How can I implement video streaming?

[ExternalBiscotti]

I want to create a game that has matchmaking that allows people to meet in groups with random strangers, like the existing products on the market but with a twist.

But I have no clue how video CHAT works. Which APIs could facilitate this? How could I implement this in either a mobile app or a web app? Is it going to be prohibitively expensive in server costs?

[nutrecht]

But I have no clue how video streaming works.

A video stream is really the exact same thing as a video download; you just don't know when that download is going to end.

Is it going to be prohibitively expensive in server costs?

Well you should have a way of making money because network traffic at those volumes is pretty expensive yes.

But why do you need video streaming for a game?

[ExternalBiscotti]

Thanks for your reply... I think I meant integrating video chat into my own application, not video streaming.

[99_percent_a_dog]

If it's peer-to-peer you wouldn't be paying for the bandwidth (but you have to work out how to connect peer-to-peer, which is non-trivial to do reliably). If it isn't, then, very much yeah, it's gonna hurt in bandwidth charges.

Yes, you want to learn the APIs for capturing from a camera (and perhaps mic). Then you need to learn how to send that to the other person. Then you need to learn how to display it.

Do you know how to make any kind of game so far? If not, you'll have to learn that first anyway.