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I just think people don't want to pay for another subscription service, I don't even think it being cheaper would entice people
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Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej (Buzzfeed Unsolved guys) have a new Mystery Show - Mystery Files (Teaser Out Now, Show Out May 2023)
- Thread starter IDontBeatGames
- Start date
well if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that advertising on YouTube is paying much less than it has in the past few years
views will get you a ways, but not every show they make or wanna make can grab as many eyes
they probably see this as a moment to stay independent more than anything
but then again, if the fans wont buy-in to that independence then I guess that says just as much that they should refocus
I wish them the best with this endeavor, but people feel plenty nickel-and-dime'd to death as it is. The most passionate fans will follow, but the casual fans will look elsewhere. Even my friends who watch all of their videos will not be following them at $5.99.
I'd love to have been a fly on the wall to see their analytics and the construction of this idea to launch their own service. Over 50% of their business is advertising... Depending on how much YouTube was giving them, launching an ad-free service and their entire revenue is reliant on user subscriptions sounds extremely tough. I have so many questions that only they could answer. What was the YouTube revenue like per month? How many full-time staff does the company have? How many subscriptions would they need to, at least, match their best month with YouTube? How much content per month will they need to produce to feel they've provided enough value to support their own streaming service?
If this fails, I wonder: would they let the company fold or would they be willing to scale back and return to YouTube?
I'd love to have been a fly on the wall to see their analytics and the construction of this idea to launch their own service. Over 50% of their business is advertising... Depending on how much YouTube was giving them, launching an ad-free service and their entire revenue is reliant on user subscriptions sounds extremely tough. I have so many questions that only they could answer. What was the YouTube revenue like per month? How many full-time staff does the company have? How many subscriptions would they need to, at least, match their best month with YouTube? How much content per month will they need to produce to feel they've provided enough value to support their own streaming service?
If this fails, I wonder: would they let the company fold or would they be willing to scale back and return to YouTube?
They've already walked back and old videos will now be available on YouTube, but they pretended like that was always the plan.
They should have done a Mythical, or Mr Sunday Movies or Corridor Digital and done exclusive content and moved their Patreon content to the website.
They should have done a Mythical, or Mr Sunday Movies or Corridor Digital and done exclusive content and moved their Patreon content to the website.
I was gonna say, Dropout is a pretty big darling among content creators at the moment because they've gotten off the Youtube/Twitch teat and just have direct revenue now. Some dickhead at Google can sink your whole income stream and it's out of your hands, but if you just have backers paying directly, the ball is in your court at least.
Goddamn this is a terrible move. Oh well. Guess I'll always be able to go back and watch their old stuff. No way I'm getting another subscription. I give it a year before they go back to Patreon or back to YouTube. I wonder if they're looking to get bought buy some media company like Giant Bomb.
brooooooooooo whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I loveeeee their content...
Very very weird decision.
This is the dumbest fucking thing. Who the hell is paying 6 bucks a month for this?
They are funny and all, but I ain't paying for another streaming service.
Oh I'm glad to hear that at least. I like rewatching Puppet History sometimes.
They couldn't have done a Patreon? I love my Ghoul Boys but this is some Fine Bros React World levels of delusion.
Last thing I'll say is that the tone of the announcement video is so bizarre and self serious. Like a PR reel you'd see at a corporate retreat or a something.
Like I posted, probably going for a Dropout play. Make Watcher into an app
Wow. This decision is... beyond strange. Did they come up with this themselves or did a Business Bro convince that this is the way to go? Guess it doesn't matter. The damage's been done. Hope they walk back on this. I like Puppet History and the Files shows too much to swear them off entirely.
Nah. I'll probably end up paying for this, too. There's been other streaming services I'd planned to drop, so I'll probably do that and it'll end up a net positive anyway.
The Dropout model has been proven to work, but they also have a fair amount of talent they can draw on for their shows. It's also mostly improv, which Sam has stated is easier to produce.
Watcher may end up stretching themselves real thin and (aside from their new podcasts) have entirely scripted/heavily edited content.
They ain't CollegeHumor/Dropout. They don't have the connections to the ...er... close to making it comedians in LA and NY that Sam Reich has.
I loved their Buzzfeed Unsolved content, but most of their stuff hasn't quite hit the same for me since the move to Watcher. I like Puppet History for the most part, but that's about it. I hope they see success because they've all seemed like really cool guys, but I wouldn't follow them down this road personally.
I sympathize with how difficult and stressful it must be to maintain a channel like this.
…but I also understand the frustration and difficulty of paying for yet another streaming service by viewers.
I don't really think there's a villain here, but I also don't know the answer. As a very casual viewer I probably won't be following though.
…but I also understand the frustration and difficulty of paying for yet another streaming service by viewers.
I don't really think there's a villain here, but I also don't know the answer. As a very casual viewer I probably won't be following though.
It's less the comedians and more the content. Dropout got its footing because of Dimension20 and later developed out things like Game Changer and Um, Actually, etc....
If Shane and Ryan's plan is only the mystery show(s), then this won't work. But if they plan on doing some new shows, then they have a shot imo
Adding to the cheap to produce bit, the actual Dropout staff number is pretty low (I think I last read it was 17 people?), since they have most talent just doing day shifts. I'm not sure how much it varies between shows but on the making of they noted the new Dropout show VIP films three episodes a day, and they got twelve episodes out of it for the first season. The shows I've seen from Watcher don't seem to have the ability to do that, either requiring travel or a lot of research/prep.
Not that I think the Try Guys 'should' go the same route, but just as an example I'd think they'd have an easier time, as a ton of their active shows or those pilots they just tried out could be filmed in batches.
Yeah Smosh is similar in that they film in one week blocks for 3 weeks of content. They have a pretty extensive full-time staff supporting them but they put just about everyone else to shame in terms of the amount of content they produce with 8 30+ minute video releases a week. (which is something they picked up from their time being owned by Mythical, who similarly organizes their GMM shooting. )
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And they're trending on Twitter and Tumblr as well. Worst part is that every single reaction I've read so far is the exact same or at least really similar: "Why are they doing this??? Why didn't they just do a Youtube Channel Membership or a Patreon?? Limited time merch???" I really wonder if they expected this much of a backlash and if they didn't, I truly wonder how they're handling this all behind the scenes.
It's nearly 125K dislikes now.
There's no way they don't walk back on this.
Update from the guys. Vids will be available on Watcher one-month before releasing on YouTube. Vids on Watcher will be ad-free. Current Patrons are getting a free subscription and they'll be processing full refunds for Watcher and Patreon.
View: https://youtu.be/3iFYULNTznI?si=n-T82hlCVzhHY4SP
View: https://youtu.be/3iFYULNTznI?si=n-T82hlCVzhHY4SP