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[Hayabusa83]

This is primarily a vent thread. I would like to preface this by saying that I am not critiquing all video game Youtubers, just the opportunists and beggars in the community.

I stumbled upon a few videos where some pretty 'influential' Youtubers were discussing "The Problem with the Retro Gaming Community". The key argument was that Gatekeepers are 'harming' the community. I found this particularly tone deaf because these people were preaching in front of a mountain of pristine retro games and consoles. It was mentioned that the gatekeepers are primarily elitist gamers that will bully those that emulate games rather than play them as they are 'originally intended'. Okay, so what? Ignore their comments and hate and play the games as YOU enjoy them.

What boggles my mind even further is that Youtubers all have a script they clearly follow. Oh woe is me, I need to move my massive gaming collection to my new house, here is my Patreon. My basement is leaking, here is my Patreon. I am depressed because I get anxiety about walking into a supermarket, here is my Patreon.

Most of these people are a blight on gamers. They give the community a bad name, yet they continue to amass sycophants.

Go out and do your own research and please don't listen to the Youtube equivalent of "My Dad knows a guy that works at Nintendo".

 

[Elder Legend]

Sounds like someone who's jealous of others success. If you are hating this so much, then go start your own following on YouTube and start producing the type of videos YOU want and talk about the topics that you clearly understand better than others. Show them how it's done boss. Let me know when you get your first 1,000 subscribers. I'll be waiting.

This threads reads like "Woe is me, I hate people who are more successful than me! Think of me! I know better than they do!"

 

[Hayabusa83]

Sounds like someone who's jealous of others success. If you are hating this so much, then go start your own following on YouTube and start producing the type of videos YOU want and talk about the topics that you clearly understand better than others. Show them how it's done boss. Let me know when you get your first 1,000 subscribers. I'll be waiting.

Not jealous at all. There are a few great channels out there. I enjoy Digital Foundry and Videogame Esoterica. I could never start a Youtube channel anyways, I prefer to keep my hobbies and my career separate.

 

[March Climber]

I've never heard of this. That means you've gone too far down a very specific Youtube rabbit hole. Time to climb out.

 

[Elder Legend]

Not jealous at all. There are a few great channels out there. I enjoy Digital Foundry and Videogame Esoterica. I could never start a Youtube channel anyways, I prefer to keep my hobbies and my career separate.

Dude. YouTube thrives of drama and negativity. People amass followers and then leverage that to start more shit and get a bigger following. Wanna know why? Cause social media engagements is what drives algorithm and watch time, comments etc... it's a simple fucking concept of people making money and playing the system.

You see? They triggered you, and by you being triggered now your posting about this topic and you know what that will do? Make other curious and look up these youtubers and the whole drama up on YouTube too see what your talking about. And what will that do? Drive up their engagements, views, and best of all, they'll be laughing on their way to the bank while your sitting here ranting and helping them make more money.

Clearly, you've consumed enough of these youtubers content that you speak off, helped them drive traffic made them money and now giving them free advertising. Yep, working as intended. Congrats they played you well and you fell into the "trap"

 

[Hayabusa83]

Dude. YouTube thrives of drama and negativity. People amass followers and then leverage that to start more shit and get a bigger following. Wanna know why? Cause social media engagements is what drives algorithm and watch time, comments etc... it's a simple fucking concept of people making money and playing the system.

You see? They triggered you, and by you being triggered now your posting about this topic and you know what that will do? Make other curious and look up these youtubers and the whole drama up on YouTube too see what your talking about. And what will that do? Drive up their engagements, views, and best of all, they'll be laughing on their way to the bank while your sitting here ranting and helping them make more money.

Clearly, you've conwumed enough of these youtubers content that you speak off, helped them drive traffic made them money and now giving them free advertising. Yep, working as intended.

If that is Youtube's stated goal - drama and negativity then you are right, I should be looking for videogame content elsewhere.

 

[Osaka_Boss]

 

[Power Pro]

It's all because they're chasing that algorithm. "This topic is popular and trending? well i HAVE to make a video on it. It's not like I have control of what content I make, because if I don't do what the algorithm tells me to make, then I'll become irrelevant." I made a topic in off topic recently about how I hate what YouTube has become a few weeks ago basically discussing something similar. No one makes anything on YouTube anymore out of just wanting to share with other people, it's their "job", and they think sitting in front of a camera talking about video games is hard work. They are all slaves to trying to stay relevant, so they never actually do videos they want to make, or what their followers (the people who actively follow, and engage with them, rather than the masses who just click on whatever's popular) want to see. It's all about chasing trends. It's depressing.

 

[Elder Legend]

If that is Youtube's stated goal - drama and negativity then you are right, I should be looking for videogame content elsewhere.

YouTube is a social media platform in a long form video content. Meanwhile, TikTok is a social media platform in short form content. Instagram is picture based. Wanna know ow what the goal is of ANY social media platform? Driving engagements. And negative news and shit talking gets more people speaking than anything else. Doesn't matter if it's video games. Same shit in politics, sports, and whatever else. In video games its fucking Sony fans vs Xbox fans vs Nintendo fans. In politics it's left vs right, activism and all that bullshit. Same shit in music. Look at what happend when Will Smith slapped the shit out of someone. Drove engagements like fucking wildfire.

You should look at the YouTube content that you enjoy and the one that doesn't upset you. There are positive channels out there, or find a retro streamer that has a tight knit community with nothing but positive vibes. Those do exist.

 

[Lasha]

Sounds like someone who's jealous of others success. If you are hating this so much, then go start your own following on YouTube and start producing the type of videos YOU want and talk about the topics that you clearly understand better than others. Show them how it's done boss. Let me know when you get your first 1,000 subscribers. I'll be waiting.

This threads reads like "Woe is me, I hate people who are more successful than me! Think of me! I know better than they do!"

Most of them aren't even successful though. Being online and whoring your privacy out for under 200k per year is a joke.

 

[March Climber]

If that is Youtube's stated goal - drama and negativity then you are right, I should be looking for videogame content elsewhere.

Youtube is a gigantic place, it's why the algorithm exists in the first place. I assure you, there are tons of other gaming communities out there that you've never heard of currently doing good numbers on youtube. Keep looking around, be open to new things, and do your best to not click on the negativity/drama clickbait videos. If anything, I'd suggest clicking the button that says 'do not recommend' so that you can do a 'soft' reset of your algorithm. That way it can search for another avenue to take you through.

 

[StueyDuck]

Kind of off topic but on topic... I too have always generally disliked how gaming is spoken about by modern youtubers (not saying its everyone, there's many I do like and follow for their opinions)

But I always have ideas I wish I could put onto video but the issues are always time and effort and I just don't have some trust fund from rich parents so I can make YouTube videos all day... and I think this is part of the problem.

Most logical hard working people don't have the time to make YouTube videos on games so you don't get to hear that voice often. Instead you hear the voices mainly of guys who sit in doors all day and have never really had to do anything for themselves... I just wish my company would opt for 4day work week.. maybe then I'd start putting my ideas into action

Anyway that's my weird little rant. Back on topic

 

[TheGreatMusashi]

Sounds like someone who's jealous of others success. If you are hating this so much, then go start your own following on YouTube and start producing the type of videos YOU want and talk about the topics that you clearly understand better than others. Show them how it's done boss. Let me know when you get your first 1,000 subscribers. I'll be waiting.

This threads reads like "Woe is me, I hate people who are more successful than me! Think of me! I know better than they do!"

Your post reminded me of this for some reason:

Congrats

 

[vodka-bull]

Most logical hard working people don't have the time to make YouTube videos on games so you don't get to hear that voice often. Instead you hear the voices mainly of guys who sit in doors all day and have never really had to do anything for themselves... I just wish my company would opt for 4day work week.. maybe then I'd start putting my ideas into action

Anyway that's my weird little rant. Back on topic

I‘d like to disagree. There are 168 hours a week, most people work for 40hrs or less, there‘s plenty of time to activate your creativity area in your brain, but as grown-ups most people are just not used to activate said part anymore. As we grow up we learn that following certain rules and live in the corporate world does mean not being creative is a good thing.

Most of us are just consumers, and the potential to become a creator lies in everyone. You just have to wake it up.

It‘s the same with basically anything you want to learn. Creativity is a skill just like learning to play an instrument is, but if you set asidd one hour per day, you‘ll quickly become a good musician, or artist for that matter.

Far away from making a career out of it, but if it‘s just about sharing ideas, that‘s doable. For earning a living it takes a whole lot of luck additionally, but that‘s a different story and I highly doubt you can be creative if you have to make a salary out of your creativity, because then you‘ll have to meet societys demand and expectations.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

Please don't forget to sub like and ring a ling that ding dong bell!

 

[DGrayson]

SNES Drunk is a great retro channel. No BS just game reviews and he also covers mods and hacks which I really like.

 

[THE DUCK]

Hey, let's take this chance to.highlighht some good channels, what do you all like?

I dont have a lot of gaming related ones, digitalfoundry, modern vintage gamer, etaprime, and of course ms/sony/Nintendo official channels. I don't mind xbox and psready bit I wish they would stop the bs headlines and shorten thier videos, on the verge of unsubbing those.

 

[THE DUCK]

SNES Drunk is a great retro channel. No BS just game reviews and he also covers mods and hacks which I really like.

Took a look, added, thanks! There's a guy with a lot of Sega........segalordx that is pretty good too

 

[Hayabusa83]

I have always enjoyed Retro Game Corps - his tutorials are top notch. Sega Lord x is terrific. Until very recently I was on board the MVG train (especially since I enjoy his coverage of Xbox themed consoles). Blaine Locklair warms my heart with his unbridled positivity and unselfishness.

Lately MVG has been very clickbaity though - "I am Done", but then you watch the video and you realize he isn't "done".

I am an unabashed capitalist, I believe that good work should be rewarded.

 

[Majormaxxx]

We need to talk about people complaining about people who say that they need to talk about people who complain.

 

[Majormaxxx]

I have always enjoyed Retro Game Corps - his tutorials are top notch. Sega Lord x is terrific. Until very recently I was on board the MVG train (especially since I enjoy his coverage of Xbox themed consoles). Blaine Locklair warms my heart with his unbridled positivity and unselfishness.

Lately MVG has been very clickbaity though - "I am Done", but then you watch the video and you realize he isn't "done".

I am an unabashed capitalist, I believe that good work should be rewarded.

I am done.

For the day

 

[Majormaxxx]

Hey, let's take this chance to.highlighht some good channels, what do you all like?

I dont have a lot of gaming related ones, digitalfoundry, modern vintage gamer, etaprime, and of course ms/sony/Nintendo official channels. I don't mind xbox and psready bit I wish they would stop the bs headlines and shorten thier videos, on the verge of unsubbing those.

I like gamesack, happy console gamer, metal jesus, modern vintage

 

[Hayabusa83]

I am done.

For the day

I like the dude, I really do. He is technically gifted and well versed in his field, but lately something is just off about the guy. I think the failure of his latest game release really rattled him. I hope he gets all the help he needs. Many of his videos helped me understand the OG Xbox more. His knowledge gave me the confidence to open and repair my consoles.

 

[Drizzlehell]

None of the channels that I follow ever did anything of the sort, and I have almost 140 on my list.

Maybe you should try watching something else so that YouTube could start recommending you channels that don't suck?

 

[LegendOfKage]

I have always enjoyed Retro Game Corps - his tutorials are top notch. Sega Lord x is terrific. Until very recently I was on board the MVG train (especially since I enjoy his coverage of Xbox themed consoles). Blaine Locklair warms my heart with his unbridled positivity and unselfishness.

Lately MVG has been very clickbaity though - "I am Done", but then you watch the video and you realize he isn't "done".

I am an unabashed capitalist, I believe that good work should be rewarded.

I'm still a big fan of Game Sack and Happy Console Gamer. HCG doesn't just cover classic games, but he does love going into his history with a series, and talking about classic gaming memories. Both very good and quite positive.

 

[Tams]

You can just ignore them and not watch their videos...

Obligatory: https://xkcd.com/386/

 

[Hayabusa83]

You can just ignore them and not watch their videos...

Obligatory: https://xkcd.com/386/

You have to forgive me. The dude above is right. Getting Covid got me stuck in some sort of rabbit hole.

 

[Tams]

You have to forgive me. The dude above is right. Getting Covid got me stuck in some sort of rabbit hole.

If you must watch YouTube, then go watch some Tom Scott, Colin Furze, You Suck At Cooking, Puppet History, etc.

That should somewhat put your mind away from the dross.

Or go watch Clarkson's Farm (again?) and laugh at and with a clearly aging man make a hamfisted, utter clutterfucked, but earnest attempt of running a farm.

 

[supernova8]

It's all because they're chasing that algorithm. "This topic is popular and trending? well i HAVE to make a video on it. It's not like I have control of what content I make, because if I don't do what the algorithm tells me to make, then I'll become irrelevant." I made a topic in off topic recently about how I hate what YouTube has become a few weeks ago basically discussing something similar. No one makes anything on YouTube anymore out of just wanting to share with other people, it's their "job", and they think sitting in front of a camera talking about video games is hard work. They are all slaves to trying to stay relevant, so they never actually do videos they want to make, or what their followers (the people who actively follow, and engage with them, rather than the masses who just click on whatever's popular) want to see. It's all about chasing trends. It's depressing.

This is why I enjoyed the Noobtoob youtube channel/podcast so much. Those two dudes (Tobin and Yuzo) never seemed to give a shit about making money. I doubt they made a profit at all from it. Any donations they received went to funding the Noobtoob forum or going toward mini events at PAX etc. (I'm not based where they are but it all seemed fun), or paying for games to review. Sometimes viewers would literally send them games to review (and presumably they would send them back after playing them). It was just a perfect period before Youtube became a corporatized, monetized leaky bag of hot cat piss.

This will all go over your head if you've never watched Noobtoob but I always loved:

1) How they would constantly talk shit at each other
2) How Tobin was obsessed with Yakuza games and yet Tobin (American born Japanese I think) had no interest and would instead go on and on and on about strategy games such as Supreme Commander
3) The overloading of dumb sex jokes and innuendo (you know, back when people could say stuff like that and everyone knew it was a joke and not dogpile them for it)
4) How they were brutally honest if a game sucked ass or, conversely, how passionate they were if they thought a game was awesome.

The only other youtube channel I used to like was Game Grumps but recently I feel like their success has gone to their heads. I miss the days when you'd just have them playing games and talking absolute shit while doing so. I don't need their "ten minute power hour" etc.



Dear OP:
There are probably lots of great untainted gaming youtubers out there. You probably just need to look for the ones that haven't made it big yet. Once they make it big they almost always "turn".
In fact, I would highly recommend watching Noobtoob from the very video-format episode (I think their very early stuff was audio only).

Alternatively, watch the Pure Pwnage video series. It's a tongue-in-cheek faux-documentary sort of thing following a "pro gamer". I thought it was awesome. Ironically the corporate-funded series was stupid. I suspect they didn't have as much as creative freedom as the first, totally self-funded series. Maybe just watch the first series only.

 

[StueyDuck]

I‘d like to disagree. There are 168 hours a week, most people work for 40hrs or less, there‘s plenty of time to activate your creativity area in your brain, but as grown-ups most people are just not used to activate said part anymore. As we grow up we learn that following certain rules and live in the corporate world does mean not being creative is a good thing.

Most of us are just consumers, and the potential to become a creator lies in everyone. You just have to wake it up.

It‘s the same with basically anything you want to learn. Creativity is a skill just like learning to play an instrument is, but if you set asidd one hour per day, you‘ll quickly become a good musician, or artist for that matter.

Far away from making a career out of it, but if it‘s just about sharing ideas, that‘s doable. For earning a living it takes a whole lot of luck additionally, but that‘s a different story and I highly doubt you can be creative if you have to make a salary out of your creativity, because then you‘ll have to meet societys demand and expectations.

say what you will, but i work a long tireless job and on weekends im gonna be socializing with friends and family or hiking or playing golf or living life by any means , not sitting in front of a PC (which i do professionally already)

i absolutely disagree that making it on youtube is as easy as "having a dream".

if you really think you are going to put an hour aside every day to just edit a video let alone script it, capture footage for it and record the audio then you haven't edited before. there's a reason why 90% of these youtubers with trust funds have at least one editor employed for them (most have many)

and all work requires one to meet corporate and social expectations, that's not a magic end all and be all to youtube only.

like most "art" in life, the meme is and always has been, "have rich parents"

 

[Filben]

Why are you following them?

I emulate my games, was never belittled or talked down to because of it. Then again I dont go to hardware retro communities and tell them I emulate games.

You know, I just play them and I'm not looking for any confirmation.

There are bubbles for everything. It is up to you which you follow.

Some times ignorance is a blessing. Especially if it comes to """influencers""" and YouTubers.

Step one is to never click on baity titles. Just. Dont. Do it. You save yourself a lot of time and nerves.

 

[Rentahamster]

I stumbled upon a few videos where some pretty 'influential' Youtubers were discussing "The Problem with the Retro Gaming Community".

Youtube is a big place with a lot of variety of content. That you "stumbled" onto these videos should indicate to you that the algorithm wasn't strongly pushing it your way. Dislike and move on so that the algorithm can better understand your preferences. You're complaining a lot for a problem that is easily avoided.

 

[MayauMiao]

Game Sack is my go to retro coverage, Retro Core for retro Japanese games, and PatmanQC for ASMR. Don't care for the dramas.

 

[Pelta88]

My problem with video gaming youtubers is that a lot of them don't actually game at all. You check their PSN/XBL and they have touched anything in years.

But they get on livestream and beg for donations.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Go out and do your own research

No, why? Just don't expose yourself to that retardation and you'll be fine.

My YouTube is pretty clean, as I only follow like 3 or 4 channels that only talk about old ass videogames, so I don't have to endure any of the shit you talk about in the OP.

 

[Naked Lunch]

Anytime I see the titles "we need to talk" or "im done" the channel is instantly un-subbed.
You could tell the moment some channels go full desperation.

My problem with video gaming youtubers is that a lot of them don't actually game at all. You check their PSN/XBL and they have touched anything in years.

But they get on livestream and beg for donations.

Either that - or they are utter trash at games.

 

[hemo memo]

When I think of videogames youtubers, the first thing that come to my mind is fake thumbnails, Twitch drama or over exaggerated reaction and lets play’s. Very very few channels that do actual original researched work like Digital Foundry, GMTK, Extra Credits and most likely i’m forgotten some others.

 

[brian0057]

I stumbled upon a few videos where...

Sounds like a skill issue, ngl.

 

[lh032]

I prefer watching female gamers lets play.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I noticed one YouTuber I occasionally watch is now doing the dramatic surprised face YouTube thumbnails now.

I guess that style gets attention.

 

[Bragr]

I have always enjoyed Retro Game Corps - his tutorials are top notch. Sega Lord x is terrific. Until very recently I was on board the MVG train (especially since I enjoy his coverage of Xbox themed consoles). Blaine Locklair warms my heart with his unbridled positivity and unselfishness.

Lately MVG has been very clickbaity though - "I am Done", but then you watch the video and you realize he isn't "done".

I am an unabashed capitalist, I believe that good work should be rewarded.

It's because he hangs with that spawn wave gang, who runs some of the most clickbaity gaming channels on youtube. He sees them growing and wants to do the same.

 

[vodka-bull]

say what you will, but i work a long tireless job and on weekends im gonna be socializing with friends and family or hiking or playing golf or living life by any means , not sitting in front of a PC (which i do professionally already)

i absolutely disagree that making it on youtube is as easy as "having a dream".

if you really think you are going to put an hour aside every day to just edit a video let alone script it, capture footage for it and record the audio then you haven't edited before. there's a reason why 90% of these youtubers with trust funds have at least one editor employed for them (most have many)

and all work requires one to meet corporate and social expectations, that's not a magic end all and be all to youtube only.

like most "art" in life, the meme is and always has been, "have rich parents"

1 hour is more than 0 hours, pn that we agree, right? So what it comes down to is your own expectation on yourself, I for myself like being creative and I just recently bought a new pc with a capture card so I can capture some footage off my PS5, XSX, Switch etc. and I have no idea yet, what I‘m about to do with it, but so far I know that I want to create something, I‘ve consumed more than enough. What else should I do with with all the free time between my shifts? Social life, waifu, doggy and mandatory human stuff like eating, sleeping, working out etc. are not enough for me to fill out 16 hrs. Drowning in endless, pointless consumerism like watching youtube shorts for hours on end doesn‘t do it for me anymore.

 

[fart town usa]

I actually posted a really endearing video in a Saturn thread the other day. It's a 10 year kid explaining why people shouldn't gatekeep retro gaming. This kid knows his shit well, it's so funny.

But yea, I hear OP but I don't have an issue with the big time YouTubers who say not to gate keep, I'm glad they say as much even if I can't be bothered with their other content for the most part.

The issue I have is reddit shelf collectors who neg anyone who posts a picture of a retro game on a modern TV. Or if someone posts a NA copy of House of the Dead and the comments are all, "now get a CRT and light gun..." Or people who shit on repros.

I've signed up for reddit twice and each time I've deleted my account within a few days time because the Saturn page is just beyond useless when it comes to having a fun/chill discussion.

I don't want to hear me being jealous either. I have a god tier retro setup, more or less, and I'd much rather show enthusiasm for someone's fledgling setup than dump on them. Actual hardware retro gaming is expensive and it's just a total dick move to dump on someone for having the basics. Everyone has to start somewhere and it's the games that need to be celebrated, not someone's collection. There's nothing impressive about buying expensive games on eBay.

 

[NanaMiku]

I noticed one YouTuber I occasionally watch is now doing the dramatic surprised face YouTube thumbnails now.

I guess that style gets attention.

It's because he hangs with that spawn wave gang, who runs some of the most clickbaity gaming channels on youtube. He sees them growing and wants to do the same.

The sad truth is that what make people click the video. Linus Tech Tips said that they don't like the clickbait title and the suprised face, but they are forced to do it

 

[SmokedMeat]

The sad truth is that what make people click the video. Linus Tech Tips said that they don't like the clickbait title and the suprised face, but they are forced to do it

I don’t know. The most reputable PC tech channels I follow don’t have to resort to that. Maybe Linus attracts a younger demographic?

 

[NanaMiku]

I don’t know. The most reputable PC tech channels I follow don’t have to resort to that. Maybe Linus attracts a younger demographic?

Maybe. But LMG have over 80 staff, they need to maximize the performance of each videos.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Or go watch Clarkson's Farm (again?) and laugh at and with a clearly aging man make a hamfisted, utter clutterfucked, but earnest attempt of running a farm.

Clarkson’s farm is unironically good.

One of the best non fiction shows of the last decade - and proof you can make reality tv that is captivating, entertaining and free of the contrived drama and the over exaggerated, quasi pornographic exhibition of human emotion.

Talent required tho.

 

[diffusionx]

I unsubscribe anytime somebody posts a “we need to talk” video or does meta commentary as described in the OP.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

“Hit that like button”

“Donkey Farts with the 4.99”

“Come on hit that like button “

Cash till communities

 

[AngelMuffin]

This irks me to no end.

Can we please start calling it what it is? It’s Vintage gaming, not “retro”

If not, I’m going to start saying retro comics, retro cars, retro stamps, retro records, etc.

Retro is a STYLE!! “style or design is imitative of those of the recent past”

Games like Shovel Knight or The Messenger are “retro” games.