A Let's Play (LP) is a video or a series of screenshots with text that shows someone playing a video game. It often includes the player's voice or comments, and sometimes shows the player's face. A Let's Play is different from a walkthrough or strategy guide because it focuses on the player's personal experience with the game. It may include funny, disrespectful, or critical comments from the player, rather than giving clear, factual help on how to complete the game. Let's Plays and live streams of gameplay are similar, but Let's Plays are usually edited and planned in advance, and may include narration. Live streams are often unedited and done without planning.

History

Since the beginning of computer video games, players who had access to tools like screenshot software, video recording devices, and screen recording programs have recorded themselves playing games. These recordings were often used for walkthroughs, longplays, speedruns, or other types of digital entertainment. For example, in the French show Level One on Game One (1998–2002), host Marc Lacombe played through early parts of games with commentary from himself and sometimes a guest. Another example is the Japanese TV program GameCenter CX, which began in 2003. The host challenged players to complete old video games in one day. Others, like Skip Rodgers, shared VHS tapes that explained how to beat difficult games. One common method was adding humorous commentary to screenshots or videos. Video-based playthroughs usually included little editing to show the player’s real-time reactions. Presenters sometimes asked viewers to choose in-game decisions, adding interactivity. Though others had used similar methods, the forums on the website Something Awful are credited with creating the term "Let's Play" in 2007 to describe these recordings. The exact origin of the term is unclear, but it is believed to come from a screenshot playthrough of The Oregon Trail on Something Awful forums in 2005. That specific playthrough is no longer on the site, but it has been mentioned in other forum discussions.

The format for Let's Plays is credited to Something Awful forum user Michael Sawyer, who used the username "Slowbeef." Sawyer said his format was inspired by an earlier playthrough by user "Vlaphor" for the game I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. Sawyer’s version became the standard for future users on the forum. He also made the first video playthrough for the game The Immortal, which he paired with a screenshot playthrough. As the format grew in popularity, the forum created a system to organize Let's Plays and built a large collection of them. With the rise of websites like YouTube and Twitch, which allow users to create and share videos, more people began making Let's Plays. This led to the format becoming widely popular and spreading beyond Something Awful forums.

Contemporary

Let's Play videos are like someone playing a game on video for others to watch. According to Patrick Lee from The A.V. Club, a good Let's Play video stands out from simple game recordings when the player knows the game well enough to give interesting comments, show more of the game, share personal memories about it, or play through a game they have already finished under special rules, like not fighting enemies. Lee says these videos help people remember games, especially those who cannot play them because of age or location.

Some popular gamers who make these videos have become well-known online and are seen as "professional fans," according to Dar Nothaft from Maker Studios. Other viewers watch these videos to see games from a different point of view instead of relying on professional reviews. Felix Kjellberg, who is known online as PewDiePie, has turned his Let's Play videos into a business. As of September 2015, his videos had over 40 million subscribers and more than 10 billion views. PewDiePie has greatly influenced game sales, and games shown on his channel often sell more, creating what is called "the PewDiePie effect." Other creators include Achievement Hunter, The Yogscast, Smosh Games, Chuggaaconroy, Jacksepticeye, Markiplier, DanTDM, Game Grumps, Stampylonghead, IHasCupquake, and Machinima.com.

Let's Play videos earn money through ads on the video hosting site. For example, Google's affiliate programs pay about 55% of the ad cost to the content creator, while Google keeps the rest. This means the income from Let's Play videos depends on how many people watch them. Creators can also join networks like Maker Studios, which help promote their videos in exchange for a share of the ad money. PewDiePie's monthly income from Let's Plays is estimated to be between $140,000 and $1.4 million, while smaller channels earn about $500 to $1,000 each month. The Wall Street Journal reported that PewDiePie earned over $4 million in 2013, and Forbes listed him as the highest-earning YouTube personality in 2015, making over $12 million before taxes. By 2018, some top creators earned between $16 million and $18 million annually.

Many Let's Play creators have turned this into a full-time job while learning skills like communication and video editing that help with future careers. Popular broadcasters often share part of their income for charity or hold charity events while playing games live. PewDiePie's work in this area led to him being named one of the 30 most influential people on the internet in March 2015 and one of the top 100 influential people overall in April 2016, both by Time magazine. Business Insider reported that 11 of the top 20 most-subscribed independent YouTube creators as of November 2014 made Let's Play videos. A 2017 report from SuperData Research said that more people watched Let's Play and live-streamed game videos than all HBO, Netflix, ESPN, and Hulu subscribers combined, with over 517 million YouTube users and 185 million Twitch users.

Let's Play videos are a useful way to promote games, especially for smaller developers. For example, Mike Bithell, the creator of Thomas Was Alone, said the game's success was partly due to a Let's Play video by John Bain, also known as TotalBiscuit. Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable, worked with Let's Play channels before the game's release to ensure they could play and record it. His team even made special demos for two popular channels (Rev3Games and Steam Train) that teased the game in a humorous way. Wreden believes this helped sell over 100,000 copies of the game in the first three days of its release. Some developers design games to be easy for Let's Play videos, like Octodad: Dadliest Catch, which gives players many chances to add their own humor and personality.

The popularity of Let's Play videos has changed how some games are made. These videos favor games that are unusual or quirky, encouraging developers to create games with these traits. They also help games in early access or beta testing by giving developers feedback to improve their games before release. Let's Play videos can bring attention to less-known games more than traditional gaming news. For example, the developers of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Hello Neighbor focused on getting interest from mid-level creators instead of top Let's Play creators like PewDiePie, which helped their games gain popularity during early access. Some games, like Goat Simulator and I am Bread, are criticized for being made specifically to attract Let's Play videos, and are called "YouTube bait."

Survival horror games, such as Five Nights at Freddy's and its sequels, are well-suited for Let's Play videos because they are designed to scare players, creating funny reactions for viewers. These games also let people who are not usually scared enjoy watching others react to the fear. Developers of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Outlast said Let's Play videos helped their games succeed, even though they had limited marketing budgets.

In some cases, Let's Play videos have kept games selling long after they were released. In 2014, Electronic Arts printed more copies of Skate 3, a 2010 game, because its appearance on PewDiePie's and other Let's Play channels kept sales high. The game stayed in the top 40 sales charts in the UK, and its 2014 sales were 33% higher than in 2013.

However, Let's Play videos can also hurt a game's sales, especially for short, story-driven games. Viewers might watch a Let's Play recording and not feel the need to buy the game. For example, the developers of That Dragon, Cancer, a game about a family's experience with illness, said some Let's Play videos showed the game without adding commentary or links to learn more about it. The team used YouTube's ContentID system to have some of these

Legal issues

The copyright of "Let's Play" videos is unclear. Game developers or publishers usually own the copyright and control how game media is used. However, some argue that these videos qualify as fair use because they offer commentary on the game. For a Let's Play video to be considered fair use, it must be transformative, meaning the creator adds new ideas or analysis beyond just showing the game. If a Let's Play video is challenged legally, the creator would need to prove fair use in court, which can be expensive. No legal cases involving Let's Plays have been decided yet, so their legal status remains uncertain.

Some websites that host Let's Plays, like YouTube, have received requests from game companies to remove videos using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). However, many game companies allow Let's Plays to continue because they help promote the game. YouTube and other sites often support game companies to stay protected under the DMCA. They use tools to find copyright issues and may issue warnings to users who break the rules.

In 2013, Nintendo used YouTube's Content ID system to claim ownership of Let's Play videos of their games so they could earn ad money. Some creators were affected at first, but Nintendo later stopped this and created a program to share profits with creators. Smaller game companies, like Ubisoft, allow Let's Plays and let creators earn money from ads as long as the videos follow guidelines. Microsoft also created rules for using its games in Let's Plays.

In 2013, YouTube changed its Content ID system, causing many Let's Play videos to be blocked. Game companies like Blizzard and Ubisoft worked with YouTube to fix the issue. The problem was linked to music copyright tools used by networks like TuneCore and INDmusic, which automatically protected music without asking. YouTube did not change its system despite complaints. Twitch, another streaming site, also faced similar issues with music copyright and later adjusted its rules to reduce errors.

Some games, like Concrete Jungle and Quantum Break, include options to disable licensed music or use free music to avoid copyright problems. Music licensing companies now offer broader rights for Let's Plays, but resolving Content ID claims can still cost creators money if videos are taken down. Developers like Pinokl Games and tinyBuild created new music for their games to avoid these issues.

In 2022, the game Cookie's Bustle was removed from the internet using the DMCA. A copyright for its gameplay concept was filed in January 2022. In 2023, a Japanese YouTuber was arrested for uploading gameplay and summary videos of Steins;Gate: My Darling's Embrace and Spy × Family, which broke Japanese rules about monetizing copyrighted content.

Another issue is disclosure. Some YouTubers receive free game copies before release to promote games. The FTC says creators must clearly tell viewers if they earn money from reviews. In 2016, Warner Bros. and Plaid Social were fined for not disclosing sponsored videos. The FTC required them to follow new rules to avoid future fines.