Entertainment today is different from the entertainment of decades past. More specifically, many people are finding their free time occupied with game live streaming. From watching their favorite hosts scroll through the pages of a visual novel to crawling along deep in the depths of a dark dungeon, there is something for everyone. But why is game streaming so popular? Why don’t viewers just play the game themselves? Let’s take a closer look.
What is game streaming?
Game streaming refers to streaming live gameplay, typically on Twitch or YouTube. Players have either a specific game or a type of game in which they specialize, and they stream themselves playing it in real time. Some streamers play online a single game, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), while others pick a kind of game, such as horror video games or simulation games, such as Stardew Valley. Still, others opt for games they find on their favorite casino blog, such as the one hosted by Resorts Casino, one of the most trusted names in the industry.
Regardless of the game, gaming streams tend to draw quite a crowd. While not every streamer will find success, many will find a community of dedicated fans of varying sizes sooner or later.
Why is game streaming popular?
If you have ever scrolled through Twitch’s homepage, you’ve probably seen the kinds of numbers top streamers pull in. The genre is clearly popular, but why? We’ll look at a couple of the most common reasons why viewers consistently return to the same streamers day in and day out.
Personalities
One of the big reasons that game streaming has become so popular over the past decade is because of the hosts. Viewers tend to flock to channels with interesting hosts that share their interests. You can find streamers offering everything from political commentary to tech advice while playing, making them a good choice for entertainment beyond the specific game in question.
Chances are good that you have a few people in your life that you love spending time with. Maybe they understand your sense of humor or enjoy the same things you do. Whatever the reason, you enjoy hanging with them more than other people. The same can be said of streamers. When you find someone who likes the things you like, it’s natural to want to see them often. Viewers can do this with streamers. Watching a stream is not quite the same thing as having lunch together, but you can often type in chat and interact with streamers directly, making it close enough to be enjoyable.
Communities
Another reason viewers enjoy watching their streamer of choice is the community built around them. Popular streamers often host multiple platforms to encourage their viewers to interact with one another, including Reddit, Twitter, and Discord, among many others. This results in a fairly tight-knit community with people who share the same interests as the host and, therefore, each other.
Many viewers come for the content and stay for the community.
Free time
How do you spend your free time? For many people, the answer is watching Twitch and eating. Most viewers consume Twitch when their work is done, and they have free time to enjoy it. What better way to fill it than by watching someone you like play a game you like while you sit back and relax? One of the big reasons game streaming is so popular comes down to the way people spend their free time.
Why don’t people just play the games themselves?
If you enjoy a certain game or kind of game, why don’t you play it yourself instead of watching other people play? There are a few different reasons for this.
The game is not accessible enough
Sometimes viewers would love to play a game, but it simply is not available for them. Whether the game is region-locked or simply doesn’t have accessibility features that allow viewers with various disabilities to play, sometimes viewers stream a game because it’s the only way they are able to consume the content. It is as valid a reason as any, of course, and streamers allow them to enjoy the games they would love to play.
Viewers don’t want to play the game
Not everyone who watches someone play a game is interested in playing the game themselves. We talked in an earlier section about why viewers return to the same streamers every day, and it is closely related to the host’s personality. Viewers find someone they enjoy listening to and watching play games they find amusing or mildly entertaining and stick around for the streamer.
They enjoy watching more than playing
Yet another subset of viewers simply enjoys watching other people play games more than they do themselves. Gaming is a fun experience for many people, but there are some who find watching the game more entertaining than playing. Difficulty also comes into play here. Some viewers do play the game but find it a little too difficult to fully enjoy it on their own. Watching streamers allows them to improve their strategy and see more of the game without the frustration they might otherwise experience.
Are you a fan of game streams? If you would like to watch someone play your favorite game but are not sure who to pick, spend some time researching some of the more popular streamers! You can always leave a stream and find another if it doesn’t quite fit your tastes.
