For the viewer: Playing take a lot of energy, watching is more passive. Especially like horror games that raise your blood pressure / heartrate. Also, not everyone can afford games, some are console only, and even PC games have hardware requirements that people don’t have, because people either have a potato computer, or just have smartphone only. Also, games are hard, watching a streamer dying is kinda funny.
For the streamer: Socialization (even tho its kinda one-sided, they can still read comments / live chat), and most importantly, money.
I mean I couldn’t handle horror games even if I was just watching! The hardware stuff is valid though. I used to watch videos of this family play APB wayyy long ago since it was on PC only I think (or paid). Watching others play in a livestream just feels like blue balling yourself though.
I only follow a handful of streamers, I really don’t care what games they play. What’s important to me is that they’re entertaining, not too loud like 90% of U.S streamers.
I especially like streamers who play with their friends, I find solo streamers boring and compensate by being loud and shouting all the time.
Sometimes I just don’t have the time to play so I leave a streamer on in the background while I work and look at that screen every once in a while to catch s glimpse of a game that’s nostalgic and comfortable.
I will also never understand the fascination with streaming. Just play the game, nerd.
For the viewer: Playing take a lot of energy, watching is more passive. Especially like horror games that raise your blood pressure / heartrate. Also, not everyone can afford games, some are console only, and even PC games have hardware requirements that people don’t have, because people either have a potato computer, or just have smartphone only. Also, games are hard, watching a streamer dying is kinda funny.
For the streamer: Socialization (even tho its kinda one-sided, they can still read comments / live chat), and most importantly, money.
I mean I couldn’t handle horror games even if I was just watching! The hardware stuff is valid though. I used to watch videos of this family play APB wayyy long ago since it was on PC only I think (or paid). Watching others play in a livestream just feels like blue balling yourself though.
It’s not just to watch the game, it’s to watch/listen to the streamer. It’s like a talk show.
It’s not just for the game, but the narration.
I only follow a handful of streamers, I really don’t care what games they play. What’s important to me is that they’re entertaining, not too loud like 90% of U.S streamers.
I especially like streamers who play with their friends, I find solo streamers boring and compensate by being loud and shouting all the time.
Sometimes I just don’t have the time to play so I leave a streamer on in the background while I work and look at that screen every once in a while to catch s glimpse of a game that’s nostalgic and comfortable.