As much as I like to call myself productive, l’ll be honest: I enjoy laziness to the fullest. Most of my free time in June has been spent lounging across my couch bed, waking up late and drowning myself in unproductive pastimes like old "Pokémon" games and YouTube videos. In fact, I’d say I spend at least a couple of hours a day on YouTube. It’s become part of my routine to check my subscriptions list for new videos to watch during breakfast and before I fall asleep at night. Over the years, YouTube has developed its own unique culture and become a staple part of the World Wide Web, host to a wide variety of content both in the U.S. and internationally. One type of content that I particularly enjoy is Let’s Play videos.

“What’s a Let’s Play?”

To put it simply, Let's Play videos feature other people playing video games, often accompanied by the gamer's (or gamers') comedic or thoughtful commentary as they play.

“Why would you watch other people play games instead of playing them yourself?”

I've sometimes found it awkward to explain my answer to this question, especially to people unfamiliar with today’s internet culture. There are a number of reasons why fans like me avidly enjoy watching Let's Players. For one, most people my age don't have enough time or money to buy and play video games on a daily basis, so these online gaming videos give viewers a chance to experience the games they like or are interested in actually purchasing themselves.

I also believe watching YouTubers play games online provides an entirely different experience than just playing them. It’s not just the game you’re there to see and hear, but also the person behind the controller. You get to view the game from a different lens and laugh along to flavorful commentary and (usually) genuine reactions of the players-at-hand. Each YouTuber has their own personality, so you're bound to find someone who appeals to your sense of humor.

Whatever your reason for enjoying (or not enjoying) these videos, the Let's Play industry has undoubtedly skyrocketed in popularity. KTLA5 recently released a news segment on one most popular gaming group, the Game Grumps, showing viewers the behind-the-scenes process of how they produce content and gain revenue through their videos. YouTube is steadily becoming recognized as a tangible career for vloggers, gamers and other online content creators worldwide.

The growth of this industry has not only given ordinary people the chance to make a career out of doing what they love, but has also created a platform from which YouTubers can reach out to millions of people. Popular YouTube Let’s Players such as PewDiePie and Markiplier, two of the most well-known online gamers who propelled the profession's publicity a few years back, use YouTube and Twitch (a livestream site) to raise money for charities and spread greater awareness for important humanitarian causes. Just last year, Markiplier raised over $74k for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance in less than 24 hours, thanks to fans and subscribers who tuned into his live "Super Mario World" playthrough and donated to his crowdfunding page.

Let's Play videos are admittedly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're a gaming fan and ever find yourself a lazy day to spare, look up some Let Play's channels and see if you like their brew.