Watching people on Twitch is actually a huge deal. For some it's a way to see the game in action being played live to see if it's something they wish to purchase. For others it's a way to connect with a community and make friends. Some just get a kick out of watching how other people play a game. It also makes a decent background noise if one is bored.

krachall wrote: »

I've seen the posts about Twitch Crates but had very little knowledge of what Twitch is. I heard a business podcast on how the company got started (very interesting, btw, if you're a fan of business startup stories) so I knew the general premise but I'd never looked into what it actually does.

With all the talk of Twitch and Crates, I did some research. I'm in a bit of shock...

People actually watch other people play a video game? I thought "no way...I must be reading this wrong...surely there's something people do there other than watch someone else play a video game. Nope...that's it?

Maybe because I'm older but actually PLAYING a video game is, by far, the biggest waste of time I have in my life. But watching someone else play a video game is about the lamest thing I've ever heard!

Do people really do that or are they just doing it for free crates? Honestly...

It's really no different than watching people play sports if you think about it, and here you get to talk and interact with the player and everyone watching.

crowfl56 wrote: »

Just another way for zos to stab the ESO Plus players in the back.

Keep it up zos you will kill this game and wonder why geeezzzzzzzzzz.

Lolwat

I am a sponsored ESO twitch streamer. I originally got into streaming ESO to show friends and guildies how to do things like proper weaving rotation, running vMA as a new player and over all efficiency tactics that make your life in ESO much easier.
I had no idea what i was getting into or how it would evolve over the next few months but its actually quite amazing what has happened.

There is a real family type atmosphere that has spawned within the ESO twitch community. We have a few hundered active participants that we see daily in our channels. It has spawned guilds that are now clearing end game content as well as others who are based around introducing new and not as skilled players to trails. Through our twitch streams we are able to put together groups for daily content much faster then even using the group finder.

It really is SO much more then just watching others play video games and i strongly suggest to anyone that only see it that to try to get involved with the streamers they enjoy and watch were it leads you.

Watching better player play makes you a better player, you are learning what they know that you dont know But if there is lot of ppl like you.. well we cant be surprised to get into dungeon/trial with people spamming light attacks/heavy attacks only.

Welcome to the year 2005 where people watch others play games.

I'm not a fan of Twitch or watching others play games in general myself, but pretending like you've never heard of it just to make some condescending point is a bit...weird.

I have twitch for 3 reasons.

1. I still play WoW occasionaly and they merged with curse, so its the only lazy way for me to update my addons now
2. I have amazon prime, so I get free games once a month as well as occasional goodies for games, just for having it linked
3. I do watch some streamers, though mostly its official company livestreams for games I play, but here is something surprising. its not just streaming video games. there are art tutorials etc on twitch as well and watching someone create something live has a very different result from watching an edited video where they took out all the mistakes and derp moments.


that said... people like watching all kinds of things. people have entire parties, watching a bunch of dudes throw ball around the grassy field. and they root for specific dudes to win. and it comes with a min concert in a middle. people watch other people do things all the time. watching someone fun, playing video games? is just an extension of what we humans have been doing for a very VERY long time.

krachall wrote: »

People actually watch other people play a video game? I thought "no way...I must be reading this wrong...surely there's something people do there other than watch someone else play a video game. Nope...that's it?

It's worse than that. People make money at this.

Yeah, I don't get it either.

lol how has anyone who plays games online regularly not heard of twitch in 2018?

I understand watching guides if you're stuck on something. I prefer written guides but sometimes it's hard to describe what to do and a video is clearer. I know some people like watching videos explaining the lore or summarizing the story of a new release too.

But just watching someone else play the game is something I don't understand. Like people said it's like watching sports and I don't get the appeal of that either, I'd much rather do something than watch other people do it. (Which is why I rarely watch TV and spend my time playing games instead.)

Although my husband likes to play story-driven single-player games and I have sometimes found myself getting drawn into following the story even though I'm not playing. I don't sit and watch him, but I might stop what I'm doing to watch a cut scene (especially since he's been playing Yakuza 6 lately and all the dialogue is in Japanese so you have to read the subtitles to follow it) and then discuss it with him. But I ignore most of the actual gameplay, unless he wants to point out something interesting to me.

So maybe if someone made a video that compiled the relevant bits of a storyline into one video and skipped all the running between locations, clearing out trash mobs etc. for a game I'm not playing (meaning I won't get to see it myself) I might watch that. But my understanding is Twitch is just straight-forward streaming with no editing, so that's not an option.

Waffennacht wrote: »

How have people not seen the South Park episode about this very thing?!

As I said I don't watch much TV for the same reason I don't watch Twitch - I'd rather do something than watch someone else doing something.

I'll sometimes get drawn into a show with a really interesting story (like West World or Game of Thrones) and I might put the TV on if I'm doing something that needs me to stay still and use my hands but doesn't take a lot of thought like sewing or sorting my drawer of important paper work (but then it's more likely to be a nature documentary on DvD), but I haven't watch South Park regularly in about 10 years, even though the episodes I've seen are still funny.

First of all, watching someone play a game doesn't mean you can't be playing the game at the same time. You are not necessarily stuck doing one or the other. Just like you can play ESO and watch Netflix in the background, you can have a stream playing off to the side while playing the game.

I don't understand the surprise. People have been watching other people playing games pretty much since the beginning of humanity. How are video games any different from watching people play sports or any other activity that you could easily engage in yourself but watch other people do?

Then you have times when playing the game is not an option and you may want to just watch a stream to pass the time.

I'm not sure why playing video games is viewed so negatively. Engage in pretty much any other hobby and nobody complains, but if you play video games then you're a lazy deadbeat. There is nothing shameful or wrong with playing video games during your spare time.

krachall wrote: »

I've seen the posts about Twitch Crates but had very little knowledge of what Twitch is. I heard a business podcast on how the company got started (very interesting, btw, if you're a fan of business startup stories) so I knew the general premise but I'd never looked into what it actually does.

With all the talk of Twitch and Crates, I did some research. I'm in a bit of shock...

People actually watch other people play a video game? I thought "no way...I must be reading this wrong...surely there's something people do there other than watch someone else play a video game. Nope...that's it?

Maybe because I'm older but actually PLAYING a video game is, by far, the biggest waste of time I have in my life. But watching someone else play a video game is about the lamest thing I've ever heard!

Do people really do that or are they just doing it for free crates? Honestly...

You're little late to the party don't you?