No, it’s not my birthday, thanks for asking.
This article at Polygon has the top 10 influential gamers list, and I’ve heard of exactly zero of them. The comments on the article echo my feelings; its a generational gap thing, where younger people spend a ton of time watching Youtube ‘personalities’ play games or do whatever it is they do. I don’t know, again, I’m now officially old.
What I do find a bit odd however is that while there is certainly a gap in who watches these people, and in turn is influenced by them, there isn’t a gap in what I prefer in gaming (or at least am aware of), and what actually sells, at least on the PC. I know most of the top games on Steam, and I like a good number of them. So are these Youtube people also enjoying these games? They must be right? I’d look to find out, but… yea no thanks.
Anyway, get off my lawn kids!
Hardcore Casual 
“World’s most influential gamer” sounds a bit like “world’s driest ocean” or “world’s heaviest ant” to me.
“Influencer” is the new buzzword for YouTube and social media celebrities that promote other products and other people. In my office the 20-somethings use the word a lot as they are all trying to tack on to the “influencer” market to promote our products.
Out of that list I have heard of Markiplier (he was one of the reactors on a React video), and Mari Takahashi (she is part of the Smosh group who were also on a React video). It is very much a gen z thing.
I tried watching the Smosh stuff a couple of times but the inane banter of the hosts does nothing for me (I am in the 50+ age group).
It’s not just that you’re old, this is an idiotic list. It’s a list of popular youtubers, not a list of most influential gamers. A list of influential gamers would include progamers of various kinds. There is not one here.
Agreed. Not just programmers, but what puzzles me is that by all accounts the influencers are not actually good at the games.
I mean, there exist people out there who have the instincts to grasp quickly the essence of almost any video game they touch, and I could see myself enjoying seeing someone with a genuinely strategic brain approach and crack fresh challenges, maybe throw in an instant review each time. And, sure, there are skilled streamers in specific games who can achieve a decent amount of fame and reward. But these guys… just yell and fail a lot. Apparently, a giant market exists for the vicarious frathouse experience.
I find it surprising you haven’t heard of PewDiePie. He turns up regularly even in mainstream, non-gaming news items. He’s the only one I have heard of, though, and I’ve never actually watched him, obviously!
He does? Why?
Recently there was the “PewDiePie is a nazi!” stupidity.
Ah yes, that sorta rings a bell, though I think when I saw it, I just shrugged and said ‘makes sense’, moved on.
I’m 35 and only ever heard of PewDiePie. Markiplier does sound familiar in a vague sort of way. I’m really wondering when gamers are going to start using their real names like they do in every other business.
I get what you’re saying about the generational thing. My 9yr old son loves DanTDM, or The Diamond Minecart. I personally enjoy Vanossgaming, his content is pretty damn hilarious. But other than PewDiePie I haven’t heard of the rest of those millennial hipsters.
I think Mari was on Survivor last season (not the current). She was great but got popped right away. The only YouTube videos I watch are of dungeons to prep or of a section in a game where I’m stuck.
Same as most people are saying. In my 30s, only heard of Pewdiepie, never watched any of them.