Many opinions on this particular matter surfaced but I’d like to say this to start: I always more about playing video games than watching someone else play video games. I want to be able to experience what’s happening onscreen for myself and I can only get so much of an experience out of what others tell me. That being said, I do feel like there is legitimate talent since not only do certain individuals play but they offer content showcasing strong knowledge and, more importantly, entertainment.
Enter Emile Rosales, who gamers in the YouTube community may know better as “Chuggaaconroy.” A recent article posted on Wired.com talked about the amount of followers he has been able to gain through his videos and I was absolutely floored by the findings, being something of a fan of his work. However, the fact that he was able to gain more than 600,000 subscribers and attain more than 500 million views – over a course of five years, mind you – goes to show just how attractive this form of entertainment is.
It’s not like Rosales’s work is the only that has been able to help YouTube. In fact, at the start of this month it was reported that 47% of video game-related views on the site were through content created by users. This includes anything from walkthroughs to “Let’s Play” videos, the latter being Rosales’s bread and butter of sorts. Speaking as a fan, once again, I understand just how difficult it can be to create these videos. It is one thing to record gameplay footage but to be able to make that entertaining to the audience and keep their attention for the long haul is an altogether different game, for lack of a better term.
Of course, there’s always been that divide as to whether or not “Let’s Players” actually deserved the revenue that they may earn off of their videos. On one hand, you can make the argument that they are utilizing material from video game companies, so it’s not entirely original. On the other hand, they are able to profit because of entertainment value and it’s allowed as long as enough creativity is put in place. This argument was especially prevalent during Nintendo’s attempts to profit from such videos this past May; said attempts have recently subsided.
It seems that the general consensus amongst gamers is that if you want to gain the biggest audience, take your creativity to YouTube. There may not be a better online marketing tool of sorts for them to utilize. For fans, many different users are worth looking into if you’re seeking strong commentary as well as entertainment value, each encouraging you to come back for more. Considering how popular these content creators have come, you will not need to look far.
