YouTube and Video Game Commentary

One of the biggest and more recent trends (although it has been around for years) on YouTube is video game commentary. So why exactly is watching a prerecorded video (Or sometimes live on websites such as Twitch) of someone else playing a video game so entertaining? Many of these commentators have risen high enough in the ranks of YouTube fame to become superstars, PewDiePie, Markiplier, the members of the Yogscast, the Game Grumps, JohnTron, Penguinz0(CritiKal), and many many more. Well, from my perspective there are multiple elements that come together to provide such entertainment and even an obsession. First of all, let's put the stars aside. They are certainly one of the most important aspects but not the only one. First of all, many of these commentators play games right as they are released or sometimes more famous commentators are even allowed to play them before they are released as a way for the company to promote them. This is a good way to decide whether or not to buy a game yourself. Seeing someone else giving it a try may either interest you further in a game or completely push you away. Along with that, many of these commentators tend to find and then play very strange independently produced games that you may never hear of without them. It's a great way to find indie games. In the opposite sense, perhaps a sense of nostalgia, they also play games that may be very well known, sometimes games from many years ago. This provides a unique perspective,  a way to see how these commentators react to familiar events in said video game or to see what they do differently than you. They can even help provide strategy for newer and older games that you may have had trouble finishing. Back to the commentators themselves, their hilarious, lovable personalities are what bring everything together. You could certainly watch someone play through a video game without an commentary whatsoever but that would get old very quick. When you get to see and or hear these commentators' quips, jokes, sarcasm, reactions (anger, fright, cracking up), along with their general attitude towards a certain video game, it adds a whole new level of entertainment.

Have the newest video of my favorite commentator, CritiKal (Warning: Extremely foul language)