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Could a stream or YT replace a game purchase for you?

entremet

entremet

Member
I say this as someone who enjoys streams, mostly in the form of speed runs (AGDQ), Souls streams and runs, and FGC stuff, so I'm no stream hater or Luddite who marvels at the appeal of watching stream. I enjoy watching streams.

But I sometimes read posts on many areas of the internet not just on GAF--these could be tongue and cheek, but many seem serious--about settling for "watching" the game via a stream or YT Let's Play or video.

To me Let's Play's and streams are more interesting after you have beat or played the game, or if you're looking for inspiration a la Minecraft, or just basic curiosity--watching a game you've never played or following a particular personality. Seeing how differently a game could be played a la speedruns is also fun.

But outright using streams to replace a game seems strange to me. Part of the fun of the gaming medium is the interactivity and many times when I'm watching streams, I get the desire to replay or revisit the games I'm watching.

I've bought older games based on streams or YT videos I watched. Streams and YT have actually cost me more money because of that!

Could a stream or YT replace a game purchase for you in certain cases?
 
I don't like watching Let's Plays. Too much distraction and the player usually tries too hard to be funny. I'd rather just straight gameplay footage. I hope to watch a playthrough of RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER simply because I do not an XBOX 360 or XBOX ONE.
 
MadClacker said:
I don't like watching Let's Plays. Too much distraction and the player usually tries too hard to be funny. I'd rather just straight gameplay footage. I hope to watch a playthrough of RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER simply because I do not an XBOX 360 or XBOX ONE.
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There are some channels(MKIceAndFire comes to mind) that literally record the game from the moment it comes out, and then put that un-edited footage right onto Youtube. You've got game audio, but the guy doesn't speak or anything.
 
I see enough of plenty of games on streams/lets plays to determine that I have no need to buy said games. so yes.

I've also watched streams and determined I need the game in my life. Minecraft is be biggest example of this. Finally got sick of watching others doing fun shit and jumped in. That was back in 2009.
 
I watched an edited version of The Last of Us on youtube, and I think I got more out of that experience than if I had attempted to play the game. Gameplay didn't seem that interesting, but the story was interesting enough (not to mention the fact that I can actually be a part of the conversation). It also helps that I don't own a playstation, so the barrier to playing it was pretty high in the first place.
 
I'm "playing" Until Dawn right now but you could easily just watch it on youtube instead. I'm not going to because I don't watch people play through entire games but the option is there for this one.

TheMoon said:
I played The Order 1886 on YouTube. :D
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This one too, if you don't mind missing out on 2 hours of mediocre shooting you can just watch that on youtube too.
 
The only game that made me think that was Asura's Wrath. After watching a 4 hour recap on YT of every cut-scene/QTE, I feel like I've experienced 99% of the game (I still wish more games had a "SHUT UP BUTTON" function).
 
Uh, no. If a game looks interesting to me, I will purchase it.

I'm probably in the minority in thinking this, but for lack of a better word, in a way I consider watching a stream/lets play instead of purchasing the game pirating. Of course, using the word 'pirating' is extreme, but I don't know how else to say it.

I'd compare it to streaming a movie off of one of those free movies websites. Even if a dev is fine with it.
 
Pretty much replaces games like LiS and various TellTale games. When it comes to shooter games it depends on how the shooting mechanics looks and if there is multiplayer.
 
Only with bad games, that don't interest me. If start watching something on a game and it looks like the kind of thing I'll want to play at some point I'll probably stop watching.
 
Very rarely. I usually like to play anything before feeling like I have consumed it, so watching it could just increase my need to play a game. But overall no, streams or YT could not replace getting, and playing for myself, a game if it looks like my type.

Knowing that youtube videos are out there have stopped me from outright buying some games though. Example: I could not force myself to finish The Last Of Us. As good as the game is, the gameplay kind of bored me half way, but I needed to finish the story, so I watched the rest. I was renting it at the time, so it technically saved a purchase to watch it on Youtube.
 
Yep all games that are story based[Until Dawn] or I don't like the combat systems[Undertale] get the Youtube treatment.

I don't feel like i'm missing much to be honest.
 
No, I have enjoyed some Let's Plays as entertainment, but they don't suffice as a replacement for actually playing the game, not for me. Until I play the game myself, I don't feel that I'm getting the experience. I feel this way even towards the most linear games.
 
I'm a little ashamed to admit that while I very much enjoyed watching GBEast play through all of Contradiction, I now have zero interest in playing it myself.
 
it has before so yeah

but it's also made me purchase a couple games, or even revisit an old game I own and haven't played recently

at worst it's a wash and at best it's probably made me a more active game consumer by a small margin
 
Only if it's a story-heavy game that I don't otherwise have access to.

I don't own a PS4, so I enjoyed watching Giant Bomb's Until Dawn playthrough, for example.
 
Yes, but only horror games (I hate being scared) or smaller download games I'd rather watch than play.
 
I have never watched a game on Youtube. I watch reviews and videos about games but I have never just sat there and watch someone play a game. So no, not for me.
 
I mean if I watch it and it looks awful then sure it can, in that way. But I'd never not buy a game I'd like just because I watched it.
 
Yes. Especially for games I know I wont be able to finish (i.e scary stuff) but for games I want to play and know I want to play..then I'll buy it.

I lack the time I used to have so lets plays are useful for me.

However, unlike many in here, I also go for the commentary so finding good ones is harder
 
If you make a game that relies heavily on story with little gameplay, it'll replace a purchase for me almost 100% of the time.
 
Mainly use it if I want to play a game and need to catch up on missed entries in the franchise. Watching Peace Walker before playing MGS5, for example
 
Maybe a story game that I was really interested in the story, but not the gameplay? I don't know, that's very uncommon because I don't play games for story.

Visual novel stuff maybe? Although I'm not really interested in those to begin with.
 
Nope. In fact I avoid videos of games I'm interested in and haven't fully completed. If I watch a youtuber play an interesting game I usually stop watching and buy the game.
 
It has.

I had heard that A Life is Strange was very good and I was meaning to play it one day until a streamer that I enjoy started playing the first 2 episodes. By the time she was done, I had no reason to play the game since it's just a cinematic experience.
 
I like playing video games. If a game is not worth playing, well, I've got a big movie backlog. I'm not going to spend that time watching games that don't appeal to me as games.

I do watch certain vids, mostly amazing speedruns or god-tier RE4 mercenaries gameplay. Stuff like that, either because I'm trying to get to that level, or because I know I can't.
 
It saved me from buying Black Flag. There was literally no point in buying black flag for me after watching Let's Play walkthroughs.
 
No. Literally the only reason I play video games is because of the entertainment I get from the gameplay. Obviously I only get to experience that by playing them myself.

I guess I can see why someone who mainly plays games for the story could just watch someone else play, but personally I couldn't care less about that part of games, so no, I couldn't at all.
 
There are some times a Let's Play can replace an actual playthrough. Some people can't handle horror games or jumpscares. I know people who love the Souls games and Bloodborne, but are just not skilled enough to play them.

And being In a University town, I know less well off gamers for whom a lets play is the only way they'll get to experience a game.

For them a lets play is the only way to experience the game, so it makes perfect sense. But yeah, if you can, always play the game yourself. Maybe watch a lets play after.

There's also the so bad it's good form of Let's Play. Games you never want to play, but watching someone suffer through it's hilarious.

http://youtu.be/wXaHB7r10ps

Watching the disgust play out at Indigo prophecy' infamous supernatural elements is so funny :D
 
Definitely, there were a bunch of games this year that I just watched playthroughs of instead of buying.

Games that I watch on YT instead of buying:

Any game that has zero replay value
Any walking simulator or story focus (Telltale games)
Any short game like Transformers
Indie games
Sports anything
Nintendo stuff.
 
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