I'm wondering if streamers are doing SoT the favor and PR it looks like on the outside. I say this after watching, not dropping names, quite a few prominent streamers openly and what seems like from a viewers perspective with RAREs backing doing a lot of troll baiting, bulling and harassing of everyone they come across to farm "content". While the older of us, im 32, are less affected by it, it's like training videos for younger players to emulate them in their behavior and play style. Alot of kids dream of being a streamer as a career or job ATM. I curate what my kids watch, or do the best I can without stifling them, but alot of parents dont. At all. Rage baiting people to get a rise out of them for your "content" I would argue is way MORE toxic long term then the other buffoons who are just ignorant and immature on their own. Streamers seem to breed this behavior. It puts kids in a bad mindset to see Partner pirates and streamers outside Partners doing it and thinking it's how your suppose to play. (And no, sorry, but the Santa PL telling them to be good boys and girls for the glory kinda makes them want to do the extreme opposite) I know, you can't stop them from doing what they do. They'll continue as long their making views and money. Just wanted to put this out here for review and feedback. I don't have a suggestion to curb it unfortunately, so I post this to open up the idea of what could be done, if anything.
Streamers, dreamers and inbetweeners
@r3troraccoon some streamers do this, and I do suspect some interactions are baited definitely but in general the streamers rare choose as their partners do tend to promote positive interactions and variety.
@hiradc yes RARE does do a decent job of watching who they back publicly. Yet with them being in "creator servers" it means any interactions, on either side, they have are part of THEIR discord group. I.E, it's all staged, because they get to close a server and invited the "enemy" in. Those who don't use or have access to private servers do the baiting thing for their content. Either way, it's bad optics if you look closer at what they really do. Kids STUDY these people as authorities on SoT. And monkey see/monkey do is how they learn at 10-20yo.
@r3troraccoon I don't think the partners with access to private servers are staging their content to the extent you're implying. The odd YouTube video maybe but the fact most of these are from footage on twitch where you can see end to end journey including them actually launching the servers.
Taking servers from community members does give them access to more instant action and I've always said is misleading to prospective players in terms of expectations but the whole joke about paid actors is just that. I've bumped into streamers including partners organically on normal servers and can confirm no staging etc.
Of course I admit maybe i am being naive and I can't guarantee anything, I just think in this day and age with everything under the spotlight and being viewed by such big numbers, successfully misleading everyone would be so difficult and such a risk if ever called out that it wouldn't really be worth it.
Fact is for every show worthy interaction they have they've had dozens of boring or badly ending ones it's just if you are spending that much time playing then opportunity will present itself.
These guys are basically creating their own versions of Johnny Knoxville and Bam Magera’s shows. Whether it’s tormenting kids or ragequit dudes or ruining the only 60 mins some Dad has to play a game at the end of the day these guys find great entertainment in it.
I’m sure they all have great Dads that did a bang up job.
Streaming by design is a low social accountability social bubble up until the internet decides that the game is over. It is designed to maximize profits through social manipulation not to create an accountable social environment/community.
It's a power imbalance in games like this and many use that power irresponsibly
on the other side it is an emotional roller coaster that nobody can ever truly prepare for. There is no going back on the internet and everything people do and say will be used against them on the outside of that bubble. That gets tough, real tough. Being excessively praised on the inside and excessively criticized on the outside doesn't leave room for true growth, it's just surviving in those conditions.
at the end of the day we just gotta do the best we can with a reality that no individual is really entirely to blame for. Rare has always fed into status too much imo but it's not malicious just like most of the sot streamers aren't doing things maliciously. They are just caught up in it, we all are to some degree.
Lead by example, consistency within principles, accountability. We are all here together so we gotta get through it together. Streaming, not streaming, in public, in private, just gotta try to do the best we can.
