Many people have seen those videos on TikTok, Instagram, or other similar video-based platforms where a small section of text, usually spoken by one of the automated voices, plays over a game of Subway Surfers. Videos of this sort have gotten millions upon millions of views, and why is that?
It could be that, for the younger generation of viewers, this game means familiarity, it means childhood. After all, it was an age-appropriate game that tons of child-friendly screens allowed to be downloaded. But is this the only reason?
With shorter videos on social media being the most popular, as it becomes difficult for long-time users to not get bored after a few seconds, as shown in a study done by Lorenz-Spreen, P., Mønsted, B.M., Hövel, P., and their team, creators have needed to become more creative in the ways they present longer forms of media. One of these widely popular techniques is, of course, the use of games such as Subway Surfers.
Using generally familiar endless runner games allows for the watcher's brain to be able to take in multiple stimuli at once. While they are taking in the talking and the caption-providing text, the audience is also able to watch the avatar make its way across the never ending map.
Within the game itself, Subway Surfers is a stimulating, exciting game. The fast-paced changing of scenery and having to jump, roll, or switch to a different lane is addicting, and the challenge yourself to beat your own score has made the game a huge hit that remains a consistent, exciting game. On top of that, the game's theme changes on a regular basis, providing a different motif that is new and enticing each time. Combined with working for new characters of a wide cast that can be earned through collected coins and jems, there is much to love and, well, obssess over with this game.
The endless, ever-changing loop of quickly moving characters, trains, and obstacles, paired with the text and audio of the story being told over it, is an entertaining and stimulating way of processing information, as well as a good way to get viewers to stick around throughout the entire video. Despite audiences sticking around, the duology has some issues within itself, where a person can get distracted by the game or the story, making them lose focus on the other. This has the potential to make them watch the video through again, only continuing to add to the view numbers.
It's something to think about the next time you're sitting through a video about a Reddit post playing over a snippet from Subway Surfers. Why is it drawing you in, and are you really paying attention to both?