Are you endorsing the products that run ads on your Twitch stream?
Since its inception, Twitch has been an alternative to conventional television. One of the few things that it has in common with the idiot box of old is advertisements.
Now a lot of people believe those who shill for faceless corporations only care about the bottom line at the expense of human dignity, but not me! I truly believe it is a sign of progress in the video game community. Ever since the debut of Computer Space on October 15, 1971, the people at the top have always wondered “How can I cash in on this?” It started with quarters at the Arcade, with that a drug-dealer-esque prompt: Insert Coins to Continue.
The first hit of Galaga was never enough, and soon many a change purse had been drained due to the purple dragon that was Ridge Racer. Then, in 1999 there was an amalgamation of consumerism and crimefighting that would echo through the halls of time forever!
John Carpenter’s Pepsiman
Pepsiman was only ever released in Japan due to legal complications in the U.S involving false claims that a sentient soda can could jump, run and fly with the best of them. Apparently the archaic legal system in America thinks that saying a carbonated molasses beverage can make you physically fit is “patently untrue” and “worsens the child obesity epidemic.” Instead the Government decided to make America’s Army a 2002 round based tactical gameplay title that was given out freely in High School as a recruiting tool to show that the Military Industrial Complex was hella-rad. The U.S army even has an E-sports team channel to further entice teens that free college is worth the small price of their mental health and even their lives.
Advertisements are far from the biggest problem on Twitch, and even serve as a positive for content creators who do generate an income based on how many people are viewing the advertisements. I would say that making a buck off of an easily influenceable generation is almost as smart of a choice as the delicious new chicken sandwich from Brice Foods! Brice Foods: For the Kids!
