The newest trend in the video game world is the “Let’s Play” videos. These are born when players upload videos of themselves playing a game, allowing others to watch and follow along as they play through it. Many streams are also adding interactive elements, such as allowing the viewers of the stream to actively contribute to the decisions being made in game such as character selection. These video game streams are becoming increasingly popular, as game streaming sites such as Twitch continue to grow in numbers of viewers and streamers.
The question that arises is this: is video game streaming comparable at all to piracy in its effect on video game sales?
An increasing number of people are choosing to watch Lets Play videos on such sites as YouTube or Twitch, rather than buying the game themselves. This especially applies to the story driven as well as the money conscious gamers. Rather than spending $60 on a game that can sometimes be beaten in less than ten hours, gamers are watching videos of the game being played. In this way, they can get the whole game experience including its story, cut scenes, and boss fights, while not spending any money themselves.
There is no evidence however that this is affecting game sales. Many people state that watching lets play videos increased their interest in a game, leading to a purchase that wouldn’t have been made if the video had not been watched. Game streaming can be seen as a sort of advertisement, a way for companies to show off their game and its gameplay to potential customers. And of course, video streaming is not illegal like piracy is. You do not get a physical copy of the game and cannot play it yourself.
Game streaming can be a great thing. It can allow gamers to watch other players game, to come together as a community and can even help gamers experience a game that they otherwise might not have due to location, difficulty, platform or financial restraints. However, it is easy to see the other side of the argument where people say that watching a game is not contributing any money to the company while you get most of the same experience.
What do you think of video game streaming? Is it a positive or negative trend for the game industry? Leave your opinion in the comments below!