Gaming has come quite a long way since the inception of video streaming sites like YouTube and Twitch. The days of arcades and struggling your way through a tough level on your own have all but disappeared, replaced by “let’s play” videos and live streams featuring spirited gamers on the web.
It’s pretty easy for people to look up a game on YouTube to find the best techniques for beating a boss, and I definitely enjoy watching live streams for games like “Destiny” or “Overwatch.”
These sorts of websites have definitely changed the gaming scene – in fact, I think they’ve made it better.
Lots of people – including my parents – think it’s a bit weird to watch videos or streams of other people playing games. “Why watch the game being played when you can just play it yourself?” Those people have a point, but it can be fun watching someone else play a game to see how they make their way through a level (or fail miserably).
I got to thinking about this when I started a play through of “Dark Souls” recently: If you aren’t familiar with the “Dark Souls” franchise, just be aware that the games come with a free one-way ticket on the struggle bus. I looked up some videos on the game and found a few with a humorous touch, helping keep things a bit light-hearted as a huge dragon-demon sat on me.
It’s pretty normal for me to look up a YouTube video or Twitch stream of games while I play. When I’m not gaming with friends, it’s nice to have someone else following the same game in the background; it’s even better when I find a YouTube or Twitch personality that’s not obnoxious.
Those gamers that stream on Twitch and post videos on YouTube help bring the gaming community together. Struggling to beat a Taurus Demon on “Dark Souls” can be pretty boring by yourself, but watching someone else struggle with the same tough enemies makes playing a bit more tolerable.
