Backseat Gaming: A Guide

Unsure if what you're doing is backseat gaming? Want clarity on this topic? I made this guide so you can be a more considerate viewer.Thank you so much for taking the time to read! It will be as short as it can possibly be.

What is "Backseat Gaming" and why do so many streamers have rules against it?

Backseat Gaming, as the name suggests, is like Backseat Driving. Having someone give you unsolicited direction in a game that they've either played before or purposely look stuff up to 'help' you.This is a problem, especially for AFAB/Femme presenting streamers. It happens to everyone, but proportionally, this group experiences it the most.Many streamers are playing a game for the first time on their streams. It is vastly more fun to figure the game's story, secrets, and gameplay on their own before asking for help. Many streamers have a code word or phrase to let the audience know it is now okay for them to help with that particular question, just in case the streamer asks a lot of rhetorical questions that aren't meant to be answered.Even telling someone how to build their characters (for example Final Fantasy X) is considered Backseating. You may have the best build for Yuna figured out, but the streamer may not care or may not know the intricacies the first playthrough. Let them build characters how THEY want to. If they ask you how you build a character, it's fine to give your opinion. But don't harass them into doing it the way you do. (This in particular HAS happened to the author of this guide and that person got banned after multiple warnings to stop.)People who backseat have this weird obsession with watching the streamer do everything 'perfect' or 'to their standards' the first time. This is VERY toxic behavior.

Okay, but what about things that are okay to help with?

This is a good question! Typically, if the streamer missed something important, such as an NPC to talk to or a chest with an item required for a quest, it's typically okay to point it out if they're nearing a point of no return.Typically, it's fine to ask, "Oh, you missed someone/something important back there. Want me to point you to it? You wont be able to go back for a while/ever."Things like this are not considered backseat gaming, because the streamer had a chance on their own to find it, especially if it was obvious and on the screen and they walked by it while talking to chat, or were looking away/on a different part of the screen.When in doubt, ask the streamer what sort of advice they're okay with, and what they are not. This is meant to be a short guide, so rules for each streamer can differ.Thank you for taking the time to look at this guide! Hopefully this helped you!