YouTube Phenomena Lesson 1: Animated Game Hybrids

My favorite thing about YouTube is that it's like a World's Fair of every internet subculture you've never heard of. Today's lesson is in videos that combine an animated game (such as the Sim's or World of Warcraft) with another element like music, an invented plot-line or some other spin.

First example. Famous dance scenes are paired up with Warcraft characters dancing the same moves:


Second, there is an obscene number of shitty pop music videos that have been remade by what I always assume to be middle schoolers using the Sims' video games. I think the the video below may actually contain the worst song ever.



Here's another Sims video. This one is with Harry Potter. Look at their little digital pantomimes. The premise is: Harry and Ron set the house on fire and try to put it out while "Sweet Dreams" plays and people shout in, what sounds, like Russian.



Now I'm sure there are lots of other virtual type games with corresponding fan videos, so if you know of any please share. Next is a mash-up of "Sexy Back" with shots of Link from Zelda.



Finally, a video of someone's "dream crib" from Sims 2. On the notes it says "Shout out to Mr. H's 6th Period! Sorry if I didn't put everyone in the class." and the final shot in the video is a group of kids, presumably Mr. H's class... suspicion of middle schoolers confirmed! I like the lack of frills with this video; quick, jerky shots and no sound.



Thanks for enduring the length of this post. This entry briefly touches on issues of Harry Potter fan fiction, sexualized animation and meme phenomena. There is a new type of intelligence that is allowed by internet culture. In many ways the access that young people have to technology now is unleashing a new and unusual amount of creativity, though I imagine the negative effects on youth outweigh the positive.