Checks out. I’m the same as others have mentioned, after work I’d rather just tune out and watch someone play a game (or have it on in the background) than actually build up the mental strength to play one myself, or at least a game that has any challenge to it, most days. If I play a game on an evening after work, I’m usually just cruising the Paldea region in Pokemon hunting for shinies or some other interesting pokemon to catch. I can just shut my brain off, move my character around, and look for a different colored pokemon.

Super gross conclusions/recommendations from the marketing firm in the article.

I imagine that if the finding was “gamers spend more time watching friends play”, they’d suggest monetizing the couch cushions.

Call of Duty Warzone already has in-game video. When you’re dead, you watch your teammate play until they can revive you. You see through their eyes and can talk to them.

More people watch <insert any sport here> than they play it.

I can see where the next revenue stream will be: Publishers want a tithe from Twitch for streams of their products. They’ve been polite up until now because its free marketing, but if even one dataset says there’s money to be made…

Phil Fish was the first and got blown out over it, we should have taken heed.

Very true. I usually binge videos for whatever game I’m currently playing.

I like watching Nilhaus play factory games so I can learn some new ways to better organize my logistics. That’s a big one.

I’ve never played Europa Universalis IV but I love watching videos of it.

So, it’s just like traditional sports now

It’s like people who watches sports but don’t do any.

Edit: Well. after a few minutes of reflection, I wanna contribute with my two cents and say that it’s pretty common to do this kind of thing of watch videos instead of playing games, but it is done under very specific circumstances, like, I am a SFIII 3rd Strike player and I have a job to, so, I can’t be playing all the day. Competitive players need to be being in contact with the game that they wanna master to not get rusty faster, so watch videos is a way of getting that contact, view plays and movements and get that in your head till the moment you got a fightstick in your hands to be able to put in practice all those toughs

Yeah playing alone feels lonely, I just watch videos when I want to relax

It’s not a surprise. Big companies have been very busy for the last decade in transforming video games into glorified visual experiences which feel more of a chore than fun to play.

Only time I watch something is to see how to get past a part or get a tricky achievement. I’d be curious if its a generational thing. I started with the Commodore64 and would rather play the games.

Yeah, true for me. Idk, I just like gaming discussion. And my ADHD keeps me from actually playing the games when I want to.

True for me. Rare are the days whenni have the mental capacity for playing a game after work. Just watching is easier on the brain.

Because who can afford a new gaming rig/system AND games to play on it?

I very much doubt that people are watching games exclusively though. They are probably working, playing a game themselves (I watch while playing Football Manager etc…) or glued to their phone.