Do you spend more time watching video games than playing them?

[Xprimentyl]

I feel I should clarify that I don?t watch others play in lieu of playing; if I?m home, have the time and feel like it, I?ll play my own games, but those times have gotten fewer and farther between. I mostly watch Let?s Plays at work on my phone next to my computer, mostly for the banter in my earbud, not intently watching. It?s just that so very few games interest me, I don?t feel compelled to play much anymore besides Dark Souls.

 

[CaitSeith]

Maybe, maybe not. I haven't counted how many hours I watch LPs, or have them background. But lately I have been playing a lot more. So, probably not.

 

[Nuuu]

I do actually. I tend to watch games that I know I would never be interested in myself. If I do end up finding a game interesting, I stop and buy it myself to play, then watch the videos after I finish.
The games I watch that I would never play tend to be Rogue-lites, strategy games, horror games, or just sandboxy-openworld games. No, I would not like to spend time trying to learn and play civilization V or Xcom 2, nor would I find it enjoyable to slog through it; but I do find it interesting to watch someone like FilthyRobot or Beaglerush who knows pretty much everything about the game.

Half of it is the personality, the other half is experiencing the fun vicariously.
As a bonus, I get to know and understand a game through a method that doesn't make me want to die.

 

[Padwolf]

I'd say my time is split pretty evenly to be honest. I watch video games being played, but I watch a whole video set of them without commentary just so I can experience the game in some way. I am only doing that because right now, I can't afford the games I want to really experience with my own two hands wrapped to a controller or keyboard/mouse (Oh Resi 7, you shall be mine one day...) But, it does not take away anything from the experience when I do get the game.

Plus, it depends on the game. Sometimes it's useful to watch someone else playing Harvest Moon or Rune Factory because those games have so many different ways of playing them, it's nice to see how someone else does it for a change.

 

[wings012]

I enjoy Robbaz's videos. Crafting games I can't be arsed to deal with but he makes it fun to watch.

I also enjoy watching Starcraft 2 videos for whatever odd reason. I don't even play the damn game.

When Yahtzee was still doing Let's Drown Out, I would watch that. But that was more to hear him talk about random shit.

I don't watch LPs and stuff for most part. Watching game vids is more a different form of entertainment for me than a replacement for playing games.

 

[Dalisclock]

Sometimes, mostly for games I'm not interested in playing myself. I watched a "Cutscene/Dialouge" only LP of Final Fantasy XIII/XIII-2 because I wanted to get a gist of the story. And I'm so glad I didn't bother actually buying the damn thing. I used to watch Yathzee's Let's drown out series for the commentary, especially for games I wasn't particularly interested in playing through(like "Future Wars") but still wanted to see if they looked decent.

Recently I've been watching PlagueofGripes play Dark Souls because him talking about the lore and how the game-play elements support/don't support lore. Even if it is a VERY long play-through.

Especially since I'm working my way through DS2 right now and it's interesting comparing/contrasting the two. Though so far DS2 is losing out on that arrangement.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I only watch Yahtzee play a game for a couple of hours every week or so. I'm not interested in LPs.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I don't think I watch more than I play but I watch all the time, I used to watch TheSw1tcher, Funhaus, DashieGames, Markiplier, and Jim Sterling but it's pretty much just TheSw1tcher and Jim Sterling now with the occasional Dashie and it's very rare that I watch any of the others.

I don't watch Twitch plays and I only watch complete playthroughs if I've already finished the game or have zero interest in picking it up and even then only if I get in when it starts.
For example, I've watched TheSw1tcher play through all of The Last Of Us because I had finished that game before they posted it but not Bloodborne because I got that game a solid year after it came out so to me it seems like way to big a time investment. I had finished both but TLOU was a thirty minute episode every couple of days whereas BB seems like a bazillion-hour movie at this point.

If I find that I pick up a game and think "Oh, [blank] did a full LP of this, I wonder what they think," I'll watch the first and last parts but there's no way I'm watching the whole thing.

To put some thought into why it's just TheSw1tcher and Jim Sterling, for TheSw1tcher I think it's because their tastes for games are more in line with my own and even when it's not, they have they're fun for an episode and it's done. For Jim Sterling, I just like watching him play terrible Steam games, they're quick and hilarious to me.

For the one's I've burned out on, I'm just not as big into the types of games Markiplier and Jacksepticeye play, nothin' wrong with 'em, just not my bag. And I've just burned out on Funhaus as it were, don't know what it was, just lost interest was all.

 

[Casual Shinji]

There's certain let's plays I return to every so often. Primarily Two best Friends' let's plays of Resident Evil 2, 3, 4, and Until Dawn.

But on a whole I don't think I spend more time watching than playing.

No and it absolutely baffles me that anyone would ever want to watch people play games.

It's so we can enjoy awesome material like this...

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

I spend more time podcasting than playing games.

But then I spend more time playing games than watching other people play games.

But then I spend more time drinking drinks than playing games.

But then I spend more time contemplating death than drinking.

But then I spend more time playing games than dying.

But then I spend more time "creeeeaaaaaaaating" than drinking.

But then I spend more time confusing orders of lists than I do thinking.

But then. But...Then. ...Then...? ...uhhh. Oh, Where am i? Am i dead? You got any spare change?

(Actually, I have recently been putting on Best Friends Play "insert David Cage game" in place of some podcasting. From now on, it's the only way I'll ever experience his games. Such comedy platinum).

 

[Faaip]

I'm not a big fan of any Lets Play, Twitch or Youtube people really and I don't often watch streams or playthroughs. Sometimes I'll check out a few for a game I'd like to know more about before buying or to get more of a feel for what the game plays like.

I find a lot of Youtubers and Twitch personalities to be pretty obnoxious to be honest.. I prefer either no voiceover or thoughtful/helpful narration.

I definitely don't spend more time watching than playing though. My roommate was complaining that he never has time to play games anymore.. but he watches complete playthroughs of games frequently...

 

[Fijiman]

Yes and no. It depends on the week really, but usually I game at least a bit more than I watch.

 

[DoPo]

No and it absolutely baffles me that anyone would ever want to watch people play games.

Like...I cannot understand the appeal in any way, shape, or form. Even with "funny commentary" or whatever weird reason people have for saying how awesome watching people play video games, I just don't get it. I'm bored out of my mind watching anyone play video games.

Whatever floats your boat I suppose. I just don't get it...

I guess you must also find it confusing as to why anybody would enjoy watching people play sports.

They can do something I can't.

Of course you can play sports. Maybe not very well but you are able to.

I can play a video game. I can't make a one handed catch on the goalline with a 215 pound Cornerback draped all over me...

Yes, this is something that requires skill and training, yet the actual sport is still something you can do. And it's sometimes the same in video games - I can play, say, Counter-Strike - I am able to launch the game, go in and control stuff, that much is true. I can score frags and take objectives and such. I am, however, unable to jump blind from a corner, turn 90+ degrees in the air with one mouse sweep and manage to score two headshots before landing. I would say it's pretty comparable - it's something that requires more advanced skills than what I have even if I am also able to play the base game.

Similarly, I am pretty sure that a large portion of the racing fans, do have diving licenses and cars. That does mean that they are able to do most of what racers do. Yet Formula 1 still remains popular.

Aside from "being able to play the game =/= being good" there is the "not being able to play the game". You don't necessarily have the system to run some games, so, say, if I lack a console, I won't be able to just boot up and play a game exclusive to the console. I can, however, watch somebody else play it.

Then there are games that you might be able to play but you most likely shouldn't. Probably the one game I hate is Sniper: Ghost Warrior - it's a terrible, terrible game and I would not recommend anybody plays it. Yet, if you want to see how bad it is, watching a video is probably fine. If it saves anybody else actually experiencing it, then they should go for it. And there are numerous bad games - from the big name titles like Superman 64, Sonic '06, Big Rigs, etc - you know, the popular ones, to some titles you don't often hear about, like there S:GW or Walden and the Werewolf. Can you play them? Sure. You might even be skilled in them[footnote]although, a lot of bad games don't require skill as much as stubbornness[/footnote]. You probably shouldn't though.

 

[McElroy]

On YouTube: Critic4l (penguinz0) and dunkey.

I watch a lot of competitive gameplay and tournaments (LoL and Overwatch) on Twitch as well as speedruns every now and then. There's this atmosphere on each channel's chat (and its interaction with the host) that grows on you (also I'm such a miserable loner I find it a decent way to "socialize"). I don't watch Let's Plays, though maybe some first impressions to keep on top of things.

I am, however, unable to jump blind from a corner, turn 90+ degrees in the air with one mouse sweep and manage to score two headshots before landing.

With the bullet spread in CS, doing that would count almost completely on luck. Just sayin'.

Anyway, I want to add that considering the popularity and appeal of esports, actually being able to, with enough repetition, replicate the moves and tactics of professional players is a big draw. Not consistently, not under pressure, not against elite players, but still every once in a while you could and this doesn't apply to many if most traditional sports at all.

 

[DoPo]

I am, however, unable to jump blind from a corner, turn 90+ degrees in the air with one mouse sweep and manage to score two headshots before landing.

With the bullet spread in CS, doing that would count almost completely on luck. Just sayin'.

*shrug* I've been there in the flesh and seen people do it. Admittedly, there is an element of luck to this but not that much for a very skilled player. I have friends who used to go to national tournaments, so it is highly skilled people we are talking about - easily comparable to professional sports players.

 

[McElroy]

I am, however, unable to jump blind from a corner, turn 90+ degrees in the air with one mouse sweep and manage to score two headshots before landing.

With the bullet spread in CS, doing that would count almost completely on luck. Just sayin'.

*shrug* I've been there in the flesh and seen people do it. Admittedly, there is an element of luck to this but not that much for a very skilled player. I have friends who used to go to national tournaments, so it is highly skilled people we are talking about - easily comparable to professional sports players.

I've also done similar feats and my lifetime Counter-Strike hours number less than 40. It's just completely and utterly inconsistent to hit headshots while jumping and turning in that game. It's not comparable to reliable techniques or tricks.

 

[DoPo]

I am, however, unable to jump blind from a corner, turn 90+ degrees in the air with one mouse sweep and manage to score two headshots before landing.

With the bullet spread in CS, doing that would count almost completely on luck. Just sayin'.

*shrug* I've been there in the flesh and seen people do it. Admittedly, there is an element of luck to this but not that much for a very skilled player. I have friends who used to go to national tournaments, so it is highly skilled people we are talking about - easily comparable to professional sports players.

I've also done similar feats and my lifetime Counter-Strike hours number less than 40. It's just completely and utterly inconsistent to hit headshots while jumping and turning in that game. It's not comparable to reliable techniques or tricks.

I am not saying it's easy but with 50% success rate, I am inclined to believe that it is a skill that you can learn, as opposed to completely random.

 

[Hieronymusgoa]

I mostly only watch Let's Plays of horror games (like, 90% of what I watch, I guess) and which are at the same time "no commentary", so it is absolutely not about some kind of YT-personality. I even like to see that they already know what they are doing since I don't want to see someone figuring out a puzzle for minutes without end. For the most part it is because I like horror but playing these games freaks me out completely. I only really like to watch one Let's Play channel with commentary and that's the (German) "GameTube". They are game journalists and have a rather "educated gamer" approach to games which I like and they still play most games in English, which suits me, too.

Apart from that I watch some Hearthstone streamers from time to time to figure out why I am so bad at it ^^

 

[Specter Von Baren]

I have a tendency to listen and vaguely watch someone play a game while playing a game myself. I'm weird that way.