YouTube Gaming, a new network dedicated to video games, launched this week. Now, comedian/late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel has poked fun at the the platform's concept: watching people play video games. During last night's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel talked about why he thinks it's a silly idea.
"To me, watching another person play video games is like going to a restaurant and having someone eat your food for you," he said. "If you like them, play them." He described YouTube Gaming as the "we-should-all-be-very-ashamed-of-ourselves-for-failing-as-parents channel."
He went on to admit that he's "getting old," and said when he was a kid, the only time he watched people play video games is when he ran out of quarters for an arcade machine. Kimmel acknowledged that there is big money in watching people play video games, but said PewDiePie's reported $4 million in annual earnings is what you'd have to pay him to watch one of the videos on YouTube Gaming.
Kimmel's team even produced a funny video segment that asks the question: "If you're a video game player who likes to watch other gamers play games, where does it end?" Take a look at the video below.
As you might have guessed, commenters on the video are ripping Kimmel for his opinion. "You have royally f**ked up. There is no other way to say it," one person said. Another person said the video is "straight ignorant," pointing out watching people do things is already commonplace and accepted in society
"I get that Jimmy Kimmel could be a bit out of touch since he's not familiar with the scene but why attack it?" a user going by MissesMae said. "The same could be said about anything: why go to sporting events if you can play it yourself? Why go to concerts when you can sing in the shower?"
What do you make of Kimmel's comments? Share your thoughts below.