Playing vs. Watching/Reading

[shwisha]

I find that I spend more time watching and reading about games than I spend playing them... am I alone?

[KalessinDB]

Not by a long shot, though with me it's more curating my games (sorting them, making sure I have them online somewhere for purposes of knowing what I have when I buy more, printing covers, etc)... though the last week or so I've been watching speedruns of NES games.

[Exhuminator]

I find that I spend more time watching and reading about games than I spend playing them... am I alone?

Not at all.

[Ack]

I spend a lot of time doing research in general on games, which includes watching gameplay and often extensive reading of reviews, guides, advertisements, etc. For instance, we've been doing our articles on GOG games of various genres, and I've contributed a title to each. This has necessitated learning about them as well as playing, even ones that I've previously beaten.

Speaking of which we have more in the works for the GOG articles. Once we get through that line, well, we have plans for that too.

[Sarge]

Nope, there's no question I've spent more time reading or writing about games.

[Tanooki]

I read a lot more, I think even historically going back to the 20th century. It didn't matter if I had more or less time, there was reading/watching stuff that played into it. In the 80s you had Nintendo Power magazine, EGM (etc) and then on TV there was Nick Arcade, Gamepro, etc programs and even the related cartoons like Captain N or the 3 variants of the Super Mario Show not to leave out stuff like Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, the Power Team, etc. In the 90s then you have the internet, you sink time into reading up on random stuff, GameFAQs both on a new game or just to help on another, research and what not or help -- and then the advent of the earliest online review spots like IGN64 for one.

In more recent years, I've taken to not trust lying AAA site reviewers who get fanboy tinglies or bought off to lie (or get fired not to like Gerstman was.) Because of that I skim that crap, but really head into youtube play throughs (without mindless ramblings if avoidable) to see how an old game (sometimes new) works out in real play. Even more time on gamefaqs with the personal reviews and checking faqs to see if something is good or not. Research, it's needed these days as the trust is broken unless you're a gullible fool. Plus there's all those articles I've written and heaps of others on past bits of history, general but up to then kind of clouded or hidden knowledge, etc...and you could throw this among any forum in there as the reading too.

[ExedExes]

Great topic here. I absolutely read and watch more about games than I play them.

On YouTube, I'm subscribed to these following gamer channels:

Arcade Hunters (arcade walkthroughs & arcade game reviews)
Chrontendo (a series going through every FC & NES game ever made)
Cinemassacre (the home of AVGN)
Continue? (3 guys play a random old game for 30 minutes every Wednesday and decide if it's Continue or Game Over)
DidYouKnowGaming (various facts and ephemera of older games & series)
Frankomatic (Obscure Game Theater series with complete playthroughs of older PC and console titles)
Game Sack (2 guys with wooden delivery talk about various retro topics)
Gamester81 (console/game reviews specializing in the more hard to find)
Gamester81Arcade (like Arcade Hunters, arcade and convention arcade walkthroughs)
Gaming History Source (home of the Let's Compare series comparing different home ports of classic arcade titles, highly recommended)
GC9X Home Video (from HG101's now defunct GC9X podcast, long form videos showing entire libraries of games such as Sega CD and 32X)
Generation 16 (a series similar to Chrontendo, going through every Mega Drive/Genesis game ever made)
My Life In Gaming (a look at many retrogaming subjects, most famous for their RGB 101 Masterclass series)
Old Classic Retro Gaming (commentary-free videos of classic arcade games)
Pixelmusement (home of Ancient DOS Games, a series looking through DOS games from the 80s and 90s)
Randomised Gaming (a UK channel that features full playthroughs of 5th/6th generation titles)
Retroware (home of The Video Game Years series, now ended, but has other good videos)
Scottsquatch (a local guy from my area who has a series about his adventures selling games at a nearby fleamarket, also has local pickups videos every Sunday)
TNT Amusements (A company specializing in restoring old arcade and pinball machines, puts out a few new videos every week, good if you want to see the inside workings of the old games)
Vintage Video Game Geek (various retro gaming videos/reviews)
ZetaPlays (Let's Plays with a twist; he chooses the games randomly using a wheel he made himself, now halfway through his quest to play every FC/NES, SFC/SNES, and MD/GEN game ever made, I think he started in 2008!)

So yeah, I guess I do a lot more watching! All these channels keep me busy.

As for reading, HG101 is the site I visit the most, followed by Video Game Critic, Shmuplations, GameFAQs, and many more.

[Snatch1414]

Sure, but that's counting a lot of time spent just reading the "news" every day. I have some YouTube subscription but just the way life is at the moment I don't watch each and every video they all put out. Let's Plays do nothing for me either, but overall yeah I probably watch/read more than play. I don't think that says a lot though really.

[BoneSnapDeez]

This is normal.

I can't find time to game every day but I can always whip out my tablet and browse this site or HG101 or something for 45 min while my daughter plays.

[Ack]

Truth be told, this is an issue that I've seen pop up on here again and again over the years. Folks experience changes in their lives, and almost invariably they begin to worry that they are focusing more on 'x' portion of the hobby as opposed to 'y'. This can be collecting games, beating them, reading or watching videos about them, and so on. But they shouldn't worry. We shouldn't worry. Every one of these activities is still a valid way to participate in this hobby.

There is no right or wrong way to go about your video game hobby, so long as it doesn't take control of your life. If you find that to be the issue, well, then you need to consider reevaluating your participation in the hobby. But just checking out info on games you likely won't get a chance to play? Nothing wrong with that.