There's a new trend going on in the video game world, but it's not happening within the gaming companies...it's happening on YouTube. Gamers are posting their gaming sessions online and commenting on them along the way, whether it's about the game or not. This genre is called "Let's Play," and these videos are quickly becoming more and more popular on YouTube. More gamers are recording themselves playing video games, commenting on them, and posting them up on YouTube. Many gamers have become very popular in the Let's Play genre, and even make money off of their videos due to their popularity. Channels like Smosh Games, Markiplier, VanossGaming, and Game Grumps have millions of subscribers. One of the most famous Let's Play channels is run by Felix Kjellberg, also known as "Pewdiepie." He currently has over 47 million subscribers and has been consistently one of the top YouTubers, earning $12 million from his videos.

So the most common question that is asked about the Let's Play genre is: "Why would you want to watch someone else play video games?" Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, these gamers play a multitude of games on many different platforms and consoles. Anyone who has ever owned a video game or console knows that they are expensive. Since these gamers are getting paid, they have more disposable income to buy more consoles and more games, which can expose subscribers to games that may have never been able to see if it weren't for these gamers. In addition, these gamers add commentary to their sessions either related or not to the game itself. This makes these videos different from walkthroughs because the gamers talk about whatever they want, and it's mostly hilarious commentary. Overall, gamers like me watch these Let's Play videos because they are entertaining and we get to see a multitude of games across several platforms that we may not have been able to see for ourselves.

Some of my favorite Let's Play channels are Game Grumps and VanossGaming. I started watching Let's Plays when a friend of mine introduced me to Game Grumps and told me they were funny guys who played video games. Those two guys, Arin Hanson and Danny Avidan, are hilarious and do way more than just play video games. They are animators, actors, musicians, businessmen, and entrepreneurs. Arin and Danny have a great team behind them who also play with them, including Suzy, Barry, Ross, Brian, Kevin, and occasional guests. They are all very entertaining and I love going on YouTube to watch them play video games and listen to their hilarious commentary. I started watching my other favorite Let's Play channel, VanossGaming, just recently. Evan, aka Vanoss, plays video games online with other YouTubers and engages in hilarious gameplay with them. They usually mess around the whole time and their antics are very funny.

Let's Plays are all I usually watch on YouTube now. It's one of my favorite forms of entertainment (besides playing video games of course) and it's a great way for me to relax and get a good laugh in too. If you're into gaming and want to laugh, I highly recommend going on YouTube and finding a Let's Play channel. It's a unique concept, but it's definitely worth a try!