Why do people watch others playing games instead of playing themselves?

Well. I watch game streams;

01] Popular streamers often get first dips at new games because devs / publishers of unknown titles want to show what the game is about or if it's a known title, to attract interest from those who're not certain about it. They're also banking on the popular personality of the streamers to advertise the product. For me, I want to know if it's worth the $$ so I focus on the gameplay, not the personality of the streamer.

02] If it's RPG, to see what choices the streamer make and their reasons behind it.

03] For the entertainment because when a good group of streamers come together to play a mmo, there's always something funny to laugh at. The jokes that go around.

04] When it's a building sim, there're always tips to get from the streamers, some of whom are great architects.

Streaming and youtube are largely entertainment.

You watch other people playing video games due to personality, mostly.

Some people watch other people playing video games to be amazed, because some people are just incredibly awesome at doing certain things in a video game.



Above link is mostly just a person who have learned the movement of the NPCs, the maps etc. but it just serves as an example of what some people with high skill levels which might be interesting to watch.

Indeed. Quill18 does lots of strategy game play throughs, and gives lots of tips.

And he gets early copies of dlc’s she you can see if it’s something you’d want to play yourself.

And for that type of game, you can’t spoil the story.

I’ve watched rpgs too but usually if I’m not sure of the game or when I want to see the story without paying for a product I don’t particularly want to play myself.

I mostly watch streams of games I already played, and I like seeing other people reactions to some events. I skip the action parts, though with some exceptions.

99% of LPs of Bayonetta are of bad players that only do one playthrough, on either normal or easy, and move to other games, the rest are good players. But there’s this one lady that was a complete noob, embraced the game and now she plays on the hardest mode. It’s such a fresh air and joy to watch her improve.

1. I can't afford many games so if it's story based, I can watch someone else play and still have the experience

2. Some streamers add to the enjoyment, Dodger's let's play of Aviary Attorney comes to mind as she did all the voice acting for what is a visual novel style detective game. When I went on to play it myself if was nowhere near as good without her

3. I'm often not well enough to play, but I can watch, so I experience more games in general as a viewer

4. Some games just aren't my thing gameplay wise, but I still want to watch them

5. It acts as a demo of sorts if I'm considering buying

6. It won't run on my PC, or is console only, such as Detroit: Become Human

It's a form of entertainment like watching TV or Youtube.

Gives you a fairly good idea whether or not you want to buy the game, because you're seeing it for yourself.

Some games are more fun to watch someone else play, rather than playing them yourself (I'm sure many of you will understand).

This definitely. I don't own a console so I watched the story rolled out for games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Detroit Become Human, etc. I don't feel I miss anything.

I don't get the appeal AT ALL.

The only thing I do is watch showcases of other people's creations in base building games. And then I don't watch them build stuff live. I just want to see the result. Gives me lots of new ideas for my own bases.
Oh, and I used to watch ME3MP videos. But that's about different builds and playstyles. Those are more like tutorials.

Like the OP tweet, I don't see the fun in watching other people play a game that I could be playing myself. Let's Plays are stupid to me. I don't get it. I don't have any favorite Youtubers either. I'm quite... uninterested in what other people do, I guess? Most Youtubers annoy the crap out of me anyway. I watch reviews, gameplay discussions, rants. But not people just playing a game. That is about the most boring thing ever to me.

Same reason people go to the movies, besides early access. It gives you that sense of being part of a community sharing a spectacle. You're enjoying it in a slightly different way than when watching or playing something yourself, because it fulfills a social need as well as alleviating boredom.

People used to go to church for that feeling, before cable television raised the bar for entertainment value.

If something surprises or touches or outrages you, and you can immediately turn your head/look at the side of the screen and observe that twenty other people had the same reaction, then that means something to you on a primal level. Simple as that.

Which isn't to say that it isn't a huge waste of time or that there aren't more constructive and efficient ways to get the same benefits. But the practice isn't strange or unnatural in and of itself, even though it certainly looks like a new kind of lazy.

Moreover, some of the people doing Let's Plays are legitimately funny and engaging to listen to while they play. Then it feels a little like time spent in good company.

I occasionally enjoy listening to certain groups doing Let's Plays of games I'd never play myself or already have played, for the discussions and banter. If it's a game I've already played then it has nostalgic value, and if it's a game I'd never get around to playing myself then I get the benefit of the story/dialogue anyway, all the while personally playing something that I can actually be bothered with.

Just focusing on someone else playing a game as an activity isn't something I could ever sit still for though. I got enough of that sharing a PS1 with my sister growing up.

Well, for one, if I tried to pole vault I would probably kill myself. LOL. But anyway, as much as I really don't see the appeal of esports, your counter question is why I don't rail on it too much. End of the day, people like what they like. 

Oh, another point to attach to my previous two.
There is also the matter of reality shows.

And while reality shows are scripted and cut to an extend, you don't just invite any average Joe to star in a reality show.

You need personalities that'll do stupid stuff that others can laugh at, or do stupid stuff that leads to drama, etc.

It is all entertainment in different media.

People also don't watch EVERY let's player that is out there, and people watch different let's players for different reasons.

Personally I have quite a bit of fun watching 'The Spiffing Brit' although calling him a let's player may not be entirely fair. It is just a youtuber using exploits, bugs, glitches, etc in video games, decently humorous.

Pewdiepie have also gotten quite a lot of attention in his recent Minecraft let's play, but Pewdiepie is the type of person that creates characters in his games which encourages out-of-his-let's-play creations.

That said, many let's players do not make it big, even if given a shout out... this is because they do not have a personality that draws people in and makes people want to stay, they are just not entertaining to watch.

I do believe it is far less about the game, and far more about the person playing the game.

Sometimes it is about the skill players hold, but most of the time it is about the personality.