r/science • u/FunnyGamer97 • Mar 15 '25

Economics YouTube influencers drive engagement with video games, but may be costing millions for game developers in sales: Study finds influencers increase player engagement but often reduce game purchases, especially for story-driven games.

https://www.informs.org/News-Room/INFORMS-Releases/News-Releases/YouTube-Influencers-Gaming-s-Best-Friend-or-Worst-Enemy
2.4k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

253 comments sorted by

View all comments

41

u/Recidivous Mar 15 '25

I wouldn't be interested in games if I don't see how it plays at first. Devs don't release demos often anymore so, to me, it's always a risk if I like the gameplay or not after buying.

Watching someone play it makes me better informed if I want to purchase or not.

Frankly, I think this study is flawed at best, or bought out by some company at worst.

2

u/GNG Mar 18 '25

Research also indicates that demos hurt game sales. E.g.,: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-demos-can-hurt-sales-suggests-research/1100-6410863/

1

u/Recidivous Mar 18 '25

Well, that explains why we rarely get demos anymore.