Are YouTubers Ruining Retro Gaming?

[NinjaWarrior]

This a responds from RGT 85, I give my 2 cents on it

 

 

 

[0078265317]

cool

[Keatah]

The answer is unequivocally yes! Youtube puts all the smartphone-era idiots in the spotlight. And more than 90% of game reviews on YT are loud screaming messes without focus. Not to mention it encourages hoarding.. And they often get the historical facts wrong.

 

And just when you think it's over, you get bombarded with requests to follow their channel.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Keatah

[keepdreamin]

Are the youtubers perpetuating rampant narcissism? Maybe.. but to my knowledge none of my gaming hardware or software has been altered by their presence. So I'll say no to the title question.

Edited July 15, 2017 by keepdreamin

[NinjaWarrior]

Yes, YouTube is to blame, But most of the Games I got from People talking about it on YouTube

 

I don't do that, If people want to sub or follow me, It's up to them

[keepdreamin]

youtubers calling out other youtubers on youtube for ruining retrogames being talked about on youtube.

 

Is that about right?

[AtariLeaf]

I don't think I've ruined anything and I've been youtubing since 2009. I think the key to my success is that no one listens to a damn word I say.

[StopDrop&Retro]

good lord.. RGT 85 of all people asked if YouTubers are killing retro gaming?

 

That's like Putin asking "yo, what's up with all the hacking lately??"

[doctorclu]

I love Youtube for retro gaming. Bear in mind, I have the unique perspective of everyone getting on the "Bubsy is awful and I am going to try to out do the last person in how much I hate Bubsy" bandwagon.

 

There is a lot of bad but also some extremely good retro gaming material. And the good stuff makes it all worth it to me.

Edited July 15, 2017 by doctorclu

[Osgeld]

there is a ton of bandwagon bashing on the more popular click me channels, which wore thin like 8 years ago, and nothing really new or interesting to say, I only watch game reviews and game related stuff on bleeding edge, or if I want to get an idea of a retro game before dropping 5 bucks on it

[Flojomojo]

youtubers calling out other youtubers on youtube for ruining retrogames being talked about on youtube.

 

Is that about right?

My thoughts exactly ... if you're gonna bitch about a medium junking up the hobby, use your words in print.

 

What I like about YouTube: you can see the game in motion, and maybe even watch someone play it well. No more relying on screen shots and iffy text reviews.

 

What I don't like about youtube: "like me!" "Subscribe!" Monetization. Shilling videos in text forums like this one. "Personalities." Things like lists that would be better in written form than video. Hyping up stuff in a way that drives up prices. Talking heads. Unprepared presentations that would be better as written editorials.

 

In short, I like it when people play to the strengths of the medium. I generally prefer print, though. It's easy to search, comments can be more intelligent, and you generally get denser information from it.

[Dr Manhattan]

What I like about YouTube are people who know their stuff. The kind of folks who really do their homework before they make a video. I enjoy fun and informative retro gaming content, along with bits of trivia. I also am grateful for quality "lets play" videos. They often help me decide on a game before making a purchase. I also like watching the occasional pick up video and flea market find. The hunt was once a big part of my life. Lot's of fun memories.

 

I also greatly appreciate the archival nature of YouTube. There are so many great old interviews, news segments, game clips and commercials. It's the greatest video archival tool on the web. It's helping to preserve an entire era and sell it to a new generation.

 

TL:DR, in many ways YouTube helps retro gaming far more than it hurts it.

[Scotterpop]

Ah, YouTube. You're so great because you're so terrible! The problem with it is the vast majority of content there is simply not worth watching. But the fact that it gives everyone on the planet an outlet to be seen and heard is a testament to the freedom and awesomeness of the internet.

 

Speaking as an aging Gen-exer, I find the vast majority of YouTubers to be annoying and talentless. But are they damaging this hobby? if they're spreading misinformation, then yes. But if they're just making certain games harder and more expensive to acquire by talking about them, then that's not really their fault. It's the umpteen million subscribers that take every word they say as gospel and then go out and buy any given game at an inflated price because they were told that's what it's worth… they're the ones to blame, and that's my only real gripe about the influence of YouTubers.

 

But the real problem with this hobby, in my opinion, are the ridiculous BIN prices on eBay. I think those are way more damaging because they deliberately skew the prices of any random game. EBay used to be an auction site where something would sell for basically what it was worth, as dictated by the marketplace and the basic laws of economics (supply and demand). Good luck finding a traditional auction now where you can bid what you're actually willing to pay because those are few and far between. And that really sucks because I used to love eBay. Now it's just a glorified Craig's List.

[PhoenixMoonPatrol]

While I dont think its ruining retro one thing that it doesn't need is some of these rock star types covering the games. I much prefer a channel that has no commentary,just game play videos,thats it. Thats how I keep my channel,free of annoyances,no commentary,just video to let the viewer sit back and make up their own mind on the games.

Maybe I'm too old for my age though,I'm probably boring as hell to a 15-25 year old when he sees that I don't yell or cough an attitude over a game boss thats been kicking my ass in a playthrough

[Skippy B. Coyote]

Ruining? Heavens no. Driving up the prices on obscure games by creating new demand for them? Most definitely.

[Punisher5.0]

I wouldn't say ruining at all. I didn't watch that vid because he does the typical youtube shock and awe title tactic to get views and I can't stand it anymore. I have watched several other videos though that got me into the mood and made me pull the old systems out of the closet. Games I normally would have never played. In that aspect I would say youtube has made classic gaming better for me.

[supercoupe91]

"YouTubers are ruining retro gaming" simply translates to "Things are more expensive now and I don't like it."

[keepdreamin]

"YouTubers are ruining retro gaming" simply translates to "Things are more expensive now and I don't like it."

Bingo. "I'm entitled to these games, not you!" Yeah, well you had to hear about them at some point. So why is it now not ok for others to learn? I'll cue the crickets

 

I love Youtube for retro gaming. Bear in mind, I have the unique perspective of everyone getting on the "Bubsy is awful and I am going to try to out do the last person in how much I hate Bubsy" bandwagon.

Is this really a thing? Bubsy is awful, though... below average shovelware at best. was simply a cash in on the 90's mascots with 'tude craze. Go play earthworm jim instead.

Edited July 15, 2017 by keepdreamin

[+Random Terrain]

Listen, all I want is a creepy guy who looks like he smells like sour milk and kitty litter to look directly into the camera and drone on for hours in a condescending manner. I don't want to see clips of video games or hear sounds from video games, just give me a talking head who has delusions of grandeur.

 

Bonus points if he looks like a greasy hippie who hasn't had a shower in 5 years or if he's a sweaty heavy-breathing overweight guy who sounds like he might have a heart attack any second. Extreme happy fun points if his nose whistles when he breathes.

[Flojomojo]

Listen, all I want is a creepy guy who looks like he smells like sour milk and kitty litter to look directly into the camera and drone on for hours in a condescending manner. I don't want to see clips of video games or hear sounds from video games, just give me a talking head who has delusions of grandeur.

 

Bonus points if he looks like a greasy hippie who hasn't had a shower in 5 years or if he's a sweaty heavy-breathing overweight guy who sounds like he might have a heart attack any second. Extreme happy fun points if his nose whistles when he breathes.

Then you're going to love this one, to which the top post video is a response. He has a nice radio voice ... https://youtu.be/exJZgMxFVCA

 

I get the sense that most people in this thread are responding to the title, not having watched the video. 8 minutes is a lot to ask of my puny attention span.

[spacecadet]

I talk about retro gaming pretty frequently on my channel, and I watch others who do too (Metal Jesus, Nostalgia Nerd, 8 Bit Guy, a few others).

 

I do think YouTubers have helped drive prices up. On my channel I often get comments from people who say things like "I never knew about any of this stuff before". There's a whole new generation of people out there who are just discovering it now and think it's cool. And they're discovering a lot of it through YouTube.

 

What I don't like about youtube: "like me!" "Subscribe!" Monetization. Shilling videos in text forums like this one.

 

I try not to do that too much, but you really have to do it to some extent. Making videos is not free or even cheap, so you need to monetize and you need to get thumbs ups and subscribers. Thumbs up are a big part of YT's algorithm for picking recommended videos (which can seriously jack up views and watch time), and subscriber numbers are part of that too but also pretty directly contribute to the watch time a video gets.

 

There's also plenty of research that says you don't get these things unless you ask, which is no different than anything else in life. Few people just fall into a marriage or a job, for example - first you need to ask. Nobody ever gets anything if they don't ask.

 

Anyway, if anything I'm probably guilty of not asking enough (sometimes I just forget), but I understand why others do it. I don't like those guys with the "YouTube voice" or personality as you call it, but I don't mind somebody like Metal Jesus just putting in a short plug at the end of his videos, or posting about his videos here.

[phoenixdownita]

...

 

I try not to do that too much, but you really have to do it to some extent. Making videos is not free or even cheap, so you need to monetize and you need to get thumbs ups and subscribers. Thumbs up are a big part of YT's algorithm for picking recommended videos (which can seriously jack up views and watch time), and subscriber numbers are part of that too but also pretty directly contribute to the watch time a video gets.

 

There's also plenty of research that says you don't get these things unless you ask, which is no different than anything else in life. Few people just fall into a marriage or a job, for example - first you need to ask. Nobody ever gets anything if they don't ask.

 

Anyway, if anything I'm probably guilty of not asking enough (sometimes I just forget), but I understand why others do it. I don't like those guys with the "YouTube voice" or personality as you call it, but I don't mind somebody like Metal Jesus just putting in a short plug at the end of his videos, or posting about his videos here.

 

So you're doing something out of your own volition and YOU HAVE TO MONETIZE IT because it is not cheap?

....

....

it's not that someone actually asked you to do it, isn't it?

(it's like me playing expensive/rare videogames and have someone else paying with the excuse that I am reviewing them for the greater good)

 

I hate all the clickbait, I hate the slow plodding, I hate the bad commentary, the giggling and other freaking nonsense.

I do like a video showing stuff and a nice transcript so I can focus on what I care .... the rest is just making me fast forwarding to crunch all the garbage as much as possible.

 

 

On another note even some news outlet now instead of writing a paragraph they show the words on a "slideshow-YT-video" kind of abomination ... wtf?

It's a video but I have to read each screen at a glacial pace and there's no transcript .... they normally lose me at slide n 2 .... slide n 1 is when I get annoyed and a little shocked that it's yet another word slide show.

[keepdreamin]

Youtube is like cable. Tons of channels with only a small percentage of stuff worth watching. Only way more stuff to sift through.

[spacecadet]

So you're doing something out of your own volition and YOU HAVE TO MONETIZE IT because it is not cheap?

Ummm, yes? I don't really understand the question. This is how life works. Did you have to buy a house or a car or that wedding ring for your wife? Who asked you to do those things? And now you mean to say you have to PAY for them!?

[AtariLeaf]

On my channel I often get comments from people who say things like "I never knew about any of this stuff before". There's a whole new generation of people out there who are just discovering it now and think it's cool. And they're discovering a lot of it through YouTube.

 

 

 

Years ago when I first started on youtube I did a lot of Tandy Coco stuff and other than a couple of others like Steve Benway or Marlinlee there wasn't a lot off coco content on youtube and I would get a lot of comments about people expressing interest because they either hadn't heard of or seen much on the Color Computer which did make me feel good to see growing interest in a computer I hold dear. However is there a correlation between my videos and coco prices on ebay? I doubt it, even if coco stuff has gone through the roof and there are lot more videos on youtube now, especially from someone like Steve Strow who has a lot of coco content.