Kids watching videos of people playing videogames

[F1980]

Just found out that there's more people watching Twitch, which is a video streaming site that streams people playing videogames, than people watching Netflix and HBO combined.

Mostly younger people watching other people play videogames for hours on end. They also play the games themselves, but they spend more time watching other people play.

Can you equate this behavior to people watching sports on TV?

 

[ithinktheymad]

Welcome to 6 years ago gramps.

 

[Kaybee]

Honestly, it's easy to dismiss this as weird Gen-Z fuckery, but I remember as a kid peering over my dad's shoulder as he played computer games like Diablo and C&C. I used to even bug him to play the games so I could watch, and to think of it is that really any different?

Granted, I was like 5 and these are 14 year-olds spending hours a day watching others play, but still I kinda get the appeal.

 

[Plutoburn]

The closest thing that I can relate to is when I was little, before multiplayer exist, a group of us would play video games together. Nowadays, streamers interact with viewers, and the viewers chat with each other in chat. And that's what it feels like. Watching sport is a lot less interactive.

 

[Medulla Omoplata]

I get it.
No different than watching people play sports or renovate their houses or pretend to be a detective for a cheesy tv show IMO.
People like an escape that doesn't require a lot of energy, and tend to gravitate towards something that matches their interests.

 

[Ignicious]

Well, there seems to be a lot of people watching other people having sex online as well. And then they pretend to have sex themselves using their hand. so it's not really that weird...

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

I prefer threads about kids watching peo0e play video games

 

[Rdude92]

Yeah nothing wierd for me. Anyway, that dude Ninja earns about 500k per month

 

[Merlotte's]

There’s also girls who look like this on Twitch

 

[mjmj]

My kids watch Fortnite videos. They explained that they can learn different things, like where to find items and such. Doesn't appeal to me, but they're 9 and 10.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

Just found out that there's more people watching Twitch, which is a video streaming site that streams people playing videogames, than people watching Netflix and HBO combined.

Mostly younger people watching other people play videogames for hours on end. They also play the games themselves, but they spend more time watching other people play.

Can you equate this behavior to people watching sports on TV?

Twitch is massive and very lucrative because it has a captive audience that will sit there in one chat room for hours engaging with the streamer. I think this is one of its big draws- the ability to directly chat with the streamer live. In a large chat room, that means everyone will do anything they can to grab the streamer's attention. And usually that means making a donation so your name lights up.

Twitch has Youtube shook so they've been pouring all their resources to create a competing platform. You may have noticed changes on Youtube with new features for livestreaming. That was implemented to control the exodus to Twitch.

Remember when everyone made fun of Amazon for paying 4 billion dollars for a video game stream site? Now look at it. An absolute juggernaut.

 

[Rygu]

It's weird to me. I would much rather play a video game than watch someone play one.

I hear the argument that it's no different than watching sports on TV which makes zero sense to me. I watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady do things I could never do regardless of how much I practice. Anyone could compete with anyone gaming on Twitch with practice.

The ones who watch hotties gaming are basically the same as those who watch webcam girls minus the explicit stuff.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

There’s also girls who look like this on Twitch

View attachment 609413

funny thing is these girls make nowhere near the amount of money that guys like this do:

This dude is making over 100k a month on subscribers alone, and much more beyond that with sponsorships and viewer donations. It's incredible how much money one can make playing video games without even being a hot chick.

As a matter of fact, there is only one girl (pokimane) among the top 10 earners of Twitch.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

It's weird to me. I would much rather play a video game than watch someone play one.

I hear the argument that it's no different than watching sports on TV which makes zero sense to me. I watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady do things I could never do regardless of how much I practice. Anyone could compete with anyone gaming on Twitch with practice.

The ones who watch hotties gaming are basically the same as those who watch webcam girls minus the explicit stuff.

The sports viewing analogy doesnt work because Twitch viewership isn't passive like watching TV. They watch to hang out in the chat room and shit talk with other viewers.

Pre-recorded Youtube videos of guys playing through games would be a better analogy. A once popular genre referred to as "Let's Plays" which is a passive viewing experience. But Twitch came along and destroyed it.

Here is a clip of someone receiving a 75k donation live and the pandemonium it causes in the chat to give you a better idea.

 

[Zer]

funny thing is these girls make nowhere near the amount of money that guys like this do:

This dude is making over 100k a month on subscribers alone, and much more beyond that with sponsorships and viewer donations. It's incredible how much money one can make playing video games without even being a hot chick.

As a matter of fact, there is only one girl (pokimane) among the top 10 earners of Twitch.

Shroud's gameplay gets me harder than any female could bro

 

[Oblivian]

I'm 37 and I think it's strange, but when you look deeper, is it really? I was big into skateboarding when I was younger. We used to always sit around and watch skate videos on VHS and DVD. I was also into guitar, and with youtube, I'll just watch some people play guitar covers. Similarly with lifting, I follow a lot of lifters and watch youtube videos of people lifting weights.

If you sit back and think about it, most people watch weird shit. If my wife were to try to knock it, my kids could just say "you watch a TV show that is other people buying and selling houses".

 

[90 50]

It's weird to me. I would much rather play a video game than watch someone play one.

I hear the argument that it's no different than watching sports on TV which makes zero sense to me. I watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady do things I could never do regardless of how much I practice. Anyone could compete with anyone gaming on Twitch with practice.

The ones who watch hotties gaming are basically the same as those who watch webcam girls minus the explicit stuff.

Not true, it’s the same.

There are those that play some games that are regarded as gods among men, on certain games. No amount of practice will make you play like them. It’s the same.

I don’t watch live streams, but I’ve watched plenty of pre recorded gameplay on YouTube.

I used to feel the same way, why watch another play when you can do it too, or just play yourself.

I normally only watch walkthrough, to pick up on things I might not have thought of, or see how someone else approaches a problem.

Or challenge videos , and go try them myself and add challenges to the discussion in comments and forums.

Go watch “trials of a doom god” and see some of the crazy challenges that are on there and tell me that “anyone with enough practice could do it” is the exact same as saying anyone with enough practice can play like Brady.

 

[Fzubek]

I love fighting games, and in my opinion to become "good" at then takes some skill and practice. For that reason I really dig watching pro players play, see what I can pick up and why they are doing certain things in certain situations.

My girl doesnt really get into it, but this weekend she was watching a top 8 at a big tournament on Twitch with me and she was popping off too lol.

 

[Fzubek]

Not true, it’s the same.

There are those that play some games that are regarded as gods among men, on certain games. No amount of practice will make you play like them. It’s the same.

I don’t watch live streams, but I’ve watched plenty of pre recorded gameplay on YouTube.

I used to feel the same way, why watch another play when you can do it too, or just play yourself.

I normally only watch walkthrough, to pick up on things I might not have thought of, or see how someone else approaches a problem.

Or challenge videos , and go try them myself and add challenges to the discussion in comments and forums.

Go watch “trials of a doom god” and see some of the crazy challenges that are on there and tell me that “anyone with enough practice could do it” is the exact same as saying anyone with enough practice can play like Brady.

Id say youre wrong about that.

Lots or these guys practice for hours on end daily.. not just playing but practicing. Not to mention many of the top fighting game players seem to have intagibles that practice wouldnt always develop.

 

[Reactionary Corporatist]

Just found out that there's more people watching Twitch, which is a video streaming site that streams people playing videogames, than people watching Netflix and HBO combined.

Mostly younger people watching other people play videogames for hours on end. They also play the games themselves, but they spend more time watching other people play.

Can you equate this behavior to people watching sports on TV?

Yeah its almost similar to how people obsess over watching football basketball baseball and hockey and basically don't play it themselves... Weird huh...