Streaming has become a real force in the online world, with people from across the globe able to visit their favorite streamers for hours on end and view gaming content, real-life events, and other activities engaging to watch. Many young people in the modern age have shifted their dreams of becoming a firefighter, policemen, and astronauts, and now, the number one spot is dominated by wanting to be a famous streamer on the biggest platforms such as Twitch and YouTube.
While the landscape of streaming is vast and varied, the most popular format is streaming gaming content and a variety of online casino gambling options, with millions worldwide fixated on enjoying the gaming experience with their favorite online personalities, some of whom stream various online casino and console games and it makes for scintillating viewership, with those watching often on the edge of their seat.
With all being said and done, the initial adoption of streaming platforms was labeled as boring and the wider public couldn’t quite understand the likable factors of wanting to tune in to people such as xQc and Adin Ross, but after viewing their content this quickly changed, as the streamers are far more self-aware and intelligent than assumed. With such immensely large viewer counts, streaming audiences grew in number and became a massive force in rallying support for their streaming idols, who also set a trend about when and what to play.
Streamers changing the landscape of gaming
As mentioned, the streamers themselves soon found out the influence that they had not only on their audience but also on the games and platforms they were playing on. Huge brands noticed the potential reach of partnering with these personalities and would often offer eye-watering amounts to get the streamers on board. Brand deals, partnerships, and merchandise were then a common occurrence for streamers, with more in-depth data available about their audiences and openings for that to be taken advantage of.
In terms of games and gaming as a whole, top-tier streamers with the most viewers quickly learned how much influence they could have on games and how their input could in turn give them a say in the games they were playing, the content within, and the consensus of the games. If the streamer said the game was bad, bad reviews ensue in thousands, and the feeling would become mutual around an audience that was all very similar in terms of mind frame and general opinions on games and tastes within.
A prime example of a game where this effect has taken place is Call of Duty, namely the latest installment of it, Modern Warfare 2 which has been a subject of huge interest not only among players. Streamers did not hold back when reviewing the first taste of the game in the Beta testing phase, where the movement mechanics were changed massively from the previous edition of the game. With such large audiences, the idea that the viewers would feel the same as their idols were incredibly likely, and with the number of streamers talking badly about the game, the feeling was mutual across the whole of the gaming community.
Content creators, which include streamers and those posting YouTube videos of their gaming content, have always been invited to closed Alpha and Beta events, giving them the first taste in games, allowing them to partake in closed tournaments with the professional Esports teams, and so on. While many of these content creators would feel imposed to not make negative comments about the games, they were playing to ensure they weren’t uninvited in the future, some of the biggest names in the game did not hold back and continued to do so.
Some of the highly esteemed gamers and professionals have denounced the game completely, complaining that the movement, gameplay, and content is simply not good enough for the community that is so committed to playing the games day in, day out. It’s safe to say that the community is not too split on this, with many agreeing the game is unplayable, rushed, and incomplete.
The power lies with the players
Knowing that the streamers have so much influence, huge gaming developers are sure to take note of the rise and fall of Modern Warfare 2 and the power that the gaming community holds. It’s almost as if the developers have humored a game of ‘chicken’ with the fans and were not expecting the backlash they’ve received since the initial launch which is still ongoing today.
With players flocking away from the most popular franchise in the gaming world, they’ve returned to older, more complete games and namely free-to-play games that aren’t starved for content. To name a few, players have returned to Fortnite-one of the most captivating games, Apex Legends, Battlefield, GTA 5, and Rocket League. All games that have been released quite some time ago but have active developers working to release new content as much as possible.
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