Launched in 2011, Twitch.tv capitalised on the increased viewer interest in videogame commentary channels on YouTube; an increase described as ‘stratospheric’ [1: 11]. Gaming content creators such as ‘PewDiePie’ displayed unprecedented popularity [2] and the channel ‘Game Grumps’ pioneered the trend of ‘Let’s plays’ found in 2012 [3]. Distinct from ‘Long Plays’ which provide ‘nothing but the complete gameplay itself’ [4: 237], ‘Let’s Plays’ emphasise an external narrative provided through the commentary of the content creator. This narration ‘tells the story of the player rather than that of the game’ [4: 236] which contributed to the continued success of Twitch.tv.
Continue reading “Playing vs Watching: Assessing Interactivity on Twitch.tv”
Critical Hit 