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I’ve always liked gathering a group of friends together for a multiplayer game, or cheering on a girlfriend as she mowed down zombie hordes. Still, when Twitch became a thing, many people, including me, had the same reaction: “Why would anyone watch strangers play video games?” Over the years, my view has changed, but my question remains: Why on earth do I love watching strangers game?
Parasocial relationships aren't restricted to any single medium. It’s normal that we would develop a sense of personal connection to someone we see frequently, can interact with via chat, is appealing and is doing something we like to do or are interested in. It's special interest "Reality TV" without the network manipulation. We watch people cook, sew and build stuff. Why not game? Especially when you can interact with the host and the participants in real time.