Why watching games is just as fun as playing them
video description
Date: 2024-08-17
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 20
TheBookwormBakery
IMO playing video games and watching video games be played are equivalent (though not identical) ways to enjoy games. By playing a game yourself you get to experience the gameplay itself, and for games with differing choices/endings you get to choose which one YOU want to see, but you're also limited by your own skills and knowledge of the game. By watching someone else play it you get to experience all of the same story and visuals/sound of the game, and you can SEE the gameplay, but won't get the experience of how the controls feel. There's also the obvious benefit that was discussed early on of you can experience a game without having to own the console it's available on, which is a big thing for console exclusive games as well as the price of anything to do with gaming lately. the biggest downside is that if you're watching someone else play, usually you don't have any say in the choices they make while playing.
I used to be a huge Game Watcher but as i got more of my Own Funds i got more into Game Playing and i realized that sometimes i don't want to watch someone else play a game that I can play because I'll want to make different choices. Other times I'll want to watch a friend play a game that they're better at than me so I can see parts of it that it would take me a long time to see on their own. Hell, even just being a Game Watcher can turn a lot of people into Game Players, I got into video games at all by watching my aunt play stuff like WoW and Metroid as a kid and it pushed me toward playing more games myself.
Both forms of Enjoying Video Games have their own merits. Yes they are an interactive medium, but they're also called VIDEO games. They have cutscenes and lovingly rendered graphics and iconic music for a reason: for people to watch and enjoy. And hanging out in a group and watching a friend play a video game can also be a social activity in itself, and has often been some of the most fun I've had interacting with a game.
reply
IMO playing video games and watching video games be played are equivalent (though not identical) ways to enjoy games. By playing a game yourself you get to experience the gameplay itself, and for games with differing choices/endings you get to choose which one YOU want to see, but you're also limited by your own skills and knowledge of the game. By watching someone else play it you get to experience all of the same story and visuals/sound of the game, and you can SEE the gameplay, but won't get the experience of how the controls feel. There's also the obvious benefit that was discussed early on of you can experience a game without having to own the console it's available on, which is a big thing for console exclusive games as well as the price of anything to do with gaming lately. the biggest downside is that if you're watching someone else play, usually you don't have any say in the choices they make while playing.
I used to be a huge Game Watcher but as i got more of my Own Funds i got more into Game Playing and i realized that sometimes i don't want to watch someone else play a game that I can play because I'll want to make different choices. Other times I'll want to watch a friend play a game that they're better at than me so I can see parts of it that it would take me a long time to see on their own. Hell, even just being a Game Watcher can turn a lot of people into Game Players, I got into video games at all by watching my aunt play stuff like WoW and Metroid as a kid and it pushed me toward playing more games myself.
Both forms of Enjoying Video Games have their own merits. Yes they are an interactive medium, but they're also called VIDEO games. They have cutscenes and lovingly rendered graphics and iconic music for a reason: for people to watch and enjoy. And hanging out in a group and watching a friend play a video game can also be a social activity in itself, and has often been some of the most fun I've had interacting with a game.
reply
Flameclaw123
I'd also add that games are an expensive hobby. You want to play basketball You need a hoop, a ball, and any paved surface, and you can use the same ones forever. You want to pick up gaming Well it's a few hundred bucks for a console or suitable PC, then anywhere from $5-70 per game depending on if your tastes run indie or triple A. The average person just doesn't have the money (let alone the time) to personally play every game they're interested in, and buying a game before you know the jist might mean you've dropped $60 on something you won't even finish. Watching other people play games is fun, but it also means you can decide if you like the game enough to buy it for yourself, or experience some games you don't have the time/funds/interest to play.
Obligatory caveat that there are cheaper options for games (ex. many libraries are now letting people rent games alongside books, movies, and a host of other stuff, but often the selection is limited to what they have available, so it's far from a perfect alternative even though I think it's great that these options are available!
reply
I'd also add that games are an expensive hobby. You want to play basketball You need a hoop, a ball, and any paved surface, and you can use the same ones forever. You want to pick up gaming Well it's a few hundred bucks for a console or suitable PC, then anywhere from $5-70 per game depending on if your tastes run indie or triple A. The average person just doesn't have the money (let alone the time) to personally play every game they're interested in, and buying a game before you know the jist might mean you've dropped $60 on something you won't even finish. Watching other people play games is fun, but it also means you can decide if you like the game enough to buy it for yourself, or experience some games you don't have the time/funds/interest to play.
Obligatory caveat that there are cheaper options for games (ex. many libraries are now letting people rent games alongside books, movies, and a host of other stuff, but often the selection is limited to what they have available, so it's far from a perfect alternative even though I think it's great that these options are available!
reply
sadpee7710
the mirror neuron connection seems really speculative and weak. reading reddit posts didn't seem to add much. the topic just seems kind of unnecessary in general, as while there are those who watch but don't play, i wager that most that play also watch. it does not need to be explained to either camp why it's fun to watch games, we know what's appealing about it.
the only thing i can imagine coming out of this video is just the awareness check. did you know that there's people in the community who don't actually play games themselves and did you know some people are elitist and dismissive of game fans who don't actually play. which is something of value to point out as it does go overlooked. but there's nothing more i can see being worth making a video about.
sorry to be a hater
reply
the mirror neuron connection seems really speculative and weak. reading reddit posts didn't seem to add much. the topic just seems kind of unnecessary in general, as while there are those who watch but don't play, i wager that most that play also watch. it does not need to be explained to either camp why it's fun to watch games, we know what's appealing about it.
the only thing i can imagine coming out of this video is just the awareness check. did you know that there's people in the community who don't actually play games themselves and did you know some people are elitist and dismissive of game fans who don't actually play. which is something of value to point out as it does go overlooked. but there's nothing more i can see being worth making a video about.
sorry to be a hater
reply
colinmackeruo6812
I grew up watching my older brother play games. There were certainly games I enjoyed playing by myself, causal games, simulators and city builders, but I never really enjoyed playing the more skill based games as much as I enjoyed watching my brother play them. Whether it was Sonic 2, Turok, or DBZ BudoKai I loved watching my brother play. I never really got into other genere of games until after my brother moved out for college and I finally dipped my toes into Halo and World of Warcraft, but I really feel like I felt the magic when I found games like Oblivion and Red Dead Redemption. Now in days I like to think Ive found a happy medium in my game playing with Rimworld and CK3 which for me feel like a combination of RPG elements I enjoy and the city builders I played as a kid.
reply
I grew up watching my older brother play games. There were certainly games I enjoyed playing by myself, causal games, simulators and city builders, but I never really enjoyed playing the more skill based games as much as I enjoyed watching my brother play them. Whether it was Sonic 2, Turok, or DBZ BudoKai I loved watching my brother play. I never really got into other genere of games until after my brother moved out for college and I finally dipped my toes into Halo and World of Warcraft, but I really feel like I felt the magic when I found games like Oblivion and Red Dead Redemption. Now in days I like to think Ive found a happy medium in my game playing with Rimworld and CK3 which for me feel like a combination of RPG elements I enjoy and the city builders I played as a kid.
reply
reilynn7891
I really don't like the if you don't have the skill comment at 7: 00. All the other reasons listed after are fine, but saying that some people just have skill at video games and others dont reminds me of how artists don't like being told you're so talented and I'm not, because it devalues the effort they put in to achieve the things they do. Literally nobody on the planet is born with skill at video games, or anything else, and attributing people's abilities to some innate skill stat that is fixed for each person is really insulting, and while on the surface it sounds like a compliment to call someone talented, really what it's saying is you're only good at x thing because of this innate quality about you that you were lucky enough to be born with and is out of your control.
reply
I really don't like the if you don't have the skill comment at 7: 00. All the other reasons listed after are fine, but saying that some people just have skill at video games and others dont reminds me of how artists don't like being told you're so talented and I'm not, because it devalues the effort they put in to achieve the things they do. Literally nobody on the planet is born with skill at video games, or anything else, and attributing people's abilities to some innate skill stat that is fixed for each person is really insulting, and while on the surface it sounds like a compliment to call someone talented, really what it's saying is you're only good at x thing because of this innate quality about you that you were lucky enough to be born with and is out of your control.
reply
clover3124
I play games, but I watch streamers a lot more. I just don't have the time or money! Plus, it reminds me of taking turns with my brother growing up. I was always way more into games than him, so we would take turns watching each other play. I did the same thing with my roommates in college. Watching live streams feels super nostalgic for me. It's kind of like audiobooks vs. physical books. They're different mediums that allow you to enjoy the same thing. And like audiobooks, there will always be people who say that's not real reading, even though it's the only/best way for some people to enjoy books. (To me, audiobooks count as reading, btw) watching people play games isn't exactly the same as playing them, but it's super enjoyable and a totally valid form of entertainment.
reply
I play games, but I watch streamers a lot more. I just don't have the time or money! Plus, it reminds me of taking turns with my brother growing up. I was always way more into games than him, so we would take turns watching each other play. I did the same thing with my roommates in college. Watching live streams feels super nostalgic for me. It's kind of like audiobooks vs. physical books. They're different mediums that allow you to enjoy the same thing. And like audiobooks, there will always be people who say that's not real reading, even though it's the only/best way for some people to enjoy books. (To me, audiobooks count as reading, btw) watching people play games isn't exactly the same as playing them, but it's super enjoyable and a totally valid form of entertainment.
reply
polygon
I assume game watchers are weirdly maligned because gamers are really obsessed with proving themselves as real gamers and want rules and all of the gates. Meanwhile sports are so much older it's far more common to watch. So i assume as games get even more mainstream, game watchers will be more accepted.
I used to be baffled by them sadly. I couldn't wrap my head around people being fans of Ace Attorney just through streams. But like a tv show, all games work pretty well with that like with ppl adding voice acting or commentary. I remember watching Kizuna Ai play all of Resident Evil 7 bc of the meme and then i watched 8 because i wanted to know the story but not play. Seeing ppl u like play the game really can turn you into a fan and be great advertising.
reply
I assume game watchers are weirdly maligned because gamers are really obsessed with proving themselves as real gamers and want rules and all of the gates. Meanwhile sports are so much older it's far more common to watch. So i assume as games get even more mainstream, game watchers will be more accepted.
I used to be baffled by them sadly. I couldn't wrap my head around people being fans of Ace Attorney just through streams. But like a tv show, all games work pretty well with that like with ppl adding voice acting or commentary. I remember watching Kizuna Ai play all of Resident Evil 7 bc of the meme and then i watched 8 because i wanted to know the story but not play. Seeing ppl u like play the game really can turn you into a fan and be great advertising.
reply
bpcgos
Back in the day Im watching other people playing games because either I didnt have the console myself so I have to play it on my friends house or while waiting for my turn to play.
So, pardon me, I didnt understand and cant fathom the reason people watching streaming of other people playing games other than fomo and not to missed topic during conversation in their community. Contrary to that, me watching other play only evokes that bad memory of waiting my turn to play in friends house and ended up only play for 3-4 times during my limited visit to the friends house before going home.
And no, I didnt knew any streamer at all except after they make some controversies and pop up in the News, and Im not interested in watching esports
reply
Back in the day Im watching other people playing games because either I didnt have the console myself so I have to play it on my friends house or while waiting for my turn to play.
So, pardon me, I didnt understand and cant fathom the reason people watching streaming of other people playing games other than fomo and not to missed topic during conversation in their community. Contrary to that, me watching other play only evokes that bad memory of waiting my turn to play in friends house and ended up only play for 3-4 times during my limited visit to the friends house before going home.
And no, I didnt knew any streamer at all except after they make some controversies and pop up in the News, and Im not interested in watching esports
reply
rdbury507
I've experienced games both ways, and when I first saw a Let's Play one of my first thoughts was This is the beginning of a new art form. Because there are good LPers who have the ability to keep you engaged in what they're doing, and others who don't. Being a good LPer involves a lot of things, actually being good at playing doesn't hurt, but more important is being able to express your emotions and thought processes. There are many more people who want to be successful LPers than people who succeed at it, so there is some degree of skill and/or talent involved. (Part of this may be the fault of the YouTuble algorithm though) Anyway, you know you're a game fan when you find yourself shouting at the screen: No! Use your spear!
reply
I've experienced games both ways, and when I first saw a Let's Play one of my first thoughts was This is the beginning of a new art form. Because there are good LPers who have the ability to keep you engaged in what they're doing, and others who don't. Being a good LPer involves a lot of things, actually being good at playing doesn't hurt, but more important is being able to express your emotions and thought processes. There are many more people who want to be successful LPers than people who succeed at it, so there is some degree of skill and/or talent involved. (Part of this may be the fault of the YouTuble algorithm though) Anyway, you know you're a game fan when you find yourself shouting at the screen: No! Use your spear!
reply
ibbigail
Great video! I enjoy both watching and playing games now, but as a kid with an older brother I definitely watched much more than I played. I considered Twilight Princess to be my favorite game (I liked that Link could turn into a wolf) but I never played it, and my brother never finished it despite my constant pleading lol. It never occurred to me that I could have just tried to play it myself. I also love watching friends play games or having friends watch me play games, but I’ve never really thought about this social aspect of gameplay before. I’ll be showing this video to the people I’ve bored by needing to talk to every npc twice to get all of their dialogue
reply
Great video! I enjoy both watching and playing games now, but as a kid with an older brother I definitely watched much more than I played. I considered Twilight Princess to be my favorite game (I liked that Link could turn into a wolf) but I never played it, and my brother never finished it despite my constant pleading lol. It never occurred to me that I could have just tried to play it myself. I also love watching friends play games or having friends watch me play games, but I’ve never really thought about this social aspect of gameplay before. I’ll be showing this video to the people I’ve bored by needing to talk to every npc twice to get all of their dialogue
reply
polygon
a lot of the games i love, i absolutely hate to play. but watching someone else play them chefs kiss mwah! i find it incredibly hard to focus on one thing at a time, and, well, games require full time looking at the screen to play. also. sometimes i dont have 60 hours of full attention time to give a video game, but i do have 60 hours of time to do other things while i watch the experience. plus first person cameras make me extremely motion sick when i play myself but not nearly so much when i watch it.
that being said, i also like playing games with a friend watching! my beloved doesnt enjoy playing games themself but is always asking to watch me.
reply
a lot of the games i love, i absolutely hate to play. but watching someone else play them chefs kiss mwah! i find it incredibly hard to focus on one thing at a time, and, well, games require full time looking at the screen to play. also. sometimes i dont have 60 hours of full attention time to give a video game, but i do have 60 hours of time to do other things while i watch the experience. plus first person cameras make me extremely motion sick when i play myself but not nearly so much when i watch it.
that being said, i also like playing games with a friend watching! my beloved doesnt enjoy playing games themself but is always asking to watch me.
reply
ElysianLys
I'm a lifelong game watcher, as somebody that's legally blind with impaired fine motor skills. I play some that don't require quick reflexes myself (I love visual novels, but I don't have that same drive of no, I wanna do it! that some people have. I love watching a bunch of different people play a game because of the unique way they play it; you get a broader and more varied experience that way, and maybe learn things you never would've figured out on your own! I wish gamers at large were more understanding of people who don't or can't play the same titles but still accept them as genuine fans, just as much as any player. Thanks for the video!
reply
I'm a lifelong game watcher, as somebody that's legally blind with impaired fine motor skills. I play some that don't require quick reflexes myself (I love visual novels, but I don't have that same drive of no, I wanna do it! that some people have. I love watching a bunch of different people play a game because of the unique way they play it; you get a broader and more varied experience that way, and maybe learn things you never would've figured out on your own! I wish gamers at large were more understanding of people who don't or can't play the same titles but still accept them as genuine fans, just as much as any player. Thanks for the video!
reply
munafruit
i have started playing a lot more games now but i used to pretty much exclusively watch others play them. largely bc i couldn't afford the games i wanted to play and bc i was bad at the games i wanted to play. since being able to afford more ive also found games i can be good at and gotten better at some i used to be bad at. but for some games (cough soulslikes cough roguelikes cough metroidvanias) i will always remain a watcher. it does get frustrating not being able to control things lol but it's also super layered enjoyment of the player and the game itself. i love being a gamer and a watcher. and i stand by watcher as the term
reply
i have started playing a lot more games now but i used to pretty much exclusively watch others play them. largely bc i couldn't afford the games i wanted to play and bc i was bad at the games i wanted to play. since being able to afford more ive also found games i can be good at and gotten better at some i used to be bad at. but for some games (cough soulslikes cough roguelikes cough metroidvanias) i will always remain a watcher. it does get frustrating not being able to control things lol but it's also super layered enjoyment of the player and the game itself. i love being a gamer and a watcher. and i stand by watcher as the term
reply
MoratJuanka
we needed exactly this video.
i've been thinking on this in the background of my mind for ages. i like to pay attention to what my body and mind do when engaging in different activities, and I've definitely noticed the differences in engagement between watching games i've played, games similar to things i've played and everything else. watching something i've played a lot feels a lot closer to playing that game than it would seem to be. if you pay attention to yourself, you will notice the game model in your brain running in a sort of low power mode, so as to understand and think about what will or should come next.
reply
we needed exactly this video.
i've been thinking on this in the background of my mind for ages. i like to pay attention to what my body and mind do when engaging in different activities, and I've definitely noticed the differences in engagement between watching games i've played, games similar to things i've played and everything else. watching something i've played a lot feels a lot closer to playing that game than it would seem to be. if you pay attention to yourself, you will notice the game model in your brain running in a sort of low power mode, so as to understand and think about what will or should come next.
reply
MrFaleh1129
0: 45 i dont play or watch but follow games news and pc builds and etc. i have the means i just dont want for some reason, maybe time constraints or maybe i need like weeks to play a story driven game and just dont have the means too, i honestly dont know why
like i dont have time is a lie to myself so i dont get addicted i have time im just not using it on games even though i want to badly
so i end up just playing a casual fifa game and call it a day
i think it has to do with my huge backlog and not knowing what to start and if i start something i quickly ditch it
reply
0: 45 i dont play or watch but follow games news and pc builds and etc. i have the means i just dont want for some reason, maybe time constraints or maybe i need like weeks to play a story driven game and just dont have the means too, i honestly dont know why
like i dont have time is a lie to myself so i dont get addicted i have time im just not using it on games even though i want to badly
so i end up just playing a casual fifa game and call it a day
i think it has to do with my huge backlog and not knowing what to start and if i start something i quickly ditch it
reply
LaserbeaksFury
It makes me wonder if the urge to backseat game also stems from the mirror neuron effect. If I see someone playing a game and having a hard time, there is an urge to offer help. It might be that my seeing someone having a hard time makes me feel like I am having a hard time, and I want to either alleviate that discomfort or even possibly prove I am not playing that badly by expressing my game knowledge. I've learned to suppress that urge (mostly, because it's very rude to try and explain a game to someone gracious enough to share their experience with it.
reply
It makes me wonder if the urge to backseat game also stems from the mirror neuron effect. If I see someone playing a game and having a hard time, there is an urge to offer help. It might be that my seeing someone having a hard time makes me feel like I am having a hard time, and I want to either alleviate that discomfort or even possibly prove I am not playing that badly by expressing my game knowledge. I've learned to suppress that urge (mostly, because it's very rude to try and explain a game to someone gracious enough to share their experience with it.
reply
loganl3746
Currently, I can't afford all the different consoles or a computer I'd need to play all the games I'd want to, and I don't have the time. I can watch a Letsplay on YT or twitch while I'm working tho.
Growing up, I used to watch my brother play games (Metroid or Starfox or Smash Bros on the GameCube iirc, especially so. Mostly it was because he was better at it, but also because it's so much easier to focus on the story and environments when I'm not trying to also remember the buttons (which I have a serious difficulty no matter how long I play, idk why)
reply
Currently, I can't afford all the different consoles or a computer I'd need to play all the games I'd want to, and I don't have the time. I can watch a Letsplay on YT or twitch while I'm working tho.
Growing up, I used to watch my brother play games (Metroid or Starfox or Smash Bros on the GameCube iirc, especially so. Mostly it was because he was better at it, but also because it's so much easier to focus on the story and environments when I'm not trying to also remember the buttons (which I have a serious difficulty no matter how long I play, idk why)
reply
cyberspacecat
I think the point you bring up about motor resonance and mirror neurons explains a lot of unsolicited backseating too, you might be experienced with a game but you're not in control, so you might try to direct someone's game to resemble yours, like someone who yells at a sports match about how the players should've played.
I really enjoy the communities that spring up around game streams, it kind of does feel like sports for non-sports fans, especially if it's an e-sport or, often in my case, a speedrun of a game you're familiar with.
reply
I think the point you bring up about motor resonance and mirror neurons explains a lot of unsolicited backseating too, you might be experienced with a game but you're not in control, so you might try to direct someone's game to resemble yours, like someone who yells at a sports match about how the players should've played.
I really enjoy the communities that spring up around game streams, it kind of does feel like sports for non-sports fans, especially if it's an e-sport or, often in my case, a speedrun of a game you're familiar with.
reply
robot_spider
My wife watches me play--though I prefer to say we play it together. I'm just the one with the controller. Primarily Zelda games, but others as well. She likes the story and the excitement, but doesn't handle the twitch controls as well. It's something we've done together for a long time. I don't make her watch me play FPS or city-builders, but she likes the adventure games a lot. I'll see something and say Where did we see that symbol before and she's the one to remember It was on the wall inside that water temple.
reply
My wife watches me play--though I prefer to say we play it together. I'm just the one with the controller. Primarily Zelda games, but others as well. She likes the story and the excitement, but doesn't handle the twitch controls as well. It's something we've done together for a long time. I don't make her watch me play FPS or city-builders, but she likes the adventure games a lot. I'll see something and say Where did we see that symbol before and she's the one to remember It was on the wall inside that water temple.
reply
DreySabriel
Ive ended up watching a lot of FromSoft game streams recently, and its interesting to me how having played those games (even if not extremely well) translates into an eerie sense of feeling the hits coming a split second before they happen, if whoever Im watching happens to mistime a roll in a boss fight or something. It’s not 100% accurate, and certainly not fast enough that I can do anything about it, but my brain still sends the DODGE NOW signal in a way thats palpable to me. Thanks, mirror neurons! XP
reply
Ive ended up watching a lot of FromSoft game streams recently, and its interesting to me how having played those games (even if not extremely well) translates into an eerie sense of feeling the hits coming a split second before they happen, if whoever Im watching happens to mistime a roll in a boss fight or something. It’s not 100% accurate, and certainly not fast enough that I can do anything about it, but my brain still sends the DODGE NOW signal in a way thats palpable to me. Thanks, mirror neurons! XP
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
