Weekend Open Forum: Watching other people play video games

[Jos]

Watching other people play video games may not sound like anyone’s idea of fun, but as you’re probably well aware, there’s actually a huge market for it. “Let's Play” videos, where avid fans watch other people play video games on the internet, have exploded to new levels of popularity in the past few years, with YouTube, live streaming platform Twitch and others capitalizing on the craze.

In this Weekend Open Forum we want to know your take on the game streaming phenomenon. Do you enjoy watching video game streams or perhaps are a video game streamer yourself?

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https://www.techspot.com/news/68859-weekend-open-forum-watching-other-people-play-video.html

 

[davislane1]

It's great for evaluating games if you are considering a purchase. Livestreams can't edit out the reviewer's biases.

Outside of that, I can't find much value for them personally. Not gonna watch someone do what I could be doing.

 

[J spot]

I currently watch Andrewg1990. And it's less watching and more listening as I do something else, and he tries to break a Super Mario Bros. record. It's just interesting. It's more passive, but you end up learning so much about I don't even know what. In a sense the deepness of the code of a game that was created in 1985.

The same for past games I've watched.

 

[psycros]

Gameplay streams are good background noise and sometimes the better streamers are pretty hilarious (though its nearly always R-rated). Also, as davislane1 observed, its probably the closest you're going to get to a full demo/preview nowadays.

 

[Kenrick]

When I was addicted to CS Go and DOTA. I always watch tournaments live or recorded. Gathering information is the first thing you should do to win a war. Time is our limiting factor so why not observe others and learn there methods and techniques. Sometimes, my wife would just leave the living room when im watching on the big screen. I think she find it nonsense I am watching other playing and cheering them by myself. Haha.

 

[delluel]

No way man. These open world games are lame and thats what everybody is doing. Now sipping bud light and watching a buddy go through that first Silent Hill. That was freakin sick scary. But I was there, in his house, with him. I have no desire to watch play remotely. so no I'm out. although if you wanted to watch me play? I suppose you could learn something so, ya you can watch.

 

[Satish Mallya]

It's pretty great for RPGs - watching people do things differently, make different decisions, hear their rationale (or lack thereof) for said decisions, seeing how differently they perceive the same world you went through - it's fascinating.
It's a very rare peek into the mind of someone else.

 

[Seraphim401]

Streaming is the modernday equivalent of listening to stories around a campfire.

Besides there is no difference between watching other people play games and watching say a soccer match.
I could also go outside to play myself.Just not with the same skill level.

 

[davislane1]

No way man. These open world games are lame and thats what everybody is doing. Now sipping bud light and watching a buddy go through that first Silent Hill. That was freakin sick scary. But I was there, in his house, with him. I have no desire to watch play remotely. so no I'm out. although if you wanted to watch me play? I suppose you could learn something so, ya you can watch.

"I was never in...and now I'm out."

Sounds like more than a sip to me.

 

[davislane1]

Streaming is the modernday equivalent of listening to stories around a campfire.

The world is officially doomed.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I have a Twitch account and watch on occasion, meaning I have to be in the perfect mood and be interested in the perfect game to watch a stream for more than ten minutes.

 

[Alpha Gamer]

In my opinion, gameplay videos (be it streaming or not) are the equivalent to porn of video games. I'd do it only on the occasions I couldn't do it myself. Due to either not owning the game, or simply lacking the skills to pull the same stunts.

 

[Seraphim401]

Streaming is the modernday equivalent of listening to stories around a campfire.

The world is officially doomed.

Has been from the very beginning.
Move along.

 

[mantissteam]

I only recently truly started watching full streams
I stumbled onto a stream of this guy lirik playing GTA V role playing
and the result is some of the best entertainment I had in a long time
you can watch some of the last streams on his video history

as for pure gaming streams they are only interesting to me if the guy is really good and I have something to learn by watching him play

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I'd rather watch grass grow than watch other people play games, it gives me a bigger adrenaline surge. If I suffered from insomnia, then maybe Twitch and similar services would be a better and safer alternative to prescription drugs.

 

[cartera]

I will watch some which may help improve my own strategy gameplay. I have a mate who watches tabletop though, that's really weird. Essentially role play board games, it makes me cringe.

 

[Scshadow]

I hate variety streamers or professional multiplayers. But speedrunners on the other hand, damn man, you think you know your favorite game, well you don't know anything after you watch a speedrunner play it. I stick to watching mainly KH2FM speedrunners and I've learned so much. I'm sorry people here just don't get what its like to see a person PB/WR but they are amazing feats in any competitive speedrunning game. What they can do, I know I never can. Anyway, what people don't get is that Twitch is now largely all about interacting with the viewers. They play games in the chat and make friends. It's basically the 2010's version of chatrooms with live entertainment on the side.

 

[Uncle Al]

Booorrrrriiiinggggggggg !!!!!

 

[Panda218]

I will watch some which may help improve my own strategy gameplay. I have a mate who watches tabletop though, that's really weird. Essentially role play board games, it makes me cringe.

I also enjoy watching Tabletop mainly because I don't get to play much anymore since everyone is getting married and having children. Its usually just background noise when I'm painting my minitures, but I love seeing some Bloodbowl, WOK and Warmachine/Hordes.

 

[yRaz]

I think it appeals to lonely people that can't afford games most of the time. And don't get the wrong idea, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. If you're someone with social anxiety and an escapist attitude simply hearing the sound of someones voice can do wonders for your mental health.

Streaming is also good if you're interested in a game but aren't satisfied with game reviews

 

[BabyFaceLee]

[sigh] My new website ("WTFIsThePoint.com") will be streaming me watch someone taking a nap next Wednesday if you're interested.

 

[J spot]

I think it appeals to lonely people that can't afford games most of the time. And don't get the wrong idea, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. If you're someone with social anxiety and an escapist attitude simply hearing the sound of someones voice can do wonders for your mental health.

Streaming is also good if you're interested in a game but aren't satisfied with game reviews

Your comment is based more about your imagination about something you're not familiar with. Which is a normal human approach to things.

It's more of a following a community that's based on a game that a particular viewer is very familiar with, because they played the game a lot. And the community has key players, who people watch because they are record holders on the particular game.

Then it becomes more of a competition, and that's the main draw of following the player. will this key player get to beat the world record that this other key player took away from them. If they do, what were the technical reasons. I would compare it more to AMD vs Intel, and just competition in the tech industry, where the focus is more logical and technical, and that's the entertainment factor.

The idea that people watch some casual player playing a game, because they can't afford it, would be like watching grass grow. I can imagine a person going on YouTube to check out a new game that just came out, just to see if they would like it. But simply watching casual gameplay just because they can't afford it? The average cost of most streamed games I would imagine range from free, due to emulators, to like $5, because the vast majority of paid games are not the latest.

 

[TomSEA]

Like dellule, it's fun watching someone else play at their or your house. But going out of my way to watch streaming gaming? Nope...

 

[EClyde]

Boring but people do boring things all the time

 

[Brock Kane]

You know I just tried Twitch for the first time. Because of the craze lately. Had to check it out for myself. I got out of it, what I thought I would get out of it. Really, kinda boring actually. I know, I am getting old, not into the latest things like that. But I would much rather be using that same amount of time playing a video game myself, than watching someone else playing.

But one thing I did discover about it, and I'm sure most would agree. If there's a game I want to know about or thinking of buying. Twitch is a good place to see the game first hand before buying. So in a sense, Twitch has value for me so that I don't waste my money on a game I thought would be good because of reviews.

Reviews aren't always the best way to decide on a game. I think reviews and Twitch combined will give a more accurate response to my future purchases of games.