There are a few reasons why I’ll watch a stream or let’s play of a video game:
the sports angle. If you like to play a game, be it basketball or A Link to the Past, watching someone else play it extremely well can be gratifying.
Additional performance. Streamers themselves are characters, watching someone react to the game can be compelling in a way that’s difficult to describe.
Rediscovery. Watching someone play a video game I know well can help me see it through fresh eyes. I can never play A Link to the Past for the first time again, but watching someone play it for the first time can help revisit that experience.
Streaming gaming. I barely game (almost never), so the idea of watching others do it as entertainment is bizzare to me.
I’m cleary in a minority, my kids do and I’m told it’s akin to watching sports, but whatever - i’m just answering the question Goddamit!
There are a few reasons why I’ll watch a stream or let’s play of a video game:
the sports angle. If you like to play a game, be it basketball or A Link to the Past, watching someone else play it extremely well can be gratifying.
Additional performance. Streamers themselves are characters, watching someone react to the game can be compelling in a way that’s difficult to describe.
Rediscovery. Watching someone play a video game I know well can help me see it through fresh eyes. I can never play A Link to the Past for the first time again, but watching someone play it for the first time can help revisit that experience.
don’t really understand spectator sports either
I’ve always felt like the wrong sports are popular (both to participate in and to watch)
Since the Olympics were on recently, I found myself watching a lot of luge, skeleton, etc. That looks like a fucking blast.
A well put-together marching band or drum corps show is something to behold.
Once in a while you can find a lumberjack competition - log rolling, 2 person crosscut saws, climbing trees with an axe, etc.
But instead of cool stuff like that, we want to watch people fight over a ball.