Speedrun Commentary: How to Entertain and Engage Your Audience

23 December 2025

Let’s be real: gaming is no longer just a hobby—it’s a lifestyle. And when it comes to speedrunning, it’s not just about crushing levels at lightning speed and leaving your favorite childhood game in the dust; it’s about entertaining an audience that’s there for the thrill, the drama, and, let’s be honest, the chaos. What separates a forgettable speedrun stream from one people rave about? The commentary. Yep, your voice, your personality, and your ability to connect with your viewers are just as important as how quickly you can glitch through a wall in Super Mario 64. So, let’s dive into how you can master speedrun commentary and keep your audience glued to their screens.

Why Does Commentary Even Matter in Speedrunning?

Think about it. Watching someone silently blaze through a game might be impressive for about five minutes—but then it’s like watching paint dry. You could be breaking world records, but if your stream feels like a muted movie without subtitles, people are going to tab out faster than you can say “frame perfect.”

Your audience isn’t just there for the gameplay. They’re there for you. They want your hot takes, your hilarious one-liners, your panicked screams when a run goes sideways. Commentary bridges the gap between what’s happening on screen and the human behind it. It’s the secret sauce that turns a decent stream into an unforgettable experience.

Step 1: Know Your Game Like the Back of Your Hand

Before you even think about turning on that mic, you better know your game inside and out. And I’m not just talking about how to shave milliseconds off your PB (Personal Best). I’m talking about the nitty-gritty details—glitches, lore, fun facts, and even the weird quirks in the game’s design. Why? Because this stuff makes for amazing filler.

Let’s say you’re streaming an Ocarina of Time speedrun and you hit a moment where you’re just walking across Hyrule Field for 30 seconds. Dead air? Nah. That’s where you casually drop a fun fact about how that field was programmed to feel endless or how the infamous “Any% Wrong Warp” glitch works. Boom. Your audience is now fascinated, and you didn’t even break a sweat.

Step 2: Find Your Voice (No, Not Literally… Or Maybe)

Let’s be honest—you don’t need to sound like a professional sports commentator to keep your audience hooked. What you need is your unique voice. Are you naturally sarcastic? Lean into it. Got an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming history? Use it. Are you a meme machine in human form? Don’t hold back.

Your personality is what will set you apart from every other gamer out there grinding the same category. People don’t come back to a stream just for the game—they come back for you. So, embrace what makes you you. And if that means screaming like a banshee when you miss a frame-perfect trick? Even better.

Step 3: Balance Energy and Chill Vibes

Speedrunning is stressful; no one’s going to argue with that. But the last thing your audience wants is to feel like they’re holding their breath for 90 minutes straight. Commentary is your chance to take the edge off—not just for them, but for you, too.

Cracked a tough trick? Celebrate it. Hit a boring stretch? That’s prime time for some off-topic banter (but nothing too off the rails—no one wants a full-on TED Talk about quantum mechanics in the middle of a Pokémon glitch showcase). Keep the energy up during intense moments and dial it back when things are chill. It’s all about the ebb and flow.

Step 4: Interact With Your Chat Like They’re Your Besties

Here’s a golden rule: If you’re not interacting with your chat, you’re leaving money on the table. Not literally—unless someone’s tossing bits at you—but metaphorically. Your chat isn’t just a bunch of randos; they’re your co-pilots, your hype squad, and sometimes your roastmasters.

Ask them questions. React to their comments. And if someone asks how many hours you’ve spent practicing a specific trick, hit them with the truth (or a wildly exaggerated number for comedic effect). Someone drops a dad joke in chat? Deliver a follow-up burn. This back-and-forth is what makes live streams electric.

Step 5: Master the Art of Hype

Alright, this one’s critical. If you’re not hyping up the big moments, what are you even doing? Whether it’s nailing a ridiculous sequence break or clutching out a run-saving skip, your job is to make your audience feel like they’re watching the gaming equivalent of the Super Bowl.

Think about it: Do you want your viewers to sit there watching you pull off a complicated trick with the same energy as a DMV line? Nope. You want them throwing emotes in chat, screaming “POG” at their screens, and telling their friends, “You had to be there.” Your energy is contagious—so don’t hold back.

Step 6: Embrace the Failures (Because They WILL Happen)

Here’s a not-so-secret secret: Not every run is going to be a PB or a WR (World Record). Stuff’s going to go wrong, and sometimes it’s going to go spectacularly wrong. But here’s the kicker—how you handle those failures can make or break your stream’s vibe.

Did you botch a trick? Laugh it off. Get hit with RNG (random number generator) garbage? Call it out like the villain it is. Your audience will love you for rolling with the punches instead of rage-quitting or sulking like a kicked puppy. Remember, it’s not about the fall—it’s about how you get back up and keep going.

Step 7: Spice Things Up With Humor and Relatability

Let’s face it: if you can make people laugh, they’ll stick around—even if your run goes sideways faster than Mario slipping on a banana. So, don’t be scared to crack jokes, poke fun at yourself, or throw in a spicy one-liner when the opportunity strikes.

And don’t underestimate the power of relatability, either. If you’re trying to pull off a hard trick and failing repeatedly, call yourself out! Like, “Okay, this is why I don’t get invited to GDQ,” or “Who gave me a controller? This is sabotage!” Your audience loves seeing the human side of you, even when you’re down bad.

Step 8: Wrap It Up With Style

When your run ends, don’t just awkwardly mumble, “Yeah, so that’s it. Bye.” You’ve spent hours keeping your audience engaged—end on a high note! Thank your viewers, shout out your regulars, and if the run was rough, acknowledge it with a promise to come back stronger. Maybe even tease your next stream or upload. Who doesn’t love a little cliffhanger?

Bonus Tip: Invest in Your Tech

Okay, this is the only slightly boring part of this article, but hear me out. No one wants to listen to you crack jokes through a $5 microphone that makes you sound like you’re broadcasting from a cave. Invest in a decent mic, make sure your stream layout isn’t an assault on the eyeballs, and for the love of all things holy, make sure your internet connection can actually handle a stream.

Final Thoughts

Speedrun commentary is an art. It’s not just about being fast—it’s about being fun, engaging, and memorable. If you can mix precision gameplay with killer personality, you’ll have people smashing that follow button faster than Sonic can collect rings. So grab that controller, fire up OBS, and start turning those runs into a show worth watching. And hey, if you mess up? Just toss in a joke, keep going, and remember: even the best runners started somewhere.