Streaming has transformed the gaming industry. Once a niche hobby, the gaming scene has exploded in recent years, evolving into a respected art form that's defined an entire generation. The stigma around the culture is declining, thankfully, and that's thanks to one important sub-culture within the industry. That's right, live streamers. Entertaining viewers with their charismatic and sometimes hammy personalities, many streamers are celebrities in their own right, having amassed millions of followers. The presence they have cultivated on the internet has forced people to pay attention and change the ways they perceive gaming culture.
Life Is Better With Friends
Humans are social beings. Whether some people like it or not, we all crave to be part of a community. Like their followers, streamers simply seek to forge a relationship with like-minded people, some located on the other side of the globe. If it weren't for streamers, some people wouldn't have ever met some of their closest friends.
For some people, it's easier for them to communicate behind a screen or in a non-verbal manner. The reasons as to why aren't important, but streaming allows them to communicate with peers in a non-threatening and low-pressure environment. People aren't subjected to the same societal niceties and cues that can prompt anxiety and misunderstandings in situations. This isn't an excuse to treat others poorly, but rather a reprieve for introverts or people who loathe meeting strangers.
Streaming culture has had an impact on society, exemplified by fan meetups and internationally recognized events such as Twitchcon. A streamer's presence has the ability to unite strangers and turn them into a close-knit family.
Sample Before Purchase
From a monetary perspective, streamers are beneficial in that they allow their viewers to get a peek of the game their playing before putting down dollars. Watching streamers stream anticipated games offers a fuller preview of a game since they're usually on display for viewers, allowing them to judge a game more objectively and perhaps (but not all the time) with less bias.
For those who may be saving or low on money, streaming offers an alternative to purchasing games all while immersing viewers in a social experience.
Large Hams
Big-name streamers are celebrities. So they're not excused from the wild yet amusing behavior that some personalities engage in. Some of them might be stirring the pot to deliberately to gain momentary clout or subscribers, but many streamers just want to entertain the masses.
The good thing about streaming is there is a wide array of personalities found within the community - there's a streamer for everyone. Some streamers have built their reputations on being total sweethearts, while others have established their reputation by setting peoples' expectations ablaze and being frank with their commentary.
While there are streamers are known for streaming games of a certain franchise, an appealing online presence is crucial in gaining a following. Usually, there's someone else streaming the same sort of games as they and viewers can tune out and turn to these streamers instead.
Gamers Are Changing The Way We Understand Games
In short, the gaming community has been revolutionized, partially due to the influence streamers have had recently. If someone were to describe a gamer fifteen or twenty years ago, they would probably describe a child or a socially maladjusted adult with Peter Pan Syndrome. Now that these individuals have placed a face to a once underground hobby, people are changing the way they perceive gamers and their interests. More importantly, they allow their viewers to understand their interests from a new context and the support of a community.