So uh..why does this forum hate FFXIV youtubers so much?

[Ivtrix]

It doesn't.

It's more people hate folks that are eternally negative of the game and post incessantly about it trying to use YouTube content creators, often ones they badmouthed in the past when said creators were positive about the game, to support their positions and speak for them, as well as presenting those opinions as authoritative. Basically: Appeal to authority fallacy.

They also like to use anyone not agreeing with said creators (or the negative posters) as "proof" of this fantasy they have that the FFXIV community is "toxic positive" to the point of rejecting any negativity...because the community doesn't appreciate terminal/perpetual negativity (which isn't unique to the community; Humans in general dislike spending time around people that are perpetually dour) nor does it appreciate attacks on the community/players. Mainly because no one likes being insulted and attacks on other players are not critiques of the game. Case in point:



...it really doesn't.

That used to be fairly true, but I've personally found you can be critical of the game, but as long as you are so respectfully, people don't hate on you. It's more often people who are being negative and insulting who have this illusion you can't be critical at all. People like to use this "the community hates anyone who criticizes the game" as a fig leaf shield against people being critical of them personally being kind of jerks. That is, negative people who are also being jerks to others try to act like people hate them for being negative of the game, not for them being jerks.

The double irony is that here on this forum in particular, the negatives outweigh the positives. A negative post here will get dozens of upvotes and streams of reinforcing replies while a positive one is lucky to get double-digit likes and such posters are routinely attacked and dogpiled on by the negative posters who seem to prefer being negative to other players than they often are critical of the game itself.

Which will continue so long as the more moderate critical voices, the people who are negative towards the game but otherwise respectful, continue to support the negative toxic voices rather than point out when they're unfairly attacking others.

This, children, is what we call gaslighting 101.

[ReynTime]

I don't hate them, but I do find the exaggerated reactions, the character playing and the costumes cringe as hell. It's nice when they take a break from the shilling to actually criticize the game for a good reason (meaning not useless glamour or housing whining)

I don't watch them often, because quite frankly, there is almost no interesting content generated from XIV. The game has been so formulaic and rigid for over 10 years that unless you're a hardcore fan the videos are unfunny and very boring to watch. Streams are even worse. Unless it's someone reacting to the MSQ for the first time, there's basically no entertainment value thanks to how unlikely you are to witness raids being handled differently, etc.
The last time a content creator made anything entertaining XIV related was back when Speakers of Hydaelin made lore content instead of their boring patch/discussion videos.

[DPZ2]

This, children, is what we call gaslighting 101.

I thank you for your example of gaslighting... Oh, you meant the post you were responding to? Weird.

[Catwho]

Because posting about them is an easy way for trolls to stir up controversy.

This is the real answer, but I'll also explain why I don't like certain streamers for their critiques of any game, not just FFXIV:

Comparison is the thief of joy. When you're playing a new video game, you should approach it with an open mind, and accept the game as it's presented to you. When you judge a game based on how other games in the same genre are played, you do both games a disservice. Games, especially MMOs, are a competition for your time, but they need to be viewed and judged on their own merits rather than how the person attempting it wishes it was played instead.

I do not like YouTubers who approach a game their own audience has asked them to play with preconceived notions, and who deliberately play it poorly so they can say to their audience "see? This is why I said it sucked." And then they do a job skip because someone offered to pay for it, and try endgame, and they are terrible since they didn't have the 80 levels of tutorial everyone who leveled properly did.

On the other end of the scale, criticisms from a streamer like Zepla hit harder because we know she loved this game and gave it a fair chance for so long, and she needed a break after months of disillusionment and burnout.

[ZephyrMenodora]

On the other end of the scale, criticisms from a streamer like Zepla hit harder because we know she loved this game and gave it a fair chance for so long, and she needed a break after months of disillusionment and burnout.

Zepla also said she has played since 2015 and only needed a break now. That’s 8 years so that’s a great, outstanding run. How many games have you played for 8 years before needing a break? For me that number is zero.

So for me it didn’t hit hard at all. If anything I’m surprised she wasn’t bored sooner. But I guess making money off XIV can extend one’s interest in the game.

[Ivtrix]

I thank you for your example of gaslighting... Oh, you meant the post you were responding to? Weird.

Cute uno reverse attempt but this isn’t it champ thanks for playing

[Cyanamists]

Comparison is the thief of joy. When you're playing a new video game, you should approach it with an open mind, and accept the game as it's presented to you.

I do not like YouTubers who approach a game their own audience has asked them to play with preconceived notions, and who deliberately play it poorly so they can say to their audience "see? This is why I said it sucked." And then they do a job skip because someone offered to pay for it, and try endgame, and they are terrible since they didn't have the 80 levels of tutorial everyone who leveled properly did.

I don't remember the name of said streamer but I remember when it happened; while I agree getting stomped by raid he was completely unprepared for was well deserved, let's not pretend the game does a very good job of teaching you how to play or even gear for that matter, 80 levels means nothing in the long run.

Also, the same can be said for people who ask their streamers to play the game for story, they expect reactions to parts of the story a certain way so they can relish and agree with them live(parasocial relationships are weird.)

I don't watch XIV content anymore, the only thing I did watch prior were mizzteq guides to dungeons when first starting out in ARR. I did watch Zepla's video out of pure curiosity because of the threads posted here and besides the nauseating amount of positivity she had to sprinkle in before each criticism, she spoke like a disgruntled consumer who wants the game to change for the better. She has a platform and I'm glad she's using it to speak out, it might not even reach the devs but at least there was an attempt.

[Themarvin]

Most of them do not even know what it mean to cover a game and end up being their self pompous thinking they know everything about the game and then expecting their views on the game is the only view on it.

Most of them is Clowns with a Mic and a Webcam, be it streamers or youtubers or both in one.

I still like playing the game and I got close to 23500 hours clocked on it.

[Ivtrix]

I don't remember the name of said streamer but I remember when it happened; while I agree getting stomped by raid he was completely unprepared for was well deserved, let's not pretend the game does a very good job of teaching you how to play or even gear for that matter, 80 levels means nothing in the long run.

Also, the same can be said for people who ask their streamers to play the game for story, they expect reactions to parts of the story a certain way so they can relish and agree with them live(parasocial relationships are weird.)

I don't watch XIV content anymore, the only thing I did watch prior were mizzteq guides to dungeons when first starting out in ARR. I did watch Zepla's video out of pure curiosity because of the threads posted here and besides the nauseating amount of positivity she had to sprinkle in before each criticism, she spoke like a disgruntled consumer who wants the game to change for the better. She has a platform and I'm glad she's using it to speak out, it might not even reach the devs but at least there was an attempt.

You’re likely thinking of quin. It was very apparent he had no intention to attempt to play the game in good faith and was just hopping on the XIV bandwagon during the wow exodus.

He’s a streamer known for raging and over dramatic childish behavior so it was kind of expected.

[MonsutaMan]

Hate is a strong word, but most people know many XIV social media figures are wined and dined.....