After Joe Rogan spoke about video games on his podcast, calling them addictive, fun, and “a waste of time,” many in the gaming community criticized the comedian for being out of touch. Now, YouTube star PewDiePie has shared his thoughts on Rogan’s statement.
PewDiePie, aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, who jokingly calls Rogan a “shiny-headed son of a bitch,” did defend the podcaster's point of view by saying that video games, unlike other pastimes, don’t provide any tangible, life-long skills. Yet, the YouTuber noted the generational gap that exists between Rogan, 52, and fans of video games, stating he “really just sounds like a boomer.”
PewDiePie also contradicts Rogan claim that you can’t make money gaming unless you’re a pro. He points out that many streamers earn a living without being professional players, highlighting the fact that the podcaster, who admits to playing games, seems to know very little about the gaming industry.
As a successful YouTuber, who has an estimated net worth of $30 to $50 million, PewDiePie doesn’t want to discourage others from pursuing a career in gaming or video production, yet he also wants people to be realistic and know that not everyone is going to become a millionaire online.
As for Rogan’s claim that video games can be addictive, PewDiePie says that they can become all-consuming for some people, but he believes they also boast positive mental health benefits like improving logical thinking, puzzle-solving and reaction time.
PewDiePie steered clear of openly criticizing Rogan. Instead, he gave a balanced perspective on what the podcaster had probably intended to say, stating that he just seemed to get lost in his criticism of gaming while trying to tackle the issue of addiction. He concluded by saying that games can be entertaining but that gamers should “try to find a balance” since that’s what “makes life fun.”
The YouTuber wasn’t the only one to address Rogan’s remarks. Ninja, a professional battle royale player and streamer, who has an estimated net worth of $15 million, said that Rogan doesn’t really understand what the gaming community is or how you can be successful in the industry. “I mean there is streaming, content creation, YouTube, being a professional player, being a fricking coach,” he added.
Source: EssentiallySports