But the ones I watch are of games I’ve either played ages ago and would like to see certain commentary on, or are games I have no interest (or money) to buy for myself.

Will I watch two minutes of gameplay footage (or trailers, in my suckerdom) to help me decide on a purchase? Sure. Will I sit through more than that or multiple parts of someone else playing a game I could potentially be playing? Absolutely not. It will never make sense to me, the same way it doesn’t make sense to call a tow truck to change a flat when you have a perfectly good spare in the trunk.

This again. I actually enjoy watching Let’s Plays that feature quality commentary but unfortunately quality commentators are very elusive on Youtube. That being said, I prefer watching speed runs to the standard Let’s Plays simply because I enjoy watching my favorite games get beaten in a matter of minutes.

This. The blithely self-assured way in which they ramble and blather uninteresting and unfunny bilge, and clearly think they are the very HEIGHT of humour.

That’s why I’d listen to Mel. He actually *is* intelligent and funny. But I’d miss being able to talk to him.

Maybe he should do a playthrough, and I should talk to him whilst he does it. That might be good. For me. For the viewers–terrible.

And I know personality goes a long way in making famous playthrough people a big deal, but honestly I find most of them obnoxious or just uninteresting. I guess it’s a younger generation thing. But you know, these guys are the biggest danger to the modern gaming press, and I’ll take them over Leigh Alexander anyday.

*Might*.

If I remembered; if I didn’t want to play the game myself but still wanted to see it (!?)–MAYBE then.

But if I want to see the game I’d probably want to play it, too. I don’t play games for spectacle as a rule: the real world is better for that.