When it comes to watching games on YouTube/twitch what do you like to watch?

[kapp_badbloodz]

I’ve recently been on a nolstagic type binge and have been watching a lot of old gameplay. It got me thinking: when it comes to YouTube and/or streaming services, what type of games do you typically watch?

Given the current climate of AAA titles and their lack of value V fun or entertainment value, do you think we will see a surge in indie gaming or retro gaming?

What do you wish there was more of? Do you think streamers and content creators should strictly game or incorporate some sort of niche to their content/streams? What would you want to see more or less of?

I find the the whole concept interesting and the situation with most higher up developers intriguing as it definitely affects the way the community games. Kinda wanted to see what everyone else things because, honestly, I could see a resurgence in older games making a comeback since technology now allows us to share those games more intimately than previously before.

[Sorain]

I think some of the most interesting stuff to watch is big multi-streamer 4x multiplayer games. You get to see something unfold from multiple perspectives and 4x games have so much detail and scope that with a good streamer it's fascinating. Stellaris is fitting that nitche right now but I'd love to see some people have a good game of Sword of the Stars (With all it's expansions.) played out.

[CyberJ]

Honestly when I first came across channels featuring "Look at me play this game" my initial response was "Why would I watch someone play a game that I can play myself?". The channels that I do watch mostly have to do with reviewing a game or include some type of gameplay tutorials.

[raremens]

Right now, I love watching full CS:GO competitive matches, preferably professional matches. I really enjoy watching good players play my favorite game.
It really depends on what I am playing at that moment. I think most Youtubers are just going to play the next big game. It's Fortnite now, but I suspect that Fortnite won't be popular for much longer.

[Spect3r]

Something that truly fascinates me.
How can someone watch other people playing, never understood it why they do it, but apparently that is really a thing.

Serious question to thus of you who watch:
You watch people playing a game you also play or only watch games you dont play?
And if you watch games that you play, why you do it?

[Aretheus]

I think there are 3 common reasons for why I watch twitch streams and Let's Plays.

1) The game is an esport I'm interested in along the lines of Dota 2 and CSGO. These games have low skill floors and infinite skill ceilings so it's always interesting to see what it's like for the best of their best to show off their craft. It's really no different than watching a professional sport game.
2) The person playing has an incredible personality or the game is designed to elicit some emotional reaction from the player so it's fun to see how different experience games. The best example of the former would be when DDLC exploded last year and everybody was watching Let's Plays of it just to see the people falling into madness.
3) I just turn on a stream to act as background noise while I'm doing something else. No different than listening to a music playlist.

[Spect3r]

Aretheus I can understand watching competitive gaming, like you say is the same as watching a sport.

[Gray]

I don't really watch games much, but when I do, it's usually either something I missed out on and don't plan on playing, but still want to see, or something I'm thinking of buying (Hear that, Nintendo?).

I'm only subbed to NintendoCapriSun on Youtube for letsplays, and Motherfucker Mike on Twitch. Neither of which I've watched in awhile.

[zehcoutinho]

I mostly just watch Youtube tutorials when I start a complicated game, did that last for Crusader Kings 2, as after jumping right into it I felt I was gonna lose too much time struggling to learn it properly on my own. Even though I do enjoy watching gameplay videos and streams sometimes, I usually don´t have much time to do it, as I have to actually play in my free time if I´m ever to clear my backlog hehe

[fenrif]

There are very few reasons why I would watch gameplay on youtube. Either I'm interested in the game and want to find out how it plays, someone has edited a funny video together with gameplay, or I'm stuck and need a tutorial.

I have no idea what people get out of watching someone else play a video game when you can just play the game yourself. But then again people like playing walking sims and there's basically no difference between that and watching a video of someone else playing, so go figure.

[RevolverGirl]

There are several reasons to enjoy someone playing a game, the first one is mostly MY reason witch is watching someone react or experience the game blind. Yeah you played it, but you also want to watch how others play it and enjoy it with them.
the second one is watching people that are funny, having fun or entertaining, this is what Gamegrumps do and why I watch people play Mario Kart or Smash bros.
the third one is just commentary, more like a podcast with just gameplay as a base. This is why I watch Brainscratchcomms they have great talking points or jokes about games they play and sometimes go off topic talking about other stuff.
the fourth one is probably not what many people do, but sometimes if you dont have the game you just watch it on youtube.
and the 5th is livestreams and is more about the player and chat than the actual game.

[Omen Gaming]

When I go on You Tube I usually go for beta and early access play through video's, anything I may be interested in I'll watch to get a better idea of the game see if it would be something I'd be interested in purchasing, become very cautious of video's released by the publishers only for the games to not look anything like they did in their preview , mention no names ('Ubisoft') *ahem*. Also if I come across a video for a game I have not heard of before or if there is a new game I've not heard about I'll search for a video and watch them to get an idea of what the game is about. For a complete play through of games I have a few different channels I like to go to and will watch.

[Garrett]

I don't really like to watch people just play games, there has to be something unique about it. I sometimes like to watch speedruns of games I know for the obvious reason that it's a way of playing that's completely unpredictable and strange to a casual player. Also there's a streamer called Lorerunner who researches the background lore and story of a game and then does commentary on the lore as he plays through it, with frequent interactions with the chat who often have interesting questions regarding the topic, or sometimes even correct him when he makes a mistake in his analysis. There are games that you'd think wouldn't even have any lore to speak of, that do, and he finds that out and theorizes on the gaps.

[Aretheus]

I have a rotation of streamers on Twitch that I enjoy watching. Singsing has a fun Dota 2/variety stream with friends and they have very solid chemistry even if they want to rip each other's throats out sometimes. I'll catch some other pro Dota 2 players once in a while like Zai, Arteezy, CCnC, etc. I've also been enjoying my time with Valve's new game Artifact lately. The game has a great tournament system so streamers have been doing stream tournaments where viewers can join in. So I've been going to various Artifact streams for that reason. Then I'll also watch Dota 2/CSGO/Starcraft 2 tournaments if they happen to be going on.

[ryvrdrgn14]

I mostly just watch news and blowup videos about oopsies done by large publishers.

[Flubbbs]

I mostly watch speedrunners on Twitch. Mega Man X streamers like Caleb Hart and some Mario speedruns

[EngulfingDarkness]

I love watching heroes 3 streams, they always bring back that nostalgic feel when i was a dumbass kid trying to play that game. Other then that i just watch dota streams from time to time.