Youtube's impact on gaming

[ExMosquito]

Overall I think it's good for retro games, but what annoys me are the 'pick-up's' videos. Some channels 'only' have pick-up videos and no gameplay footage on their channel at all, it's purely just about obtaining items. Surely that's a shopping channel?

[Asura]

Overall I think it's good for retro games, but what annoys me are the 'pick-up's' videos. Some channels 'only' have pick-up videos and no gameplay footage on their channel at all, it's purely just about obtaining items. Surely that's a shopping channel?

What are "pick-up" videos?

[speedlolita]

The video equivalent of this thread: http://www.bordersdown.net/threads/116107

[Nu-Eclipse]

i can remember waiting every month for magazines/fanzines with new screenshots/reviews or tidbits of import goodies; or waiting for shows like bad influence/gamesmaster to reveal some more tasty treats - taking a punt on a game, only to find a rare gem was the best bit; did have a flip side though and you could end up with a ?65 import that was a stinker....

Whilst I loved the old era of Special Reserve Mail Order, I don't necessarily want to go back.

That said there needs to be more quality control in terms of media output across all spectrums, not just YouTube.

[Asura]

That said there needs to be more quality control in terms of media output across all spectrums, not just YouTube.

The bigger problem with YouTube at the moment is apparently many of the well-known YouTubers are being paid to feature products, but they're not declaring that their work is a form of advertising. This is annoying the mainstream media, because many people haven't cottoned onto it yet, and supposedly those personalities are reluctant to change/declare their activities because they know it'll damage their revenue.

Not all of them, of course. I like Black Nerd Comedy, and he often covers products, but he explains where they came from at the start. Plus he's not the kind of person who would suddenly endorse Life Insurance or something; he only seems to endorse stuff I suspect he likes anyway.

[Leon Retro]

Things I dislike about YouTube gaming channels:

1. People emulating PewDiePie. One of him is more than enough.

2. People who claim to love classic gaming, but all they do is show off their mint & sealed games collection. "Here's my mint, never opened copy of Final Fight 3" I can't stand seeing people showing off their huge stash, or just standing in front of it, but never actually playing the games and talking with passion about them.

3. People who ask for donations, when at the same time they are surrounded by at least $10,000 worth of games and consoles. They say they need, for example, "a new camera", and at the same time they're showing off some 'limited edition' purchase they just made for $120. We all know you can buy a decent camera for under ?200(probably ?100 for YouTube purposes) these days. I just hate people asking for donations anyway, as it doesn't really cost much to run a classic gaming channel, and when you have the status to ask for money, you are already earning advertising money from YouTube. It's just opportunistic greed.

4. People who play retro games and end up giving the impression/feeling that retro games are all pretty lame. They make half-hearted videos, don't put much effort in, and then act like all the retro games they play are boring. They are doing retro gaming a disservice.

5. People who claim to like retro gaming, but when people ask them what games they play the most, they say "Battlefield", "COD", "Gran Turismo" or some other modern title. It sends out the message that all retro games are mere curios and only modern games offer any real entertainment.

6. People who put no effort in to capture what retro games should look like. They often make retro games - even Neo Geo titles - look like crap. I don't expect perfection, but a lot of people show the games in a very bad light. I've seen people playing retro games that look nothing like they're supposed to. Once again, it's a case of people not putting any effort in.

So, I'd be happier if more people captured footage that does the games justice. Actually played the game before they made the video, so they have some idea of how to play it. Stopped showing off how much stuff they have and actually celebrated the games. They shouldn't make retro gaming channels if, away from the camera, their main focus is playing 'Destiny' or some other modern title. There's nothing wrong with playing current games, but when you make it clear that you don't play retro games for fun, that's very negative.

I feel like one of those guys off 'Grumpy Old Men'.

[speedlolita]

I like the efforts of JonTron and even GameGrumps to some degree. JonTron's coverage of Takeshi's Challenge is a joy to watch and while his humour may not suit everything I think it is a well imformed video and surely raises awareness for the game.

And then you have GameGrumps covering stuff like Dondemo Crisis and odd obscure games like DreamMix TV World Fighters.

I definitely agree with most of the sentiment in this thread though, lots of the content on YouTube is people showing off their game collections. The most hilarious is when they're proudly talking about a game as if it is rare or something and then they reveal how much they paid and it comes to be about 3x what the game is worth.

One of the most down to earth content producers I think is ClassicGameRoom. His Gran Turismo review in particular speaks to me because I have the same fondness for the game. Good stuff.

[eastyy]

well i can say was a big fan of maximillion dood really helped bring back my love for fighting games also i really like his banter

Also like channels such as game sack, retrocore, happy console gamer that give bite size showcases for games

Not a fan of lets plays though watching someone play through a game would annoy me especially if there not that good at the game.

Hoping in the end of the year to really make a go on my channel still have a lot to learn and not really sure what i want to concentrate on did start a series on doujin games and also done vids on lesser known stuff along with more well known games

Though i have to say i follow alot of tech pc channels and i swear they should banish all synthetic benchmarks for graphics cards and cpu's

[ExMosquito]

Things I dislike about YouTube gaming channels:

1. People emulating PewDiePie. One of him is more than enough.

2. People who claim to love classic gaming, but all they do is show off their mint & sealed games collection. "Here's my mint, never opened copy of Final Fight 3" I can't stand seeing people showing off their huge stash, or just standing in front of it, but never actually playing the games and talking with passion about them.

3. People who ask for donations, when at the same time they are surrounded by at least $10,000 worth of games and consoles. They say they need, for example, "a new camera", and at the same time they're showing off some 'limited edition' purchase they just made for $120. We all know you can buy a decent camera for under ?200(probably ?100 for YouTube purposes) these days. I just hate people asking for donations anyway, as it doesn't really cost much to run a classic gaming channel, and when you have the status to ask for money, you are already earning advertising money from YouTube. It's just opportunistic greed.

4. People who play retro games and end up giving the impression/feeling that retro games are all pretty lame. They make half-hearted videos, don't put much effort in, and then act like all the retro games they play are boring. They are doing retro gaming a disservice.

5. People who claim to like retro gaming, but when people ask them what games they play the most, they say "Battlefield", "COD", "Gran Turismo" or some other modern title. It sends out the message that all retro games are mere curios and only modern games offer any real entertainment.

6. People who put no effort in to capture what retro games should look like. They often make retro games - even Neo Geo titles - look like crap. I don't expect perfection, but a lot of people show the games in a very bad light. I've seen people playing retro games that look nothing like they're supposed to. Once again, it's a case of people not putting any effort in.

So, I'd be happier if more people captured footage that does the games justice. Actually played the game before they made the video, so they have some idea of how to play it. Stopped showing off how much stuff they have and actually celebrated the games. They shouldn't make retro gaming channels if, away from the camera, their main focus is playing 'Destiny' or some other modern title. There's nothing wrong with playing current games, but when you make it clear that you don't play retro games for fun, that's very negative.

I feel like one of those guys off 'Grumpy Old Men'.

Pretty much 100% agree with you on all points.

My main pet-hate is your #2. There are a loads of channels on youtube that ONLY have pick-ups with no gameplay footage at all. Having a gaming channel with no actual gameplay blows my mind. It's not even about the games but about obtaining videogame related R@R3 objects, which is sod all to do with videogames imo. Metal Jesus did a recent pick-up video where he showed off 30games he recently picked-up......30 pickups!! I only play 6/7 games a year if that! Insane.

[nakamura]

Leon Ahoy. 100% on all points.

Speedy, Mark on CGR is genuinely good and pretty much the only 'reviewer' I watch.

[speedlolita]

I stopped watching Mark when he began reviewing gaming accessories...

And the CGR Undertow... Nah.

[Asura]

To be fair, the problem people point out with the whole "I have all these sealed games and never play them" culture isn't really a YouTube thing; it's an idiosyncracy about collecting that some people get and some people just don't (I'm very much in the "don't" camp).

Not the same, but related, I loved that bit on James May's Top Toys, when he went to a model train auction, bought a really expensive boxed vintage train, then when he picked it up, told the girl at the desk to "take it out the box, and throw that bit away; that's the bit you throw away and the bit inside is the part you play with". Her eyes nearly popped out.

[Leon Retro]

Pretty much 100% agree with you on all points.

My main pet-hate is your #2. There are a loads of channels on youtube that ONLY have pick-ups with no gameplay footage at all. Having a gaming channel with no actual gameplay blows my mind. It's not even about the games but about obtaining videogame related R@R3 objects, which is sod all to do with videogames imo. Metal Jesus did a recent pick-up video where he showed off 30games he recently picked-up......30 pickups!! I only play 6/7 games a year if that! Insane.

It does irk me that some people parade their collection but don't make make gameplay videos. It would be like going round a friend's house and they have walls stacked with games and consoles, but when you ask to play them, they say, "They're not for playing!"

I fully appreciate the joy of collecting stuff you really want and will genuinely enjoy and cherish, but when it's just about having a collection as a showpiece, it feels negative. I guess some people get a thrill out making a room in their home into some sort of videogame shop from their fantasies. They remember going into gaming shops as kids and seeing walls of games and consoles, so they want to recreate that in their home.

So, I have nothing against collecting, as I have a significant collection of all sorts of gaming stuff. I think there needs to be a 50/50 balance between the pleasure of collecting and the fun of playing. I will never enjoy YouTube channels where people just show off items without ever celebrating the games by playing them. I want to know what people think of Radiant Silvergun by playing it and commenting - not just showing me the case and saying "this mint copy cost me ?150."

To be fair, the problem people point out with the whole "I have all these sealed games and never play them" culture isn't really a YouTube thing; it's an idiosyncracy about collecting that some people get and some people just don't (I'm very much in the "don't" camp).

Yeah, if they weren't collecting videogames, it would be something else. They just like collecting stuff to create a huge showpiece. That's how they get a thrill.

It really has nothing to do with enjoying and celebrating consoles and games. If people like to watch people parading their hoard, that's fine, but it doesn't appeal to me.

[wakka]

I think the beauty of YouTube is that it's open to anyone, there are no gatekeepers. It means we can have an unlimited variety of content about games - unlike the magazines or TV shows of old, a video about a collection on YouTube doesn't mean that some gameplay footage got bumped.

Long live the endless variety I reckon. It only makes the hobby all the richer.