5 Reasons I’m Never Doing a Let’s Play Series EVER Again

[@Me_out]

I’d love to say something poignant and important but omg dory stuck between the wall and chest of drawers is breaking me! 😂😂😂

[@morgaknightgames]

Yeah, I saw that about half way through and had to rewind due to laughter. 😆

[@xcaiusto]

She's been there for YEARS lmao

[@icklenellierose]

Dory sees all 👀

[@karichhoy]

Whenever I can see Ellen's room, I always check to see if Dory is still there lol

[@joestacey6185]

Those eyes... those terrible googly eyes.

[@ShoddyCast]

The backseat gaming stuff is mad frustrating because people are *mean* about it. They treat it as though you're doing something morally reprehensible by not playing optimally. It took me a while to get over people doing that, and when people get too snide about it on livestreams I have a tendency to block them lol. Anyway, totally on your side on that front, it's mad frustrating to deal with. Like it's just a game, y'all, chill out.

[@icklenellierose]

Yeah mean is the right word. Some people just can’t handle other people making their own fun or just not caring about being the best (at something that doesn’t matter! That’s the best thing about games!). I just don’t get the anger..!

[@Yoruichi006]

@@icklenellierose I remember Matt Mercer sumarising that mentality very well one time (with regards to fears of how people would receive Critical Role): "Your fun is wrong". Which is just such an inherently ridiculous concept. Games allow for so many different ways to have fun! Why not explore that? It's just a different flavour of gatekeeping I guess... Anyway, keep being your awesome self please! :)

[@chrissperling4418]

When did people forget that video games are a pass time activity? (rhetorical question) I mean its incredible to me the number of people that dont measure gaming success in smiles/ per hour. If sweaty gaming is fun for you knock yourself out, but christ let me play this the way I'm having a good time and you do you man.

[@dulloddity]

I know I'll yell at the screen when someone is missing something obvious, but that's only for me. I don't need to post that to anyone. And if they are having fun there's no wrong way to play.

[@tardsneverdie]

Never even mind if you have a game with companion characters/relationship-building/whathaveyou, and you accidentally do a kinda-mean to someone's waifu. I swear, the number of letsplayers that has ended...

[@marcogirardi1710]

Thanks for the effort of explaining the whole process! I had no idea. I really appreciate this!

[@icklenellierose]

Thanks so much! That’s v kind of you!

[@alexharrison2743]

Whenever I actually stop to take in the fact that every 'face-zoom' edit, every bit of overlay text, every comedic cut, isn't just how videos are naturally born into the world and are actually each worked in, I'm just blown away by the effort that must go into content creation of any kind. Thank you for all the entertainment you give us, Ellen, and sorry for all the pricks that make it harder than it should be

[@xATown23xGaming]

I didn't go crazy with editing like most creators, and I got sick of doing youtube within like a year. It got to the point I had to take 7 months off then when I returned I tried again and It is just too much...These people that can do it are a different breed

[@Vinemaple]

Severely underrated comment!

[@davetech9403]

This video also acts as a handy little back door exposé for people who might be interested in making videos and considering doing let’s plays. Thanks Ellen 😊

[@icklenellierose]

“Fly, you fools!”

[@merepseu]

Should I find myself Let's Playing anything ever again (Let's Hope Not), I'm playing it with a strategy guide open.

[@ArDeeMee]

I wanted to record and upload a couple of playthroughs of older videogames when I‘m on holiday soon, so I‘ll keep this in mind. I‘ll finish the game before uploading, and just do it for the heck of it. =)

[@davetech9403]

Yeah we shouldn’t feel discouraged, just have a tactic for the backseaters and consider the time and effort that goes into making let’s plays.

[@merissaj4518]

@merepseu I love the idea of a segment called "Let's Hope Not" 😆

[@samgonzalez8662]

I loved your Bioshock series. It was a confluence of one my very favorite games played by one of my very favorite KZbinrs at a very weird time in my life where I needed the 30-60 minutes of joy. I remember looking forward to every upload and settling in to watch as soon as I could find the time (which, let’s be honest, was within minutes if I could manage it). I’m sad to hear that we won’t be getting another series like this- I did hope there might be something more in the future- but I’m grateful for what you were already willing to give us, and for what I know it meant to me. Thank you for all the excellent hard work you put into the series, thank you for taking the time to explain exactly why the experience will stay one-of-a-kind, and thank you for taking care of yourself! Cheers, Ellen

[@Martyn_Wolf]

"Do a job you love" - people naively assume that you won't get STRESSED or Burnt Out or even sometimes Hate the job you love doing. You will!

[@concretel10n]

I reckon you'd be more likely to get burnt out cos you care that much more

[@DrZaius3141]

"Do a job you love" would be at least semi valid if we didn't live under capitalism.

[@Martyn_Wolf]

@@DrZaius3141 I'd say there are lots of people out there doing jobs they love, content creators are one such group of people. Some rise, some fall and some float.

[@TheRandomYoYo]

If you NEED to do anything for money, you will come to dislike it. The fantasy of "Find something that you love, take it as a job, and you will never work a day in your life" is long gone. And just to be clear, that means you should find a job you love and enjoy. But unless you have some 50k stored away and your main source of income is what you love, the stress of having to perfectly micromanage that in the current market will very like cause a lot of stress, cause burnout, and give you a lot of headache. The social pressure of doing a hobby as your job and having people tell you "perhaps it's not worth doing then" or "maybe you are bad at it" for no goddanm reason other than them believing the only way to make money is to have a 9-5 office job certainly isn't helping. So follow those dreams, but expect a rocky road, and try to have a backup if possible. When your livelihood depends on it, it will suck. At least with this you know what to expect, and have a chance at planning accordingly.

[@Martyn_Wolf]

@@TheRandomYoYo I find it amusing the 4 sentences I wrote, essentially condense the 4 paragraphs you wrote 😂 That's mainly due to people focusing on the money as the end objective to working, rather than the work itself being the reward and the money being a by product instead of the main aim.

[@SweetWitchNerd]

Oh Ellen it's been a LONG time since I've watched one of your videos but your channel and Outside Xtra were my entire teenage years, I'd spent day after day binging yours & Luke's videos on Oxtra, I love your sense of humor and your various hair colours throughout the years (one of the reasons I've had blue hair for a long time now). I'm glad to be back here

[@icklenellierose]

Welcome back! The mighty algorithm (and life in general) takes people elsewhere, but I love when folks stumble back in and don’t just go “oh no did I used to find this funny?” Hehe 💜

[@Michael_Lindell]

So it's less of a "Let's Play" and more of a "Let's Record/Produce/Edit"? The work did not go unnoticed.

[@demonsorrows]

You're lovely and fun. Keep on being you. Best wishes and hope your year improves with only occasional annoyances. The best we can really hope for. Much love.

[@CoreyBedford]

"And if you didn't like this video, I'm Sssniperwolf" cracked me up, I was not expecting that at all 😂

[@Reavyn1]

Seeing you go off on the "real gamer" crowd is something we all need more in our lives.

[@ItsJustYork-Clips]

this resonates a little too much ''find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your lif... you will because you will be tired at the end of it cos work makes you tired, okay''

[@itsatinygamer]

As a very small gaming channel who has been posting a video at least every other day since early 2020 you are so correct with your list. I've so often felt that it takes so much time to record, edit and post videos for gaming. I even stream on Twitch and will take those VODs, edit them and post them for additional gaming content and it's so much work. I do it because I enjoy sharing my play through of games, and I have to warn people that I only got into gaming as an adult once I started having enough money to buy consoles, games, gaming subscriptions, etc. Sometimes I get lucky and am able to play a game soon after it's been released (like Stray thanks to having a PlayStation Plus account), but other games I often have to wait for there to be a good sale or it's available through PS+, which means some of these games I'm just getting into, even though others may have grown up with the series, like Kingdom Hearts, Little Nightmares, Resident Evil, etc. and to please be kind while I learn, make mistakes and struggle through the game in my own way unless I ask for help. Thank you for making this video. It shows I'm not alone in feeling the way I have, and I fully respect your decision.

[@barbararowley6077]

All of your reasons are good ones. Some of them were genuinely ones I was concerned about at the time. I’ve not done any video editing, but have seen others do it so have a reasonable idea of what a massive time sink it is. You should be incredibly proud of making such a high quality series whilst working a full time job and taking care of yourself. Very much enjoyed all the salt! I hope it was cathartic. BTW, if anyone reads this who didn’t watch the LP please give it a go! It was extremely good.

[@Numanuma282]

You are actually touching on why I might move away from Let's Play's and just doing long form Video Game Video Essays. I always find myself reminding people that if I'm doing a let's play I have to have a personality while I play lol It's so mentally draining

[@sigged]

thanks for pointing out to people that recording playthroughs of games is actually a lot of work since many people call it lazy content

[@julietllouise]

This video has actually motivated me to watch your let's play! Bioshock has always intrigued me, since it was talked about in a class in uni, but I know I'll never play it myself. And I won't have to worry about any comments since I can just watch it all in one go.

[@kristianfischer9814]

"Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life!" Yes you will. And it will very likely make you stop loving it.

[@landonewts]

Having a job doing what you love really is a double-edged sword - well, actually, when you think about it, all swords are double-edged, aren’t they? Hmmm….what about those comically over-sized swords in the Final Fantasy games? And now that I think about it, the “Fantasy” is never really “Final,” is it? …. Wait, what were we talking about?

[@HighHeelKnight]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@Morrowind4732]

The alternative being? Do what you hate and hate it even more? I guess that still leaves the thing you love untainted. But I'd rather do something I love and maybe hate it than do something I certainly hate and certainly get more hate in my heart.

[@kristianfischer9814]

I don't want to make my hobby my job is the point. @@Morrowind4732

[@kristianfischer9814]

@@Morrowind4732 The point being, don't make your hobby your job.

[@unimaginativexhandle]

This is one of the funniest rants ever. Not as in the topic was funny and not important, but the delivery it had me laughing so hard. Also I am so glad you found the closure you needed

[@PinkTuskedMammoth]

I get it, I spend about 2 hrs getting footage recorded and then spend 6 hours editing, and then there is the rest of the day it spends uploading all for one 15 minute video.

[@MySkilletfan]

Is that regardless of upload speed?

[@PinkTuskedMammoth]

@@MySkilletfan my upload speed is fine but I am uploading (and many people upload even bigger) 13 to 15gb videos and the processing is what takes the most time

[@MySkilletfan]

@@PinkTuskedMammoth ty

[@shadowbullets24]

I feel this dude. Not only do I edit my videos, but I edit my friends Livestreams to highlights, plus work a fulltime job. What even is free time?

[@parccarp8614]

Never been happier to see a vid pop up in my feed. Welcome back!

[@jesssealey6552]

The salt in this is glorious, if I suffered from high blood pressure, it would be lethal. Love it! Thanks Ellen, keep up just being whatever version of you that you share with KZbin while taking necessary breaks. Cheers!

[@roxstar5088]

I don't get backseat gaming. For me it's super fun to see someone find out stuff on their own, missing stuff and making mistakes. As that is at least half the fun, learning the game. It reminds me of all the mistakes I make or used to make. And then that moment that might come later when they realise they misse something. We all have been there, we can all have a laugh. I think the outsidextra let's play series simply fits better as there is a lot of banter between for example yourself and Luke. You can share the "on" time and bounce of each other or take over from each other.

[@cfents8660]

This is f*cking brilliant. The candour mixed with the humour so authentically gets your points across. I learned a few things today.

[@stevenfarrar9460]

IM TWO WEEKS LATE! I'm so glad you finished the chapter of your life that is your Bioshock playthrough. I found you (and the rest of the gang) in 2020 at a very emotional time in my life. You all brought me so much joy that I can never thank you enough. To say you saved me would be an understatement. Looking forward to seeing what's in store for this year!

[@fadaz28]

I have three children under five. Thank you veeeeeeeeeeeery much for making a TL;DR time stamp. Cheers.

[@richneedre48]

God bless I have twin 11 yr old boys that are both HUGE GAMERS ..since I started them at 5yrs old w an xbox one X (state of the art at the time )✌️✌️

[@kurotoruk]

@@richneedre48 *fades into a melancholy nostalgia* n64 was state-of-the-art when i was five. might've even been the SNES. f***imold

[@Amaranthyne]

I sometimes find putting videos on 2x speed helpful. I don’t know how many people are aware, but if you tap the settings cog and scroll down to playback speed you can make it faster or slower.

[@richneedre48]

@kurotoruk I'll make u feel better the Sega Genesis and my turbographix w CD rom playing "Y's book 1&2 was the hey day for me...yea im older..lol 🤣

[@GoodBoyGoneDad]

​@@kurotoruk Atari was state of the art when I was 5. 😅

[@sosukestewart]

I second your comments about people saying your gameplay gave them physical pain, especially since I too have dealt with kidney stones(3 times) and was surprised to hear you say you've had them too

[@TransGuyShane]

A wild ellen has appeared ❤❤ Its so great to see you back on your own channel , im a regular on oxboxtra but its so nice seeing you on your own channel , i cant wait to see what you start bringing here 😊 I love all your videos but i am a nerd for your rants and chatty videos and dance defence ❤ I hope you are having a good 2024 so far ❤ [Pats dory on the head] Edit/side note- i understand impostor syndrome isnt something you can controll but you shouldn't feel like an impostor, look how far you have come, you have worked your butt off to get to where you are now and it has been amazing to see , ive followed your channel for years, youve been in my life longer than some family members and longer than any of my friends, ive watched you grow as a person and in your career and it has really been amazing to see you get to where you are today. Im extremely proud of you and im just a weirdo on the Internet, im sure many people you know would tell you the same thing, you worked your butt off and you should be proud of yourself ❤ Like i said i know it cant be controlled but you deserve to feel like you belong , you are not an impostor ❤❤

[@theelderling8467]

Well said and ditto 👍

[@TransGuyShane]

@@theelderling8467 thank you :)

[@sinistercinemareviews5420]

I was doing them and it took all the fun out of gaming. Plus, I couldn’t pay attention to the story which is what I’m really there for. I was too busy trying to talk to everyone in the comments. Ugh, I hated it. Bummer

[@SirCoffeebotESQ]

Eh, I'm just happy to see a new video from your channel. It's all good. Edit: Is that Dory stuck next to the drawers?

[@icklenellierose]

She's guarding my green screen....!

[@strawberrysky6805]

​@icklenellierose Oh my god I have that exact plushie! I have her overlooking the downstairs living room from the corner of my living room upstairs!

[@PleasureGELF]

It's what kind of put me off pursuing games journalism as a job. My journalism tutor at college recommended I follow it and I thought as gaming culture was a hobby, it would be the perfect way to blend those skills along with film production. The ideal career, right? Yes but bye-bye to enjoying a game the same way. Ask any journalist "have you played this?" or "did you finish that?" and the answer will probably be no. They don't have time. You don't get to play at your own pace or take it all in because you're dissecting something critically or writing, editing, recording, rushing to meet deadlines, worrying what viewers think etc. I'd hate for my first time with a game I was looking forward to to be for work. Don't get me wrong, it's still a cool job and you get to work with awesome people like the oxtra and oxbox team (I'd love to be part of something like that) but I know from doing book reviews, you can't just kick back and read. You have to keep stopping to proof read and take notes and rush to finish it in time to write up and edit a review. Then when you're asked "what did you think?" you can only think of the work you had to do.

[@sacredsock8031]

Point 1 is why I always give people that play video games in public a huge amount of leeway.

[@flexiblenerd]

I knew this was a complicated process but wow, this is actually educational. Fascinating all the things you actually have to go through as a solo creator that people don't think about. Same thing with any production, be it a show or film or a play, or a youtube or twitch vid, let alone a livestream. That would be a hell of a lot harder with just yourself, though. It's not something I would do entirely on my own, frankly. Props to you for doing it solo! But yeah, that sounds soul-crushing.

[@MistyKathrine]

27:20 This is your channel and you can do whatever you want on it and you don't have to apologize for doing the things you want to do on this channel.

[@j800r_aswell]

I feel your pain. Being the FF/JRPG fanboy that I am I've always loved HCBaily's legendary walkthrough style LPs. I once tried to post a little LP project myself. At least twice. Every time it fell flat. It is so challenging to skate around potential technical issues, play acceptably while still attempting to provide engaging and productive commentary and simply committing to something that is honestly more work than it seems. This was all without high production value or a camera feed so respect for even getting through one. Respect for those who have consistently put out quality LPs, especially walkthrough style ones. The aforementioned HCBaily in particular who's been at it for years and allways does test runs first and keeps notes at hand without skipping a beat while recording. If it's not work you do it for you and no one else. Your enjoyment is what matters most and if others are also entertained that's a bonus. I hope it doesn't come across patronising to be corny and say "You go girl!" Apologies. I'm extremely tired and posting this before I hopefully pass out for the night.

[@MistyKathrine]

7:00 This is a big part of why Let's Plays are fundamentally different from a game that was live-streamed.

[@MrMarcelong]

Videos like this are why I subscribe. Makes a point, makes me laugh and full off helpful information. Excuse me while I pop out to buy makeup ready for if I ever start my own KZbin channel (I always look ill)! Also the internet loves lists? *scrolls through a two massive playlists of 7 things videos*…. That tracks.

[@merissaj4518]

I am here for your videos with or without Let's Plays. Because of your playthrough, I am playing through Bioshock for the first time ever! Thanks, Ellen!

[@albatarrida7587]

@merissaj4518 now I feel like starting Bioshock for the first time ever😄😄

[@archeryguy1701]

All understandable. If the experience isn't enjoyable or you aren't getting anything out of it or it isn't a net positive, there's no value in forcing yourself to keep doing it. At least a few of the issues in this video is part of why my first attempt at starting streaming ended after a few months. Dealing with the tech and the viewers and needing to be "on" even when I wasn't feeling it was sucking the fun out of the thing I would do to recover from everything else in life that day. Finally decided that I was going to lose my mind if I kept it up. Might circle back around some day if I can find a different/better way to approach it for myself, but it wasn't worth the effort or what I was putting myself through to do it.

[@jfarrar19]

God I haven't had a chance to watch one of your videos in years. Probably not the happiest video to start on, but still happy to see you again! Glad to have ran across you in Brooklyn a few months ago (i was the weirdo to say hi outside the L'industrie Pizza) too!

[@icklenellierose]

omg hi! I hope you enjoyed your pizza and your concert!

[@Shannonnr]

Love your humor and approach with this video, Ellen. I really enjoyed your let’s play, it gave me the push to play bioshock. I COMPLETELY understand where you are coming from, appreciated your insights and the sodium content. Thank you for your hard work, I really appreciate and enjoy it all.

[@deathwatch27]

Love this ranting, it reminds me of the old Johnny Chiodini's Feedbackula vids from many years ago. Loves our Ellen

[@xenogil180]

Really enjoyed this lets play series. Was a highlight in my day. And I totally understand why you don't want to do it again. Nonetheless, really appreciate the work you put into this series.

[@dallydaydream]

As both someone who hates when people obnoxiously tell streamers/let's players what to do *and* someone who gets frustrated when streamers/let's players miss certain things but keep those frustrations to myself, I found the "backseat gamers" section extremely cathartic

[@Donutman95]

This is why I told my subs that if they see 100% in the title of my LP then hey I'm going hard but if not it's for fun. You gotta remember many people just want to see the gameplay because they can't play the game bro they don't care bout every little item LPs are not walkthroughs that's what annoys me is people think they are.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

I'm always seriously impressed by people who can come up with interesting and fun chat while playing an intense game - I'm used to one person playing chill games (e.g. Angory Tom) or multiple people playing intense games together (e.g. Yogscast) but one person doing an intense game is very impressive. Good video and a sound decision (also very glad to discover your personal channel as an OX fan, and even happier your name is green)!

[@kayleyanna3164]

I'm not at all surprised you won't be doing anyone let's plays. I enjoyed watching it, and I'm glad you got something meaningful out of doing it. I'd be lying if I said there weren't times where I worried about your freetime, knowing how much work goes into making things like this. I watched a playthough of bioshock probably over a decade ago now, but I never finished it. When I heard you had a similar experience of never seeing the game in it's entirety, I figured now was a great time to do that myself. I love the videos you make, both here and on oxtra, and you helped me get through a game that admittedly felt like a bit of a slough at times. Also seeing you in this video say something quite harsh only to immediately laugh was something I felt in my soul lol. Thanks.

[@IAmTheAce5]

It was so very fun listening to you play. Alas, I am so sorry for everyone who gave you crap during and after your playing and videos and I don't blame you for never wanting to do it again. Also, _fellow Elementary fan!!!_ Also, I played Close to the Sun recently- the 'Bioshock but Walking/Running-Away' game- and I know for a fact that I'm a fellow scaredy-cat too.

[@Singeferno]

I'm glad you played it. It inspired me to finally start tackling my own backlog.

[@JPFR65]

After watching this video, I appreciate you making the play through videos of Bioshock even more. Bioshock is not a game I would have played myself, so I thank you for the play through that allowed me to see what the game was all about. I look forward to seeing other play through video with you even if they are on other channels.

[@bryangibbs7191]

Your outside extra work led me here, I'm glad you were finally able to finish Bioshock and as someone who had the misfortune of getting a job doing something I loved and being slowly driven to hate it I understand perfectly your not wanting to do more let's plays here, I look forward to seeing whatever you do release on here whenever it's released as well as your work on your day job.

[@pinkluver7715]

Firstly; congrats on finishing Bioshock. I have yet to play it at all. Secondly; I subscribed for this video and it is the first of yours that I have seen. Finally; Hope you recover the numbers lost and have a great life regardless of producing "Let's Plays".

[@oneandonlymario659]

I appreciate your Let's Play. I hope you have the support to come back to it. Also, between this and Ellen's Fear Academy, I have learned you are a wildly expert shot when you are scared.

[@MarkEmerAndersonII]

Yeah! Ellen is better at games while freaking the hell out than I am just calmly playing. She's crazy good at a lot of games and I don't think people give her enough credit. And by people, I mean internet jerks.

[@corvusalbright6372]

This was a beautiful presentation of honesty and candor. Thank you for maintaining this channel despite the frustrations it inevitably brings! Happy to be a continued subscriber!

[@kiwikratos]

While I am a little sad, I respect your decision. You're awesome as!

[@brantwijnserrah3652]

I'm saddened we won't get to see you play the rest of the series, but I appreciate your reasons. :) Thank you for the Bioshock Let's Play series; watching you play through one of my favorite games was a highlight of my year last year, and I couldn't wait for each new video. You really made me smile, and laugh, and love the game all over again. That said, I still look forward to your regular thoughtful and funny videos!

[@ronnielozynsky7919]

Hey Ellen, I really enjoyed your BioShock Let's Play, and I look forward to whatever comes next on your channel. Even if you won't be making future LP series, it sounds like you enjoyed playing through BioShock a lot. 🙂

[@SethACampbellMusic]

Finally getting around to watching this. Thanks for your honest, thorough, and frequently hilarious thoughts. I'm glad the LP experience was an overall positive one (so it sounds, at least), and I'm hoping to have the time to actually watch it soon. I'm sorry it was such a hassle, though, and I'm glad you're doing what feels right for you. Thanks for the entertainment, whatever form it takes!

[@gabriellebosano3421]

As a fan of your work I have only recently found you here but just want to say I love unfiltered Ellen... looking forward to going back and watching all your vids

[@NoVoice71]

Man, id tune in Just to watch the rants. The comedic approach to situations all have gone through is genuinely genuine! Not even going to get into the issue of others deciding what's best for everyone on the planet except for themselves. I'm now subscribed and I'll check back often. Love the light-heartedness, keep it up and keep doing you.

[@baxter22071990]

Completely understandable Glad that you got the closure from the project, Your frankness is one of the numerous reasons we all love your content, Because youre brill 😁 ( ill be honest im not brilliant with getting my words right etc. But hopefully you get what im trying to say 😊 )

[@ProdigalGeek]

Discovered you via NRB and so glad to see a new video on your personal channel. Thanks for sharing so openly and thank you for being entertaining throughout!

[@everettjohnson9374]

Hey!!!!! Glad to see you're back!!!

[@chunksaflyin]

Fantastic!! Loved this and laughed so much, great ending as well.

[@Thesupersaiyanlord]

0:57 Never change, Ellen. You're too precious 😂

[@Blue_Badger_Borb]

Love abit of spicy Ellen I may have to go watch the bioshock video now. Congratulations on the closure :)

[@UncleSi]

Love Elementry! I'm slowly working my way through the series and it's an utter delight

[@CantankerousDave]

Lucy Liu is great in it, and I loved the new approach of not making characters like Marcus and Capt. Gregson idiots just to make Holmes appear smarter by comparison.

[@davidioanhedges]

We came of the Dory between the filing cabinet and the wall ... he's still there ....

[@Yinuh01]

I think you're right about it not being algorithm friendly. I wanted to watch, but after the first episode, KZbin stopped giving me notifications, and then I forgot. Might go back and watch the rest now.

[@AndrewGistKlaxMaster]

Same be ause I don't typically watch let's plays KZbin just stopped pushing me Ellen's videos. For such a smart algorithm, it's pretty fucking stupid. Lol

[@AnimichileTV]

Where are you? I hope you doing well!

[@EurekaGekko]

She still posts with the channels (outsidexbox/outside Xtra) they are very good!

[@AnimichileTV]

@@EurekaGekko Thanks very much :)

[@MrGrimsmith]

I can appreciate that, the editing time alone must be bonkers! Considering the fact that I generally say absolutely nothing I would want anyone to hear (I swear A LOT when things go pear shaped) while playing a game that portion of it alone would break me. I've seen folks do it with game footage and then a voiceover afterward but that means you have to edit the video, add the voice parts, listen and watch, re-edit everything before uploading and do your day job? No thank you and I appreciate your decision. Live streaming would be easier and even that's a lot more work than most folks appreciate.

[@MathiasDemo]

You're awesome and I appreciate all you do. Subscribed.

[@BENch_Gaming44444]

Also, when you edit your videos, it means you have to hear your own voice in a recording. I hate hearing my own voice in a recording! Its so weird!

[@MusicNeverDies68]

Thank you for putting all this out there, proud of you and all your growth. Happy to watch any and all you create

[@Crimson_Rogue97]

I love Johnny's way of dealing with backseating. They will ask for no backseating but then if they genuinely want help from the audience they'll ask in a French accent. Granted this is during streams so harder to do to filter KZbin comments

[@ButMadNNW626]

I also love that and how it almost bit them on the bum playing _Frog Detective_ because they wanted to read Frog’s lines in a French accent until someone in chat pointed out the house rule. So we got Benoit Blanc Frog instead. 😂

[@johnnyt7067]

Yeah, as Ellen was talking in this video I was thinking about how Johnny deals with this. But each to their own, Ellen's dislike of Let's Plays seems a bit wider than just what Johnny doesn't like about them. I also think about what Luke does on his channel which is basically just Lego dinosaurs (I know it's more than this but lol) and if my "day job" was Let's Play, I wouldn't want to do that in my free time either.

[@snorpenbass4196]

@@johnnyt7067 I mean, women tend to get a lot more nasty feedback than men (or NB's like Johnny), so while they may have gotten backseat gamers I doubt they got the sheer volume of noise Ellen got. Not saying it wasn't exhausting for them, but I think Ellen got it a bit worse.

[@KaessirAddaj]

I just wish you had the time to do more regular videos here, but I'm happy we can get anything at all. Loved the BioShock playthrough, have never played that game nor seen anyone play it before, but was very glad my first experience with that game was with your funny commentary and hilarious cries of anguish whenever some jump scare happened! Love you, Ellen!

[@tanukijessica]

10 years ago I worked on a Dark Souls lets play with my partner, She played, recorded and edited while I had to watch it over to write a funny script, then record that script in character, which included long stupid stories that I got annoyed if I messed up halfway through. It was a lot of work for how basic the videos came out. So you have a lot of respect from me for actually knowing what you're doing and finishing the whole thing.

[@lizzywolcott98]

For what it’s worth, I really really enjoyed your Bioshock playthrough. I had loads of fun watching you play it your way, and I looked forward to each upload. All your little Ellen-isms are exactly what made it fun to watch in the first place, so I dunno why anyone would complain. Thanks for that series, and I totally get why you wouldn’t want to do another one. I appreciate all you do here and over on OX 💜

[@danteshollowedgrounds]

Oh well that Sucks to hear really I'm sorry to hear that and it's very unfortunate.

[@sleepydan_]

When you got to the bit with the camera, i laughed because you literally did make the game harder for yourself, which technically makes you better!😂 😂 I enjoyed the video!

[@jcsturgeon]

This is such a fascinating and candid look into both you and what it takes to make an let's play video. It also ironically makes me want to watch more let's plays

[@DoucantNevrneir]

That Dory is going to haunt my dreams. It just keeps staring at me

[@MartinAhlman]

I found your channel through Tom Scott, and I subscribed. I like this channel, it makes me a happy. My hands are really useless, unless I'm playing an instrument. Using a keyboard? Nope! I can't play any games, and I have tried... Watching you play Bioshock was epic (or is it "fire" now?)... I love to hear you talk about other things as well, of course, I'm not an animal (to quote Mr Rotten). I'm staying, and I'll watch and listen to your videos. The tiny minds barking at the trees of their own inability to crate things can't stop shoving the abuse they feel in their tiny souls, Sorry about that. You are honest, as far as I can tell, and I want to see more of the things you love. Keep on making videos, please. Lots of love and an even bigger "Thank you!" from Sweden. Before any of the arses who can't help themselves start in the comments: English isn't my first language, Swedish is.

[@paper_penguin17]

Honestly props to finishing a project that you have left unfinished for years, not a lot of people can say they finished some long time unfinished projects. Takes a lot of work like you mentioned and some losses but I had heaps of fun with the series so thank you for the bioshock series! Hope to see more from your personal channel!

[@Avatar1977]

"some people don't know what women actually look like" made me spit out my drink, outstanding start 🤣

[@kelvin1316]

I hate that women have to spend hours putting stuff on to hide their natural beauty and yet men seem to be able to look like they were dragged through a hedge backwards with nothing said!

[@CondorCalabasas]

Yeah men get all the comments about their appearance, when is the last time a woman streamer was called pretty or attractive?

[@Bluessoulphoenix]

Honestly, if I recall correctly, I forgot about the camera for most of the game during my first playthrough too. As someone who loves replaying the series, I know to use the camera now, but using the mechanic does take me away from the action itself. An equivalent in another game I also love, is using the Psychoscope in Prey. Sure, you can still do attacks while using the Psychoscope, remembering to use it while freaking out about a mimic that's trying to eat your face (even if you have the Mimic Detection chipset equipped) is another thing to keep in mind while trying to scream and kill things, especially when the game is new to you and you're still bracing for an unexpected attack.

[@drewdoucette]

With you're talk about the camera i thought of an outsidextra list video suggestion 7 optional mechanics you wish you'd have used the first time

[@borjesvensson8661]

I thought of 7 boring camera mechanics. I mean the one in botw is just a slog to me

[@GamingWithUncleJon]

I've got a new, small let's play channel, and just recording, post processing, and posting takes so long. And i don't have a face cam or do cuts. Good on you for putting in the work, and for being done when you're done.

[@laterkater4213]

As someone who used to stream on twitch for a hot minute your set up list gave me flashbacks. 🤣 And I didn't have to do any editing!

[@Spectreffex]

The 1st reason is why one of my MUST HAVES when searching for my house was being able to have my own office. I don't have to take an hour or more to set up anymore. 2nd reason is valid as heck. I do enjoy editing but it takes SOO LONG especially when you're still learning. I still work a full time job, so it's hard to make the time for editing. But that's why Let's Plays are my preferred style. I would never be able to keep a consistent Streaming schedule.

[@SamuelSilva-pe4tx]

I've often wondered if video game content creators can enjoy video games outside of their work. I feel burnout would definitely kick in.

[@Basje16ui]

Thank you for this insight, I never fully knew how much work goes into a let's play. The most important is that you are happy and comfortable with what you do. Keep being you😊

[@Thrungey]

Do what you need and want to do :) Oh and props for the Elementary and Criminal Minds mentions, that's quality tv right there !

[@sojabursche]

Do you include the end of season 14 and beyond of criminal minds in this? If so that’s very impressive, you have a stronger stomach for nonsensical character development than me.. 😅

[@katemoseley5522]

15:17 haha I was the same with the Bioshock camera Ellen. I think I just gave up eventually or forgot about it lol 😂

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

God, the SniperWolf ending...🤣🤣🤣

[@akpokemon]

that was probably too meta/intelligent for me to understand or something. is it a self-mockery fake attempt at being relevant/interesting? is that how sniperwolf outros her videos?

[@avluis86]

Just found this channel on a random recommendation (can't believe KZbin is actually being helpful) Will be retroactively checking out your older content but now I'm wondering if you'll rant more often, it was delightful, I might need counseling 😅

[@spoooky_matt]

Hey Ellen. I have been recording Let's Plays on KZbin for about 1.5 years now (so still pretty new) but seeing all the stuff you had to deal with recording your Bioshock Let's Play makes me happy I chose to record and upload the way I do, which is very rudimentary and unedited, so thanks for unintentionally justifying my choices so far. Also, hearing you talk about backseat gamers helped me to realize that a former subscriber of mine was not just being an engaging viewer but rather a backseat gamer. I wasn't really sure how to handle the situation, but I knew it was upsetting me for some reason. Now I know! So thanks!

[@toadcola]

Am I too late to recommend using bolt paper?

[@rupertocampo8965]

As someonr who tried doing lets plays, even one among them was Bioshock, i KNOW EXACTLY what your talking about and i can genuinely relate. My equiptment and situation may be quite different from youra but it atill stuxk with me. The editing thr decision do either long episodes or cut up, mashed and highly edited videos were always on the back of my mind. Its quite a thing to be able to pull off lets plays and have be successful enough now, comaperd to when KZbin was still in its infancy. LOVED this video so much Ellen. Thank you!

[@casualdadgames]

Same! I do one-sittings, and am committed to doing a complete one - with no camera or commentary... And regret the decision immensely because it's a TON of play time

[@neildrewett]

Just want to say that I really loved the series and looked forward to every episode! Loved the humor, style and really appreciate you doing them!