5 Free Game Screen Recorders

It might take several months for someone to figure out how to play a game as a skillful expert. Luckily, there are many gamers who like sharing their gameplay on streaming sites. If you want to be one of them, you’re probably wondering what tool you can use to record your gameplay in the most efficient way. Actually, there are lots of programs that can perform this task. However, most of them require payment. So, if you need free game recording software, check this list and save yourself some penny.

5 best free game recording software

ShowMore

The first way to record your gameplay for free is using ShowMore. This is an online application that is designed to capture your screen activities. You may use this when you want to create a video tutorial of any kind. With a smart interface, beginners can easily manage their recording activities. In fact, one can simply start by choosing the capture size from the preset templates or adjust it manually to fit the designated screen. This can be used on Safari, Google Chrome, as well as Mozilla browsers.

It has a great many of functionalities that you can find on some paid software. These include:

• It supports different output formats like MP4, AVI, WMV, ASF, and MOV.
• It can capture both your screen and web camera. Likewise, your system sound and microphone can also be recorded simultaneously.
• It does not have limitation and annoying ads or watermark making it the best free game screen recorder.
• Users may add figures for emphasis and text whilst on the process of recording.
• Before finishing your project, you may trim your file and choose what portion you want to keep.

Nvidia Shadowplay

Nvidia also offers its own free screen recorder for gamers which is called the Shadowplay. It offers two modes which users can utilize. The first one is Shadow. This runs on your background and automatically records the previous 5 minutes, or whatever duration you set up.

The other one is the Manual. It allows you to manually begin and stop the recording process. Your videos will be saved directly to your computer and you can view it right away. Like the first tool, Shadowplay allows you to add narration while recording the sound coming from the gameplay. Plus, it supports webcam overlay and output sharing. Apart from its recording capability, it can serve as a streaming service for users can link their Twitch, Facebook, or YouTube account and do their live broadcast smoothly.

Though it is free to use, there are some things you need to check for this tool to work.

• Firstly, you need to have an Nvidia graphic card as the recording tools are integrated within the said card. Without this, the software won’t work.
• Secondly, not all games can be captured by default using this program. Games that use Direct3D are supported, but for OpenGL, you have to enable the function first from the Preference setting.
• Thirdly, your output may be laggy depending on your computer specs.

Ezvid

Ezvid is another free game capture software that can help users generate their own high definition video for tutorial. This comes with a built-in editor and slideshow maker. So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one app, you may as well install this on your computer as long as your computer runs on Windows OS. It has an easy- to-use interface. With only one simple click, you can capture what’s on your screen completely. Some of its useful tools include adding annotations and turning your text into a digital narration.

The disadvantage of using this is that you won’t be able to save your files on PC. Rather, upload it directly to YouTube. It supports WMV output format and has a limit of 45 minutes for every recording. This is a lot already, but some gameplay lasts more than that. Rendering time is also a problem as it takes a while to be finished.

Open Broadcaster Software

You may also use OBS or Open Broadcaster Software as an additional option. Originally, this is a streaming tool but it also has a recording feature. Since it’s open source software, users can do lots of customization on this one. Plus, it is accessible whether you are on your Mac, Windows, or Linux PC.

With the help of this, you can record video and audio, both system sound and microphone, without restrictions. However, the process might be a little complicated for beginners.

Windows 10 Game Bar

Last on the list is the Windows 10 Game Bar. As the Windows 10 OS is focused on gaming, with preinstalled Xbox App, it incorporates a tool that can be used as an alternative free game recorder. Now, you won’t need another program to capture your screen.

This program can be simply opened by pressing your Windows key + G. To begin and end your recording, you may hit the Windows key + Alt + R. At this point the app generates an MP4 output and automatically saves it to your PC.

The problem with this is that it only supports full screen recording. So, you must change your gameplay to full screen or window mode in case you don’t want to capture unnecessary data on your computer. Furthermore, your PC should also have one of these encoders: Intel Quick Sync H.264, Nvidia NVENC, or AMD VCE.

Conclusion

These five apps can help you record your gameplay on screen for free. Almost all of them give satisfying result, however, each of the applications has their own advantages and disadvantages. You may know about them from more their official websites at first, and afterwards decide on which one to choose based upon your needs.