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To rotate recorded gameplay on a YouTube livestream, add the files to an OBS Studio VLC Video source, then choose whether the playlist should loop or shuffle. Set the stream’s title and type in YouTube Studio. OBS playlist playback and YouTube stream metadata are separate controls: changing to the next VOD does not, by itself, change the game or title viewers see on YouTube.

What you need

  • Gameplay video files you have permission to rebroadcast.
  • OBS Studio and VLC installed on the computer running the stream. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC.
  • A YouTube stream configured in YouTube Studio, plus its stream URL and stream key.

Build a rotating VOD playlist in OBS

  1. Install VLC. Install the version that matches OBS’s architecture. If VLC Video is missing from OBS’s source choices, confirm VLC is installed and that both applications are 64-bit when using 64-bit OBS.
  2. Add a VLC Video source. In the OBS scene where the gameplay should appear, add a source named VLC Video. Add the local VOD files to its playlist.
  3. Choose playback order. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence; turn it on to randomize playback. These are separate from looping.
  4. Choose what happens at the end. Turn on Loop Playlist to restart playback after the final file. If you do not want the playlist to restart, leave looping off.
  5. Check hidden-source behavior. If the VLC source is in more than one scene or can become hidden, check its playback behavior while hidden. OBS provides choices that can stop, pause, or continue playback in that situation.
  6. Preview the sequence. Confirm that the intended files appear and play correctly before connecting to YouTube. Check the ending and restart behavior as well as the shuffle setting.

Set the game title and stream type on YouTube

  1. Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room. Create or select the stream.
  2. Enter a stream title that accurately describes the broadcast and choose its type/category. YouTube’s guidance says to choose a type such as Gaming or People & Blogs to reach the relevant audience.
  3. Connect OBS as the encoder using the YouTube stream URL and stream key. Check the YouTube preview before going live.

These settings describe the YouTube stream; they are not the same as the files in OBS’s playlist. When a playlist moves from one game to another, the displayed YouTube title or game metadata does not automatically follow according to the documented controls. If the game changes, update the stream metadata yourself as appropriate. Do not rely on a plugin, API, or other automation unless you have independently verified that it updates the correct YouTube fields for each item.

Keep the stream accurate and protect your recordings

  • Use VODs you own or have permission to rebroadcast. Having a video file does not by itself establish permission to livestream it.
  • Keep the stream title and game/type metadata consistent with what viewers are actually watching. If a long playlist covers several games, avoid presenting one game as the content for the whole stream when that is no longer accurate.
  • Consider making a local recording if you need an archive. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived and recommends keeping a local backup; streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all.

Troubleshooting

VLC Video is not available in OBS

Install VLC and check that its architecture matches OBS. OBS documentation specifies matching 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.

The playlist ends instead of starting again

Enable Loop Playlist on the VLC Video source. Shuffle changes the order; it does not turn looping on.

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The same files play in the same sequence every time

Enable Shuffle Playlist if you want randomized playback. Leave it off when you need a predictable order.

The YouTube title still shows the previous game

OBS advancing the playlist does not automatically update YouTube’s stream metadata in the documented workflow. Change the title or type in YouTube Studio when the content changes, or use an automation method only after verifying its behavior.

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The video stops or behaves differently when its scene is hidden

Inspect the VLC source’s hidden-playback behavior in OBS. Choose whether playback should stop, pause, or continue while hidden according to how your scenes are arranged.

The livestream is missing from the archive

Check the stream duration. YouTube warns that streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured; keep a local recording when retaining the full broadcast matters.

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