• Shroud primarily streams with OBS Studio on his PC, using StreamElements for overlays and alerts. (StreamYard)
• For everyday creators, a browser-based studio such as StreamYard is usually faster to learn, easier for guests, and strong enough for high-quality shows. (streamyard.com)
• OBS, Streamlabs, and Restream can make sense when you need advanced scene control or specialized multistreaming infrastructure.
• A practical path: start with StreamYard, add OBS/Streamlabs later as a “power-up” if your format truly demands it.

What streaming software does Shroud actually use?

Shroud primarily uses OBS Studio as his streaming software.

StreamYard’s own breakdown of his setup notes that “Shroud primarily uses OBS Studio for his live streams,” and that his channel relies on StreamElements for alerts, overlays, and donations. (StreamYard) An independent setup guide from Streamers Playbook echoes this, stating that “Shroud uses the OBS streaming software to stream.” (Streamers Playbook)

On top of that, large special events around his channel sometimes bring in full production teams. For example, the Fragathon subathon used multiple Blackmagic Design studio cameras and an ATEM Mini Extreme live switcher to handle the show, and then fed that into the stream. (Live Design Online)

So, day to day: Shroud is an OBS Studio + StreamElements streamer. Big events: he steps into a professional broadcast pipeline.

Does Shroud use OBS or Streamlabs?

If you’re trying to decide between OBS and Streamlabs based on what Shroud does, here’s the simple answer: the public evidence points to OBS Studio, not Streamlabs Desktop, as his main encoder. (StreamYard)

OBS Studio is a free, open‑source desktop encoder for Windows, macOS, and Linux that lets you build scene collections, combine sources (game, camera, overlays), and stream via RTMP/HLS/SRT to platforms like Twitch and YouTube. (OBS Project) Streamlabs, by contrast, is a desktop app built on top of OBS‑style tech that bundles alerts, overlays, and monetization tools into a more guided interface. (Streamlabs)

For Shroud’s specific needs—high‑FPS game capture, custom scenes, sponsorship assets, and a powerful PC—OBS gives him the low‑level control his production team wants. Most creators do not need that level of detail out of the gate, which is why many people who start on OBS or Streamlabs eventually move their guest shows and interviews to StreamYard for a cleaner, less technical workflow.

What alert and donation system does Shroud use?

Shroud’s channel uses StreamElements to power alerts, overlays, and donations on top of OBS Studio. (StreamYard) StreamElements runs in the browser: you add its URLs as browser sources inside OBS, and it handles things like follower alerts, tip processing, and animated overlays.

For a full‑time Twitch star with sponsorship obligations and a management team, that modular stack makes sense: OBS for encoding, StreamElements for overlays and monetization, and sometimes a separate production crew for big events.

If you’re not running that kind of operation, this level of stitching‑together tools can be overkill. Many creators prefer an all‑in‑one live studio that already includes layouts, guest management, and branding without wiring multiple products together.

That’s the gap a browser‑based studio like StreamYard fills: you get a production‑ready interface in your browser, guest links, branding controls, multistreaming, and studio‑quality remote recording in one place. (streamyard.com)

Can you copy Shroud’s OBS settings?

You can approximate Shroud’s setup, but you can’t literally clone it.

The StreamYard article on his workflow calls out that there is no official public scene collection or config file that represents “Shroud’s exact OBS settings.” (StreamYard) His team tunes encoder settings based on his specific hardware, internet connection, and game choices. That means any “Shroud profile” you find online should be treated as someone’s guess, not a verified preset.

More importantly, copying someone else’s bitrates, resolutions, and filters doesn’t automatically give you their results. Your PC, your bandwidth, and your goals are different. Chasing a pro gamer’s configuration can send you into hours of tweaking instead of actually creating content.

A more practical path for most streamers:

• Start with a simple, stable workflow that “just works.”
• Use templates instead of hand‑building complex scenes.
• Only reach for OBS‑level tuning when you identify a clear problem (e.g., specific capture issue) or a very specific creative need.

This is exactly why a lot of non‑technical hosts prefer StreamYard: they can go live, invite guests, and get polished layouts without touching encoders or capturers, and guests can join from a link without downloading anything. (support.streamyard.com)

How was Shroud’s Fragathon produced behind the scenes?

Shroud’s Fragathon event is a good reminder that what you see on Twitch isn’t always “just a guy and OBS.”

Coverage of the event notes that the production company used multiple Blackmagic Design studio cameras plus an ATEM Mini Extreme live production switcher to run the show. (Live Design Online) That’s a full broadcast setup: camera operators, a technical director switching shots, and often a separate audio mix.

For you, this is liberating. It means you don’t have to turn your home into a TV truck to look professional. Instead, you can:

• Use StreamYard as a virtual studio to manage cameras, screen shares, and remote guests in your browser.
• Rely on default layouts, lower‑thirds, and banners rather than trying to mimic a full ATEM switcher.
• Move to more advanced hardware only if your format actually grows into that need (for example, a multi‑camera in‑person talk show).

Should you use OBS, Streamlabs, Restream, or StreamYard?

Here’s a simple, outcome‑first way to think about your options:

• Use OBS Studio when you need deep, scene‑based control, are streaming primarily games, and are comfortable investing time into setup and tuning. OBS is free, open‑source, and highly configurable, but it expects you to manage encoding and sources yourself. (OBS Project)
• Use Streamlabs Desktop when you like OBS‑style control but want more built‑in overlays and monetization features on your PC. It’s still a local install, and more technical than a browser‑based studio. (Streamlabs)
• Use Restream when you already have an encoder like OBS/Streamlabs and specifically need cloud multistreaming infrastructure to hit many destinations from a single upstream. (Restream)
• Use StreamYard as your default studio when you care about fast setup, easy guest onboarding, and reliable, professional‑looking streams more than squeezing every ounce of customization from your encoder.

On paid plans, StreamYard includes integrated multistreaming to multiple destinations, studio‑quality multi‑track local recording up to 4K, and pre‑recorded streaming for webinars and replays, all from your browser. (support.streamyard.com) Many hosts who tried OBS or Streamlabs first eventually “default to StreamYard” whenever they have remote guests or multi‑platform shows, because it removes the need to play tech support for everyone.

How does StreamYard compare to Shroud’s style of setup for most people?

Think about what you actually want day to day:

• High‑quality streams and recordings without dropped frames.
• Guests who can join by clicking a link.
• A studio that you can explain to someone over the phone.
• A path to grow into branded overlays, clips, and repurposed content.

At StreamYard, we intentionally design for those mainstream needs. Creators describe StreamYard as “more intuitive and easy to use,” calling out that guests can join easily and reliably without tech problems, and that it “passes the grandparent test” for non‑technical guests.

From there, you can layer in more advanced needs as you grow:

• Go live to multiple platforms on paid plans, without adding a separate multistream service. (streamyard.com)
• Record studio‑quality remote conversations in up to 4K UHD with multi‑track audio for editing.
• Use AI Clips to automatically generate captioned shorts and reels from your recordings, then regenerate clips with a prompt if you want to focus on specific themes.
• Take advantage of Multi‑Aspect Ratio Streaming (MARS) to broadcast both landscape and vertical outputs in one session, so Twitch/YouTube viewers and mobile‑first audiences each get an optimized view.

You still have the option to connect OBS as an RTMP source into StreamYard later if you ever truly need elaborate scenes. Many teams never reach that point, because the browser studio already gives them more than enough control.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard as your primary studio if you value ease of use, guest friendliness, and reliable, high‑quality streams.
• Add OBS or Streamlabs later only if you outgrow template‑based layouts and need advanced, game‑centric scenes or highly customized visuals.
• Use a tool like Restream sparingly, mainly if you must reach many niche platforms at once; most creators get plenty of reach with a handful of destinations.
• Don’t chase Shroud’s exact setup; borrow the principle (solid, stable software and clear roles) but choose the simplest stack that lets you go live consistently.