Let's Playing: What is the appeal?

As I have stated on this blog before, I am a huge nerd.

Anime, manga, gaming, music, movies - name it and more than likely I have either went through a time of obsession over it or am currently obsessing over it.

One of those is watching Let's Plays on YouTube.

Okay, okay, I get it. IT'S WEIRD. Most people don't understand the draw to it. It is definitely a more  acquired sensibility. If you don't run in this circle, you won't get it. One of the questions I often hear is "Why do you want to watch or listen to it a potentially grown man being stupid, recording himself playing a game and talking about it?" Fair enough, folks, fair enough.

I don't know about the hundreds of thousands (or millions if you are certain YouTubers *cough* Markiplier, PewDiePie... I am looking you two! *cough*) but I can speak for myself.

Gaming has been a LARGE part of my life. I grew up with a NES Controller in my hand from the age of three. I am now 27. Come on! That is all my life essentially. It was also one of my escapes. I was the social pariah of my class to say the least, so a social life really didn't happen for me until I got to college during my freshmen year at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. So games were a great distraction for me from this point. Not to mention it was one of many ways that me and my younger sister were able to bond. In fact, she learn how to read partially thanks to games - particularly Mario Party 2 on the N64. So gaming has been crucial to my development and there is a chance I may one day find employment writing dialogue and branching dialogue for games!

I am a poor girl. Very poor. Poverty poor for the most part. So I don't get to new consoles or handhelds a lot and I can't afford to do much PC gaming. So one reason I watch these videos is to live vicariously through the player in the video and experience these games in the only way that I can at the current moment in time.

Another reason - I just find gamer rage hilarious. I have it in spades personally. So I can easily relate. It is a great way to relieve stress - laughing at these videos.

There are also some inspirational reasons behind it. One YouTuber that falls into this category is one I mentioned above. Markiplier. That guy has been drug the muck in his life but that made him be determined to overcome it, do what he wants to do and help make the world a better place. Seriously. He is a little whacky (OKAY maybe more than a LITTLE but that is okay by me!) and a bit goofy, but he loves his fans dearly and continually strives to remind the fans of that. He also uses his position to do good things for the world through charity live streams on Twitch. That is worth supporting in my book!

There are a lot more reasons but I will end it there! Another geekery related post comes to an end! I may have a food rant coming in the near future. *Bleck*

Till next time guys!
~ Jeri (J.R.) ~ Out!