What's with the genre of YouTuber reacting to a previously recorded video of them playing a game? (hexbear.net)

submitted 8 months ago by Magician@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

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Like them playing animal crossing or whatever, reading the character text aloud and then reacting like they're full-on having a conversation? They are framed as though playing the game in real time, but it's clear that they're reacting to a video of playing. It feels like watching someone play dolls or something and I can't stand it.

They're reacting to it like the characters are real. The YouTuber might talk about some of their own lives every now and then, but it all just feels so empty and I'm having a hard time understanding what the appeal is.

My partner loves these kinds of videos and I'm trying to figure out what it is about them that people like. Is there some comfort to them that I'm not getting?

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[-] Magician@hexbear.net 6 points 8 months ago

Maybe. The YouTubers I see doing it are essentially roleplaying. It's a lot of reading into shallow dialogue like Pokemon or Animal Crossing, and I think it's hitting some button in my mind where it feels particularly inauthentic. Like overblown reactions that feel too rehearsed or planned.

Which is funny, because I can enjoy video essays that go on for hours, and those are also artificial. Maybe it's the lack of pretense of it being a deliberate planned work? But also if I wanted to watch someone play a videogame, I'd rather watch my partner play or just play it myself and listen to their reactions.

I think I'm running into something with my neurodiversity, but I don't want to be hasty and blame a part of myself if it's another reason I'm not enjoying it.