Poll: Have LP's Influenced Your Purchasing Decisions?

[rob_simple]

I'm sure you're all aware of the furor surrounding Nintendo's decision to start claiming ad revenue on any Let's Player who uses footage of their games.

While arguing with someone on another forum about whether Nintendo were right or wrong to do this (hint: it's the latter) my opponent posited that while people may claim that LP's serve as free marketing for companies, they can just as easily turn people off games.

This sounded like a whole load of bullshit to me, because I know for a fact that I've bought games off the back of watching an LP (hell, I'd never even have heard of Vanquish without LP's) and I can think of no reason why an LP would discourage me from buying one unless it showed that the game was, in fact, a load of old arse.

'But all of this is just hot air without some actual figures,' he replied, and I guess he had a point, so I decided to get those figures. If you think there should be other options in the poll, let me know.

A couple of things I should point out: this poll assumes you actually watch LP's, and for the purposes of the original discussion it was based on, I feel we should also discount LP's of novelty games; i.e. I don't think anyone was saving up to buy the latest Cabella's before they saw an LP showing everyone how shitty it was.

Edit: I have now added an option for people who have been both encouraged and dissuaded from buying games as a result of LP's but I feel the need to add a caveat: Please don't select that option if you never intended to buy that game in the first place. What I'm really trying to gather evidence of here is that LP's can take a persons positive feelings towards a game and then reverse them, stopping them from buying the game.

 

[Sir Christopher McFarlane]

If the Let's Play did something it was demonstrating the game for me. I have bought and abstained from games because of LP. Had they not been there, I would look for some other source of info that actually showed me the game being played. Otherwise I wouldn't buy it. I won't buy a game before seeing it in action. LP are probably the most comprehensive sample you can find.

 

[shrekfan246]

this poll assumes you actually watch LP's

Funny how the people who don't will weigh in on this thread anyway...

OT: I'd be lying if I said no, for both ways. You should have a poll option for "I have bought and/or been dissuaded from buying a game because of LPs".

I'll typically look up LPs or gameplay videos to determine if I would think something seems fun enough to justify my purchasing it. The most definitive example I can think of for an LP specifically affecting my purchasing habits would be Chip Cheezum's Let's Plays of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I'd skip the cutscenes, partly because I was watching for the commentary (some 30-minute episodes of the LPs were entirely cutscenes before he added the Uncut Commentary videos) and partly because I was getting interested enough that I didn't want to see story spoilers. Then the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection came out and I knew what I had to do...

By the same token, I don't know if I would've ever bought Uncharted or Uncharted 2 anyway and they do look like fun games, but watching the LPs from Chip Cheezum and General Ironicus and knowing how it all plays out means I don't really feel the compelling need to go out and buy the games for myself, because they're rather straight-forward games with little in the way of extensive replay value.

 

[hazabaza1]

Yeah.
There's a few games that I doubt I would ever have bought that I watched LPs of, maybe would have gotten it when it went cheap. Stuff like L.A. Noire, The Witcher 2.

There's a few other games that I've gotten because of LPs. God Hand, Rune Factory, even the Souls Series.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

While arguing with someone on another forum [...] my opponent posited that while people may claim that LP's serve as free marketing for companies, they can just as easily turn people off games.

That's correct, though. Watching a game in action can either make you want to play it, and therefore buy it, or turn you off. I've bought a few games as a result of watching LPs, but there are some games I've watched the LP for that I'd never consider buying (for whatever reason). There are also games I've watched the LP for because I never intended to play or buy them.

I mean, it's not like every game will appeal to everyone, even if you usually like that kind of game.

And yes, you should have an option saying "I've both been encouraged and dissuaded from buying games as a result of LPs".

 

[Redingold]

Well, I bought Surgeon Simulator 2013 after watching this [http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=19576] LP, but that's the only time.

Also, your first and third poll options are not mutually exclusive. It's entirely possible for someone to have bought a game due to an LP, and to have also been discouraged from buying a different game due to an LP.

 

[teqrevisited]

I can't remember every game that I've watched but LPs certainly have given exposure to games that I might not have known about. If I like what I see then I at least consider it. More often than not, though, the games that are played are ones that I own already and am interested to see that particular person's take on it.

Then there are the games that I know I wouldn't enjoy playing myself but can watch and enjoy as a result of the player. I think this extends to things like Starcraft 2 matches for me: I know I don't enjoy competitive multiplayer RTS but it's nice to watch with a good commentator.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I had already bought the game, being a huge fan of the first, but it was Scorchy's brilliant Knights of the Old Republic 2 LP that made me give the game a second chance. If you ever have the time, seriously check out that LP, it's pretty much required reading for the subtleties of KOTOR2.

 

[rob_simple]

While arguing with someone on another forum [...] my opponent posited that while people may claim that LP's serve as free marketing for companies, they can just as easily turn people off games.

That's correct, though. Watching a game in action can either make you want to play it, and therefore buy it, or turn you off. I've bought a few games as a result of watching LPs, but there are some games I've watched the LP for that I'd never consider buying (for whatever reason). There are also games I've watched the LP for because I never intended to play or buy them.

I mean, it's not like every game will appeal to everyone, even if you usually like that kind of game.

And yes, you should have an option saying "I've both been encouraged and dissuaded from buying games as a result of LPs".

Yeah but you just said it yourself: you were never going to buy those games anyway. What I'm saying is I can think of few situations where people would watch the LP for something they were going to buy and then decide not to as a result of the LP, unless the game turned out to be really shitty, in which case the blame falls at the developer's feet for lost sales, not the LP'er.

I know we could argue til the cows come home about what, precisely, makes a game shitty, but by and large I cannot see an LP strongly forcing negative opinions on a potential buyer, unless they already didn't like the game, or had no real intention of buying it in the first place.

Even watching things like Restupurae, which specifically target people who are awful at LP'ing, I've still seen footage of games in those videos I thought looked interesting, and decided to buy them.

I'd be lying if I said no, for both ways. You should have a poll option for "I have bought and/or been dissuaded from buying a game because of LPs".

I cannot believe I didn't think to add that. I will do so, now.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

I've bought a few games as a result of watching LPs, but there are some games I've watched the LP for that I'd never consider buying (for whatever reason).

Yeah but you just said it yourself: you were never going to buy those games anyway. What I'm saying is I can think of few situations where people would watch the LP for something they were going to buy and then decide not to as a result of the LP, unless the game turned out to be really shitty, in which case the blame falls at the developer's feet for lost sales, not the LP'er.

For that part I meant that after watching the LP I decided not to buy the game.

But no-one said anything about that kind of decision being because of the LPer (even you didn't say anything of the kind in the OP), it's always because of the game being shitty even though it looked interesting when advertised.

I've seen some really bad LPs that made me want to play the games if only because I thought I could do a better job at it than the LPer.

 

[scorptatious]

I have been influenced to buy certain games through LP's yes.

HCbailly for example has influenced me to buy FFIX through his FFVIII LP. And now I consider the game one of, it not my most favorite JRPG.

Hell, I saw the first part of his new Disgaea LP and now I'm thinking of getting that as well now that I know I can get the game via the PSN.

So yeah, LP's have influenced what games I buy.

 

[rob_simple]

I've bought a few games as a result of watching LPs, but there are some games I've watched the LP for that I'd never consider buying (for whatever reason).

Yeah but you just said it yourself: you were never going to buy those games anyway. What I'm saying is I can think of few situations where people would watch the LP for something they were going to buy and then decide not to as a result of the LP, unless the game turned out to be really shitty, in which case the blame falls at the developer's feet for lost sales, not the LP'er.

For that part I meant that after watching the LP I decided not to buy the game.

But no-one said anything about that kind of decision being because of the LPer (even you didn't say anything of the kind in the OP), it's always because of the game being shitty even though it looked interesting when advertised.

I've seen some really bad LPs that made me want to play the games if only because I thought I could do a better job at it than the LPer.

You're totally right, I'm not really explaining myself well here, what I specifically want to know is if people who originally intended to buy a game changed their mind as a result of watching the LP; not because the game is shitty, but for any other reason than that, because that's what the guy I was arguing with was implying. Do you think that's too messy to put into poll form?

I'm starting to feel like my bias is affecting what I want to know: personally, I think LP's are a great way to both spread the word about new games --both AAA and obscure indie stuff-- and to turn people onto older stuff they might have missed (Though not strictly an LP, Achievement Hunter's 'A Look Back At' series is a brilliant example of this). More than this, they are also a great way to out developers who try to sneak past a gold-plated turd with their own, shiny advertising.

I can absolutely understand why the latter camp would want to keep LP's of their games out of sight (or at least try and scrape some revenue back by claiming copyright) but for a company like Nintendo who --despite all the shit I give them-- do make solid and fun games, the only thing I can see LP's having is a positive effect.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

Yeah, I've bought some games because of reading Let's Plays. I think they're a great way of advertising what some players enjoy about a game and if they're entertaining enough I can definitely feel compelled to buy them. So, because of LPs I have bought both of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games because of this awesome Let's Play of KotOR II [http://lparchive.org/Knights-of-the-Old-Republic-II/], I started playing the Total War games because of this Medieval II LP [http://lparchive.org/A-Scotsman-In-Egypt/] and I got into the Persona games because of this Persona 3 LP [http://lparchive.org/Persona-3/].

I've also, slightly weirdly, bought games I've found from LPs where the Player is desperately trying to show off how bad the game in question is. I bought stuff like Drakengard [http://lparchive.org/Drakengard/], Drakengard 2 [http://lparchive.org/Drakengard-2/] and Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus [http://lparchive.org/Final-Fantasy-VII-Dirge-of-Cerberus/] purely because I was intrigued by just how bad these games were and I wouldn't have found them if it weren't for the Let's Plays.

 

[Muspelheim]

I usually look up Let's Plays of games I'm planning on buying, because it gives me a good idea for the gameplay and general tone of the game. A carefully arranged and edited gameplay display from the publisher isn't always very trustworthy.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

I've bought a few games as a result of watching LPs, but there are some games I've watched the LP for that I'd never consider buying (for whatever reason).

Yeah but you just said it yourself: you were never going to buy those games anyway. What I'm saying is I can think of few situations where people would watch the LP for something they were going to buy and then decide not to as a result of the LP, unless the game turned out to be really shitty, in which case the blame falls at the developer's feet for lost sales, not the LP'er.

For that part I meant that after watching the LP I decided not to buy the game.

But no-one said anything about that kind of decision being because of the LPer (even you didn't say anything of the kind in the OP), it's always because of the game being shitty even though it looked interesting when advertised.

I've seen some really bad LPs that made me want to play the games if only because I thought I could do a better job at it than the LPer.

You're totally right, I'm not really explaining myself well here, what I specifically want to know is if people who originally intended to buy a game changed their mind as a result of watching the LP; not because the game is shitty, but for any other reason than that, because that's what the guy I was arguing with was implying. Do you think that's too messy to put into poll form?

As long as you explain clearly that the decision isn't because the game might be crap and instead is because something about the LP rubbed you the wrong way.

I'm starting to feel like my bias is affecting what I want to know: personally, I think LP's are a great way to both spread the word about new games --both AAA and obscure indie stuff-- and to turn people onto older stuff they might have missed (Though not strictly an LP, Achievement Hunter's 'A Look Back At' series is a brilliant example of this). More than this, they are also a great way to out developers who try to sneak past a gold-plated turd with their own, shiny advertising.

I can absolutely understand why the latter camp would want to keep LP's of their games out of sight (or at least try and scrape some revenue back by claiming copyright) but for a company like Nintendo who --despite all the shit I give them-- do make solid and fun games, the only thing I can see LP's having is a positive effect.

Yeah, I totally agree with this. The Nintendo bit, though... maybe it's just plain greed, simple as that. They see that the LP community is getting bigger and is somewhat profitable enough for the LPers and they want a part of it.

 

[Ickabod]

I would never have spent the last 3 years playing Minecraft without X's LP.

Thank you X.

 

[Daverson]

I've brought stuff because of LPs, though, if I do intend to buy something, I generally tend to avoid LPs. No one likes spoilers! D=

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

Absolutely.

It influence me to buy Prison Architect and Game Dev Tycoon recently and I know that they influenced me to play other games I otherwise would not have bought as well.

 

[MrMisfit]

I watch LPs pretty much all the time and I have bought a few games as a result. The last 1 was El Shaddai: AoTM.

 

[Nexxis]

I've bought and avoided games due to Let's Plays. I've purchased some games after watching an LP of it usually because it looked fun. I bought Plants vs Zombies after watching someone (I want to say it was ZackScott) play it. It looked fun, so I gave it a shot and I still enjoy it. Usually, when I avoid a game, it's because it was a game that I already had some interest in that and LP showed me wasn't worth the purchase. I was one of the fortunate who waited for Aliens: Colonial Marines to come out and saw videos saying how bad it was, causing me to not buy it. In an odd case, I also watch LPs of games that I'm interested in and I think are good, but I can't play them. Usually, this is the case of horror-type games. Games like Dead Space, Dead Space 2, and Amnesia. I don't handle jump scares well, so I know that if I played those games myself, I wouldn't be able to make it through the content. so LPs allow me to see the content despite what scares me.