Why Are Gaming Videos So Popular?

Why do we cringe or feel a phantom sensation of pain when someone else gets hurt? Why does our heart rate increase while watching a horror movie?

"One of the big mysteries of human nature is why we enjoy being spectators. It turns out one of the reasons is because when we watvh someone else do something, our brain doesn't think we are watcing it our brain is convinced we are actually doing it too." (Jonah Lehrer, Brain Games, S1, E2)

A rising theory in human science is the theory of mirror neurons, a topic studied by Jonah Lehrer. The main concept of this theory is that when observing a certain action, the brain lights up as if you were doing it yourself. Sometimes the brain can even create phantom sensations, such as pain, from inanimate objects.

So, why are video gaming videos popular you ask...Well, the answer is simple, the human brain has mastered the art of being spectators. It has mastered it so well that looking at something can acivate parts of your brain, cause physical sensations, emotions, heart pace increase, and even sweating. This means that our brain is fooled into thinking we are actually doing what we are seeing. Therefore, watching someone play a video game creates the same sensations that actually playing the game would.

If someone likes horror games but is to scared to play a horror game, they are most likely going to watch a video of it as an alternative. Same goes for someone who can't buy a video game, a lot of times they will watch a video of it instead. This is why gaming videos or "Let's Play's" are so popular.

If you can get the same feelings and thrills from playing a game just as much as you get from watching someone else play it... then why buy it at all?

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This illusion is solid proof that the brain can be qute easy to fool. As this man tricks his audience within a matter of minutes.