Can a Youtuber Affect Game Sales?

[nickdamon]

Absolutely. And I believe live streamers, like on Twitch, do too. I myself have bought plenty of games because I've watched someone else have tons of fun with it. It works that way internally, too. What I mean is... if one particular youtuber/streamer picks up a game no one else has really heard of, it will also get other youtubers and streamers to pick it up. Thus, more streamers = more screen time for the game = more viewers over time = more purchases. I think, anyway... haha.

 

[WarVet]

Oh most definitely. I can't recall the number of games I bought just because I liked a gameplay on Youtube. Usually, i like to take a look at anything im, buying even if this means looking at someone else using it. Somehow trailers just don't quite show me all i want to know about a particular game and that's where youtube comes in. I can safely say that 80% of the last games i bought I had checked on Youtube earlier

 

[jitendra0341]

Yes , you are right.These youtuber and live streamers make us made up our mind by their excellent review of the particular games.We come to know that they have great fun with the game that interests us too.We end up buying those games recommended by the reviewer.

 

[jitendra0341]

Yes, you are right. We get the game not just searching or shopping outside.We are influenced by the youtuber what they review about the game.New games come and the trailers are sometimes enticing but the full information about the game we get on youtube only..

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Probably. When they do "let's play" style videos, viewers can easily see them and say, hey, that's pretty good, I might buy that to try it myself. Or based on how they treat the Youtuber's word on a game, it could also repulse gamers who listen to them and not try them because of a bad review. It's not so different than reading a review of a game on a website. Someone plays and says what he thinks, and other people take notice and do their purchases with that in mind.

 

[BatmanWayne]

Yes, of course! It is a simple way to make a great marketing, most if the youtuber is an influencer, because he can reach a lot of people and tell them if there is a bad or a good game. You can mind it something like if your best friend tell you that he had played a really bad/good game that he bought, then that comment will affect your decision, well, imagine that with a lot of people that likes the way that someone tell them stories, it is the same way but with a lot of people.

 

[The Fezz]

Oh hell yea.
Without Youtubers, I would have no idea what to play XD.

 

[SashaS]

No doubt. Especially if they have a large authority like TheRadBrad, PewDiePie or Jacksepticeye. Those guys get millions of viewers that can ultimately convert into thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of downloads of the game they are playing.

This is especially the case for games you would otherwise have never heard of. Take Happy Wheels for example, if not for YouTuber's love for the game, it probably wouldn't be nearly as popular as it became. This also applies to the types of games other YouTubers like LeafyIsHere (not a huge fan of him anymore, but for the sake of the example) who usually plays that game where you fly around from rock to rock using this contraption on your glove.

A somewhat mediocre and repetitive game that otherwise wouldn't get too much attention became a pretty big hit. The same can be said about Cluster Truck, which I believe rose to fame because Pryocynical played it while making his hilarious commentaries and reaction videos.

 

[Neiltarquin]

And actually now a days, people would rely on people who are doing reviews on the games because they can actually see the reaction and comment of the person whose posting the video.

 

[PenguinManiac]

YouTube has become a media of its own, and Youtubers, as a consequence, have become remarkable influencers. It has already happened before, especially with indie games, which don't get much advertising by themselves (just look at PewDiePie in the past few years).
However, they also contribute indirectly thanks to reviews and walkthroughs. I always look up online for previews of a game before buying it, and I often end up making a decision after judging myself.
So yeah, I'd say they can.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

YouTube has become a media of its own, and Youtubers, as a consequence, have become remarkable influencers. It has already happened before, especially with indie games, which don't get much advertising by themselves (just look at PewDiePie in the past few years).
However, they also contribute indirectly thanks to reviews and walkthroughs. I always look up online for previews of a game before buying it, and I often end up making a decision after judging myself.
So yeah, I'd say they can.

Yup, lots of online stuff now to see when you are interested in a game. If the gameplay/graphics/etc looked great, you'll be more inclined to actually spend money on the actual game. It's a shame most games these days don't have demos anymore. It will actually help decide if you want a game or not. At least the closest thing we have to a "demo" is the 2 hour window on Steam to refund the game you bought if you don't like it.

 

[Pink_Turtle]

Yes! Absolutely, I think Youtubers have become a master key to selling these games. I think if a “celebrity youtuber” or a known youtuber play a game, It got way more chances to be played by some other people, the same ones that watch him. It’s publicity and marketing of the product and they know how to sell them too or just disregard them for people not to even look at them.

 

[goldlady]

Hey there! Great question. What in this world could not be influenced by a youtuber? LOL Some of them are ACTUALLY influencers. A youtuber can influence almost everything nowadays and I don't think games are the exception. It is crazy how this platform has been gaining force!

 

[Strelitzia]

Social media does have a lot of pull with people who follow certain gaming personalities but to be frank they're just a small drop in the overall sea of what would make or break the success of a game per say. Take movie reviews for example. Sure there's lots of well known critics who do nothing but review movies all day long but in the long run it boils down to the individual to make the leap of buying or not buying. Even a famous gaming personality may not like a game and it still could sell for millions. They certainly help with creating a viewpoint but until people shop around or experience it for themselves, perceptions can change. I love certain games that most critics have hated in the past or even certain gaming personalities loathe because the genre or the type of storytelling wasn't to their liking.

 

[sima061]

Well of course. If it's an extremely popular YouTuber, that's great marketing for the game. People are more likely to buy a game they hear about, watch a video about, see a person they follow play... So yeah, I think it's clear that they can affect sales.

 

[fireball916]

Absolutely. And I believe live streamers, like on Twitch, do too. I myself have bought plenty of games because I've watched someone else have tons of fun with it. It works that way internally, too. What I mean is... if one particular youtuber/streamer picks up a game no one else has really heard of, it will also get other youtubers and streamers to pick it up. Thus, more streamers = more screen time for the game = more viewers over time = more purchases. I think, anyway... haha.

I've never thought about that way. That's a really good point. Games go viral all the time on YouTube regardless of whether they are good or "bad" games. I've found out about lots of games because of YouTubers. One of them plays it then all of sudden I see all of them playing it.

 

[Soulwatcher]

Yes they can that's why almost every developer under the sun hands out pre release copies of a game to streams and youtubers. They use them to hype the game up before release and it usually works. Everybody and their brother watches the stream and heads to Gamestop for Midnight release. :smile:

 

[Deathisue]

Yes, is not any secret that the youtubers have a legion of follower and lot of those followers dont have is own sense of criticism and that is a good oportunity to sell stuff, for nothing the companies give to the most populars youtubers goods to do some kind of marketing, so yes the youtubers can affect the game sales.

 

[giovanniiiii]

There are thousands and even millions of viewers for those popular Youtube channel and majority of them supports and idolizes the Youtuber. I think it's also because of their gameplay videos that people are enticed to try out games too since the way these Youtubers play games seem fun. Youtubers have a strong influence over people who play games, and they could make or break game feedbacks with just one video, if it is reasonable.

 

[msyukionna]

There are good and bad points with Youtubers pushing game sales. It's such a great portal for independent content and because of that, producers sometimes exploit this. The not-so-good thing about Youtube reviews for me are sponsored opinions. I always try my best to ensure I'm getting unbiased advice and opinions but it's just sad that sometimes with Youtubers you just can't be sure.