Why I stopped watching Twitch streams

[Deleted]

Twitch is perfectly fine. There are so many streamers, so many personalities, so many games, so many ways they express themselves as streamers.
Watching streams are not for everyone, but if you like streams at some level, there is most certainly a streamer for you out there.

Not to mention its a great place for events.

The only problem with Twitch , and by twitch i mean Amazon, is that is is kinda monopolized in a PR way. Amazon is busy eating the world faster than a can of worms in a salad, and thus there aint no real competition and then amazon can roll out annoying stuff. But i guess we will see how it all pans out in the future.

[GreenJesus]

It is really sad. Even the Kripperino has given in to the sellouterino and has been playing Pay to winerino cellerino gamerinos that look like clash of clans. He used to be world first diablo kill on hardcore mode. He doesn't drink OJ anymore and he is always super tired. You can tell he doesn't even like playing sometimes but he basically forces himself for the money.

[Tziva]

Tons of people stream for fun. You won't find them on the main page or high in the search results because they don't have a lot of viewers.

The people that turn up on the main page and at the top of results are Twitch partners. A lot of them do Twitch for a living so it makes sense that they're going to try to be designed around marketing themselves and their brand. It might not be fun to watch, but it makes sense for them.

If you don't like that shit, watch small streams from regular people who are playing games you like or seem to have enjoyable personalities. Or don't watch at all. WHATEVER.

[alturic]

Tons of people stream for fun. You won't find them on the main page or high in the search results because they don't have a lot of viewers.

The people that turn up on the main page and at the top of results are Twitch partners. A lot of them do Twitch for a living so it makes sense that they're going to try to be designed around marketing themselves and their brand. It might not be fun to watch, but it makes sense for them.

If you don't like that shit, watch small streams from regular people who are playing games you like or seem to have enjoyable personalities. Or don't watch at all. WHATEVER.

I cringe everytime "streamers" and "their brand" are in the same discussion. It's pathetic.

I can see streaming and making YouTube videos for money, I get it, but still.

Side-note: I don't subscribe to Grant Thompson, I like most of his videos (minus the vine star shit he put out a few weeks ago) and do check his channel every few days, but he put up a video a few days after all the hate he got from doing those and he came across so arrogantly. He was all talking adblockers, and how ~50% of viewers use adblockers and if more and more people use them less and less money he makes and he'll stop providing us with videos. As if he's some hot shit we can't live without his videos. My bigger problem with streamers/YouTubers is when they stop doing it because they enjoy it and start doing it as a self-entitled bow down to my awesomeness "job".

[Zmaniac17]

I recently started watching some of the IRL travel channels. They are occasionally amazing. I really think there is a lot of potential here when more areas get 4G wireless.

Awkwards_Travel, AndyMilonakis, EXBC, CJayride, Reckful and others.

In regards to the OP, I think it depends on who you watch. I suggest getting out of the most popular streams and explore some of the smaller channels. Of course, if they are really putting on a show that cost money and time. So in most cases they are probably trying to sell something or ask for donations.

[TheFirstOnes]

Don't watch then...

:/

[Asaliah]

No offense but I'll never understand how watching people play a game (and giving them money for that WTF) is more interesting than actually PLAYING the game.

[alturic]

No offense but I'll never understand how watching people play a game (and giving them money for that WTF) is more interesting than actually PLAYING the game.

Hey sometimes you can't play the game at that moment, but you're feening so you have it on a second screen while you get done what you need to on your primary screen. :P

See: background noise

[Tziva]

I cringe everytime "streamers" and "their brand" are in the same discussion. It's pathetic.

You don't have to like it, but it's reality :P

No offense but I'll never understand how watching people play a game (and giving them money for that WTF) is more interesting than actually PLAYING the game.

Why do people watch pro sports instead of just kicking around a ball themselves? Why do they watch movies instead of living their own lives? Why do people listen to music instead of making it? It's the same kind of silly logic.

People watch for a lot of reasons, whether it's to see professions who play at a level they can only dream of, or see early access content or because they find that streamer's personality amusing or endearing or enjoyable. People pay because they want to support the people who are providing them entertainment.

I watch streams extremely rarely but I don't think it's particularly hard to understand the logic behind it when we're surrounded by analogous situations everywhere that no one ever questions.

[Deleted]

I used to watch them because I could watch them whilst I wasn't raiding in WoW, They killed the monotony of playing.

Since I no longer play time consuming games, I no longer have the patience to watching streams either. I'll usually just watch stream highlights on youtube, helps filter out the fluff. I've also become more fond of podcasts that never require me to be looking at the screen.

[Zigrifid]

Twitch gone downhill cause of people who only cares about the money or paying subs , there are channels who mock or ignore simple followers (if seen it happen) , also the whole camwhore who turned into a LoL player to get easier money from idiots is one more reason why twitch fucked itself up. I used to like people streaming my favorite games, now i just watch 1-2 people and thats all.

[alturic]

You don't have to like it, but it's reality :P

Why do people watch pro sports instead of just kicking around a ball themselves? Why do they watch movies instead of living their own lives? Why do people listen to music instead of making it? It's the same kind of silly logic.

People watch for a lot of reasons, whether it's to see professions who play at a level they can only dream of, or see early access content or because they find that streamer's personality amusing or endearing or enjoyable. People pay because they want to support the people who are providing them entertainment.

I watch streams extremely rarely but I don't think it's particularly hard to understand the logic behind it when we're surrounded by analogous situations everywhere that no one ever questions.

Yea, but his logic isn't that crude. He's saying if he had the choice of playing a game of football versus watching a game of football, he'd actually... play the game of football.

It's just that when it comes to watching people play games, it inherently means you presumably have the time to play the game yourself at that moment. You know what I mean?

HOWEVER, I'd say what you seem to be saying is that it's the same reason there's people who religiously follow celebrities. They'll never drive around in bentley's, getting whisked away to exotic locations, etc so they live through them.

Oh, and no, streamers do NOT have a "brand" unless you're equating personality to brand but meh.

- - - Updated - - -

Twitch gone downhill cause of people who only cares about the money or paying subs , there are channels who mock or ignore simple followers (if seen it happen) , also the whole camwhore who turned into a LoL player to get easier money from idiots is one more reason why twitch fucked itself up. I used to like people streaming my favorite games, now i just watch 1-2 people and thats all.

I think what's more impressive though is how people turn almost anything into a job, and a very lucrative one at that for those who actually succeed. I mean think about it, who would have thought uploading random videos to YouTube and being paid ad revenue would turn people into producing original content, as much as most of the content is mind-numbingly stupid. Same goes for Twitch.

There's some channels my 3 year old loves watching because they open toys/play with toys, like adults... not kids. Who the hell would have thought you could turn that into a lucrative job, getting all the new toys because the manufacturers see the value in you blasting it out to your audience, etc. That ties directly into the next thing that's stupid beyond belief and that's "I received this product for free for my honest review" bullshit that's so prevalent on Amazon, etc.

[Theodarzna]

Only Brittany Venti is worth watching <3

[Deleted]

twitch is still very popular
http://www.businessinsider.fr/us/tec...ht-now-2017-6/

[alturic]

People realized they could monetize their game playing. They treat it like a job... because, to them, it is a job.

While I sense a slight tone of sarcasm in your closing, what exactly makes it "not a job" to the world? You're making it sound like only streamers can see the "job" aspect to what they are doing.

[Nutri]

I guess it depends on which streamer you watch.
For example, some of the streamers I tend to tune into are Savjz, ThijsHS and DisguisedToast, Hearthstone players. Besides his donator list, a small sponsor add in the bottom and a webcam there's nothing going on and they hardly talk about anything other than the game they play, save for thanking donators/subs.

So there's that kind of streamer too. But they have a secondary income; tournaments.
Next to that I fully agree that there are way too many screaming, look-at-me-being-interresting, 'omg lulz wtf #nerd #SuperGeekLolz" streamers out there who try to make bank as a full time streamer. Good for them, annoying to watch. Plus their chats are often like the anus of the internet.

[Tziva]

Yea, but his logic isn't that crude.

I'm just saying, no one ever has trouble understanding why people watch pro football or go to concerts under the logic they can just do it themselves. Most people can understand the concept of wanting to pay people who do something better than you to do it for your entertainment. Most people comprehend the idea of spectating entertainment, even if that particular form of entertainment doesn't appeal to them personally. Why that is so hard to grasp in a video game context is a little bizarre to me.

Oh, and no, streamers do NOT have a "brand" unless you're equating personality to brand but meh.

I'm not saying all streamers have to. I'm saying that it's what a lot of people who stream for a living are doing, because it's smart business in many contexts. Your brand can be built around your personality (in fact it very often is), but being successful is about more than just being likeable or having good skill. You build your brand to establish your stream/channel identity, set yourself apart from the 49857408574085 other people doing the same stuff, and clarify what content you are offering, and why people should watch you over the other guy. This in turn helps connect with viewers, make you stand out with the audience that your content best caters to, and begin establishing a loyal community that may even extend past just your channel and on to other social media sites as part of an overarching brand. It also helps advertisers -- the people who pay you ultimately -- connect with you when brands align.

You might find it pathetic to see something that is, for most people, just a fun hobby reduced to a "product," or feel that developing things like business strategy and branding around it is asinine -- which is understandable -- but that's what it is for many big streamers (and YT channels) nowadays. From a consumer perspective, maybe that makes the whole situation less fun, but it's still the reality of the market.

[Byleth]

No offense but I'll never understand how watching people play a game (and giving them money for that WTF) is more interesting than actually PLAYING the game.

Personally, I never just sit and watch streams, I usually just have it running on a side screen for some amusement while doing grindy content.

[Schattenlied]

Now, it seems like Twitch is all but a cash grab for these people. Seems like every time I checkout a new stream, you have the typical shit on the screen. Usually it's a donation goal, followed by something they're selling.

It's their job, god forbid they try to make money with it.

It's either a shirt or a hoody or some other shit no one wants

If no one wanted it, it wouldn't be there... Those streamers don't just make those things up and start trying to sell them, their followers ask for it, so they make it.

What ever happened to streaming for the fun of it? Has something changed?

Yes, people are doing it for their living... This has been happening for years now, how do you not know this?

[alturic]

I'm just saying, no one ever has trouble understanding why people watch pro football or go to concerts under the logic they can just do it themselves. Most people can understand the concept of wanting to pay people who do something better than you to do it for your entertainment. Most people comprehend the idea of spectating entertainment, even if that particular form of entertainment doesn't appeal to them personally. Why that is so hard to grasp in a video game context is a little bizarre to me.

No, it's just not that easy of a comparison to make. The comparison would be "why watch pro sports when you could do it yourself", which is STILL frankly a little absurd considering streamers are not "pro athletes".

You might find it pathetic to see something that is, for most people, just a fun hobby reduced to a "product," or feel that developing things like business strategy and branding around it is asinine -- which is understandable -- but that's what it is for many big streamers (and YT channels) nowadays. From a consumer perspective, maybe that makes the whole situation less fun, but it's still the reality of the market.

But see, that is EXACTLY what it is, a fun hobby. However, the part of me that understand completely... the businessman. It's not a hobby when you start making money. And yes, most of the big YouTube channels are indeed productions. But look at Neistat (don't know why, can't stand any of his videos, maybe because all the videos I've seen are literal vlogs which is the most mind-numbing videos) I have no idea how the hell he made it where he is. Perhaps he did things back in the day that made him a "star" (lul) that he is but yeaaaa. Oh and Towelliee, omg there's something about him that just makes me want to strangle kittens. I think it's because I watched him a few times back in Cataclysm (I think it was) when he was fat, and such a slob, burping right into the mic with no care in the world, etc.

On the Twitch side of things, that's what's perplexing, personally, anyone with a webcam can start streaming. None of them are actual productions. Hell, you can easily double-dip and record your session and just chop it up to the "action" parts and put it straight to YouTube for the added revenue.

*Note: No, I'm not saying it's easy. :P

Ok, /endrant. Have a good night Tziva.