Live content has lots of downtime and dull gameplay moments. It can’t compete with polished, edited videos - except in the one area it shines: human interaction. That works better when you can see the person. So most streams feature a person or at least an avatar, while edited videos often place a higher emphasis on gameplay. Each format is simply playing to its strengths. The ones that don’t you rarely see because they’re buried at the bottom of page 726 with four views.

They get more viewers when they do. Streamers do exist who don’t use a webcam, don’t talk to viewers at all, and only show gameplay. They get some viewers but not nearly as many as they would otherwise.

People like interacting with streamers. They especially like seeing the streamer get excited when they donate a bunch of subscriptions or send a bunch of money. Popular streamers will even have animations and sound to make a big deal out of this.

The truth is that full time streamers are supported by a small minority of viewers who donate large amounts of money. This makes streaming somewhat akin to prostitution in my view. But there you have it!

Because people are there to watch the streamer play the game, if you remove the streamer you remove the entertainment. Streaming is more personality driven than gameplay, unless it’s an esports match.