WIRED - Why I watch Let's Plays

TL;DR - It is almost like having real friends to hang out with.

I started watching Let's Plays as game reviews to decide if I wanted to buy them and because I know I have a tendency to buy a game (Oh boy this is awesome!) and then a week later I am bored with it. Also I suck at gaming and would rather watch someone else that is good kick butt.

I have tried many channels but the only person I watch on a regular basis is JackSepticEye,

because he is funny as hell. I don't watch Let's Plays too much anymore, maybe once or twice a week. But when I do it is like having a visit from my loud obnoxious hilarious friend that is having such a good time it is infectious. I realized from this article that even when my friends come over it is like a Let's Play. I've played the game already, so I watch them play and re-discover the game through their reactions.

The insight I gained from this article is that, as an isolated person, Let's Plays bring me back to a time when I actually had real friends and we would hang out, play games, eat pizza and bust each others chops.

Good Article

JackSepticEye is cancer.

He's on the same tier of cancer, as Markiplier, Pewdiepie etc.

The over-the-top reactions, and loud, obnoxious personalities on camera is so cringeworthy, it's unreal. And it's more suited to the humor of underage kids.

who do you think is their target audience?

Doesn't matter what their target audience is, there's plenty of people outside their target audience that watch them.

Look at "My Little Pony" for instance. Grown ass men are into it more than the kids.

well yeah, but saying "these people seem like they appeal to tweens" and then wondering "who the fuck watches these idiots" seems like a small logical leap. they probably know exactly who they want to market to, ad their personalities probably already [Markiplier is only 26 or some shit.] line up with screeching into a camera, so i don't know.
it's just marketing.

Let´s plays are like Demos, except you get to pay more attention to details.
Everyone needs to find the youtuber he likes best, DONE.

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Exactly. What ever happened to demos? I thought id Software did it best where you got the whole game, but only the first level was free. You knew the rest of the game was there on your drive, just taunting you to pay. The drug dealer mentality...
"The first fix was free...Then they jacked up the price!"

Also, I discover a lot of indie games that I otherwise would have never heard of. I am much more willing to send a guy $5 for his indie effort, even if it only entertains me for a short time. Let's Plays support the game development community.

Same. Just like the guy's sense of humour.

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I find that there are very few single player games that I can sit through and play anymore. I get bored too quickly and can't get into it. Let's plays are a great way for me to experience these game without actually needing to play it.

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