I personally mostly watch gaming streams as a background for work, never as focus activity. As a main activity I definitely prefer to play myself rather than watch others playing, with a rare exception when I’m just interested to see a few minutes of gameplay of some new game to see if I’m interested in it.
I don’t know if I’d still call myself a gamer. I still play games, but I just don’t have much time for them. As such, I do have videos on in the background frequently and it is frequently people playing games (though how they’re doing it or what they’re doing in the games is the interesting part and, in some cases, I’d watch the same content if it weren’t in a game but that’s how it happens to be packaged).
Yeah they run all day while I work. Often while I’m playing too haha.
So, it’s just like traditional sports now
Because who can afford a new gaming rig/system AND games to play on it?
Steam Deck LCD models are on a significant sale right now. Just sayin’…
Looks like they’re out of stock on the on sale ones to me
You don’t have to exclusively play new big-budget games with high spec requirements, an old laptop will play decades of old PC games as well as plenty of newer indies, or you can just go on eBay and buy someone’s last-generation console along with all their controllers and games for the cost of a brand-new game or two!
Use a Steamdeck or an old system, plenty of great games don’t need a high end cutting edge rig (most don’t really)
/s?
You don’t need to play new games to have fun though.
i mean my library has a shitload of games to rent. I’ve played a lot of games this year but only bought two.
True for me. Rare are the days whenni have the mental capacity for playing a game after work. Just watching is easier on the brain.
Clearly, sometimes watching a TV show or a Youtube video is way less demanding than gaming.
I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but it’s my reality.
I also know that I really love immersing myself into story driven games, so playing a few minutes before cooking the meal isn’t an option.
Sticking on a streamer who you can just listen to chat while they happen to be playing a game is just a newer version of having the TV or radio on in the background while you do other stuff. Sometimes we just want to chill and not have to focus!
Super gross conclusions/recommendations from the marketing firm in the article.
I imagine that if the finding was “gamers spend more time watching friends play”, they’d suggest monetizing the couch cushions.
More people watch <insert any sport here> than they play it.
Checks out. I’m the same as others have mentioned, after work I’d rather just tune out and watch someone play a game (or have it on in the background) than actually build up the mental strength to play one myself, or at least a game that has any challenge to it, most days. If I play a game on an evening after work, I’m usually just cruising the Paldea region in Pokemon hunting for shinies or some other interesting pokemon to catch. I can just shut my brain off, move my character around, and look for a different colored pokemon.
And then gamers talks like “pro” and bullying others, without being able to finish a tutorial.
I very much doubt that people are watching games exclusively though. They are probably working, playing a game themselves (I watch while playing Football Manager etc…) or glued to their phone.
I am.
My current job situation makes it impossible to work and watch videos at the same time (mostly)…
It’s a way for me to stress down after a hectic day. I don’t really wanna play video games, but for me putting on a video from a creator, who plays video games ~ there is no new knowledge I need to process, there is no “real world” information that I have to adhere to… it just is whatever… and I can turn my mind off, while Pravus talks about something I don’t really care about ~ so yeah
Is there maybe a generational gap? I am older and I very, very rarely watch videos. Maybe when I am totally stuck in a game will I watch a walkthrough. But just watching other people play is something my kids and their friends do. I think games just caught up to sports, where most fans spend more time watching than playing as well.
Might be. I’m Gen X and have no interest in watching someone play a game in a video. I do like watching someone play in person, though, so I can understand the appeal.
I’m past 50 and I still watch multiple gaming videos daily. Neebs gaming, ragg tag, zylbrad, etc. Most of the creators I watch are entertaining no matter what they are doing. I spend more time gaming than watching videos.
You’re certainly not alone! (I’m older too)
Only time I watch something is to see how to get past a part or get a tricky achievement. I’d be curious if its a generational thing. I started with the Commodore64 and would rather play the games.
Very true. I usually binge videos for whatever game I’m currently playing.
I like watching Nilhaus play factory games so I can learn some new ways to better organize my logistics. That’s a big one.
I’ve never played Europa Universalis IV but I love watching videos of it.
This is not a surprise. Big companies have been very busy for the last decade in transforming video games into glorified visual experiences which feel more of a chore than fun to play.
