The most subscribed-to Youtuber makes an estimated four million dollars per year by playing video games. He has over thirty-five million subscribers and more than eight billion views. This man is named Felix Kjellberg, more easily recognized by the username PewDiePie.

He is spectacularly well known in the Youtube community for “Let’s Play”-style videos.

According to Lamarr Wilson, a host on Youtube Weekly, a “Let’s Player” is defined as “someone who plays the game all the way through, provides commentary and gives you the feeling of them inviting you to play with them.”

Other popular gaming channels such as “Achievement Hunter,” “Yogscast” and “GameGrumps” also attract similar attention and success.

This raises a question: why would someone choose to watch others play a game rather than play it directly?

The answer is a matter of opinion.

“I like ‘Achievement Hunter’ because they have a variety of people playing video games, and they make the games interesting with their commentary,” Maddie Smith (10) said.

Discussion regarding plot, strategizing or, in most cases, the general background banter of these players can add a level of entertainment which one might not otherwise gain from playing alone.

“I like Cryaotic because he has similar morals that I have when making decisions in games,” Smith said.

Many claim that the relatability of gamers like Cryaotic and the people from “Achievement Hunter” is what makes them so amusing. Smith wishes to one day work for Rooster Teeth (the father company of “Achievement Hunter”) where she may finally meet and collaborate with the people who inspire her.

The idea of being paid to play around is desirable to a multitude of members in the gaming community. However, the job comes equipped with some difficulties.

If you are not already connected to a prominent business or group, being noticed within the wave of Youtube’s three hundred hours of footage uploaded per minute is nearly impossible. Even if you are fortunate enough to be hired by a company like Rooster Teeth, you must do a considerable amount of filming and editing to keep up with the demand of your subscribers.

“They do so much more than what is seen on screen. They also have lives to manage outside of work,” Smith said.

Let’s Players prove that work and play are not mutually exclusive. Games can be more than just a hobby to kill time. Some have carved a new career path in entertainment by doing what they love and captivating millions of viewers. The validity of such a job can be debated, but the evident progress and positive reputation of these Let’s Players may offer an answer that is very difficult to refute.