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[UltraMav]

I just watched a content update video by James Rolfe of AVGN fame. In it, he talks about how he's been doing the Silly Internet Videos thing for a decade now, and every year it seems like he has less and less time available to dedicate to AVGN and his other projects, especially now that he has a wife and children.

It got me thinking about the long-term viability of YouTube stardom, and if we'll eventually see a "legacy" generation of trailblazers who occasionally pop up in videos from new artists 20 years from now, making cameos that make old farts like me go "I know that guy!" Or, maybe they're all locked into a set period of notability and will then disappear completely from the public consciousness. I do find it hard to imagine Rolfe -- or industry pundits like Jim Sterling -- still making video game videos at age 60, but maybe I'm just being cynical.

What do you think? Will guys like PewDiePie go down in history as equivalents to some of Hollywood's golden age stars, or are they all just a flash in the pan? Can you think of any formerly popular YouTubers who have transitioned into more sustainable careers since hitting it big on the Internet?

(Also, I realize that there are many more genres of YouTube stars, and this thread wasn't intended to be only about video game critics. I just don't pay much attention to the rest of YouTube.)

 

[hydrophilic attack]

so basically youtube stars are like porn stars

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I figure when you're reaching the end of your youtube career you just create a network and contract up-and-coming youtubers to it. They get to be part of your brand and get a boost in popularity, and you get a portion of their income.

 

[Permanently A]

Well Casey Neistat flipped his daily vlogs into a job for CNN so that's something.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I mean I guess it depends if you're doing youtube fulltime vs as a side job/hobby. I can only imagine those that are originally animators, musicians, or do work in companies might simply eventually phase it out of their lives if not switch from more elaborate videos to possibly something more blogpost like.

 

[firehawk12]

Their current fans will probably follow them until they quit, retire, or just stop making content relevant to them.

I look at it this way, the Giantbomb guys are nearing their 40s and I've been listening to them for maybe 15+ years. They are the real life example of what you're talking about, and I'm going to assume that their fans are mostly in a similar situation - people in their late 20s/early 30s who discovered Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis back in the Gamespot/early Whiskey Media days. Do they get new fans? Maybe, but younger kids are probably going to youtube.

I assume the same thing will happen. Assume Pewdiepie streams into his 40s, his current fanbase will probably watch his videos when they pop up, but there will be some new younger kid who gets the newer fans.

(Funny enough, Giantbomb might be the only enduring "personality gaming website" since everyone either gets jobs in the industry or just disappear entirely, like many Gamespot/IGN/1up people that you don't hear about anymore).

 

[moffattron9000]

Well Casey Neistat flipped his daily vlogs into a job for CNN so that's something.

He also did those stupid Samsung ads. I remember watching them, and wondering why a sixty year old millennial was telling me what I should be.

 

[Quick]

Not sure if it counts, but Natalie Tran, aka Community Channel on YouTube seems to have transitioned into her own sustainable career in media, the details of which I'm not entirely sure of.

She hasn't posted anything new since February and her videos were getting less frequent as time went on. Now her channel's just dead.

 

[ZackieChan]

At the rate we're going, I assume that one will be president within a decade (Joey what's his name, probably).

 

[Dusk Golem]

It got me thinking about the long-term viability of YouTube stardom, and if we'll eventually see a "legacy" generation of trailblazers who occasionally pop up in videos from new artists 20 years from now, making cameos that make old farts like me go "I know that guy!" Or, maybe they're all locked into a set period of notability and will then disappear completely from the public consciousness. I do find it hard to imagine Rolfe -- or industry pundits like Jim Sterling -- still making video game videos at age 60, but maybe I'm just being cynical.

Do most people work a constant job in their 60s?

I think it'll be like many entertainment industry stuff, in all honesty. Some will remain relevant, most will die out, some will make a place in history.

 

[smurfx]

some youtube guys take themselves out too chasing other projects. ray william johnson stopped doing his show because of some network show he was going to do and i don't think anything ever came of it.

 

[UltraMav]

so basically youtube stars are like porn stars

This is a surprisingly apt simile.

Their current fans will probably follow them until they quit, retire, or just stop making content relevant to them.

I look at it this way, the Giantbomb guys are nearing their 40s and I've been listening to them for maybe 15+ years. They are the real life example of what you're talking about, and I'm going to assume that their fans are mostly in a similar situation - people in their late 20s/early 30s who discovered Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis back in the Gamespot/early Whiskey Media days. Do they get new fans? Maybe, but younger kids are probably going to youtube.

This makes a lot of sense, and is a likely scenario. Hopefully classic videos from my generation's favorites will be stored on the site for the foreseeable future, so I can be the 2050s equivalent of the Grandpa who pays for cable just so he can just watch old episodes of "Gun Smoke."

Do most people work a constant job in their 60s?

I mean, I don't know about you, but I'm going into teaching and hope to stay with it until retirement age.

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

I think the end goal for a lot will be careers in mainstream media. The problem with Youtube content creation is that it's generally a one person job or, at most, a small team and it means if you're ill or other things come up, it leaves your main revenue source unmanned. It's probably not sustainable long term, especially for "AVGN" where it's a persona that sort of falls flat the older he gets. but people being themselves will probably find a transition to other things easier.

 

[Frankenstrat]

Well Casey Neistat flipped his daily vlogs into a job for CNN so that's something.

Branching off into other media seems viable. Someone like Philip DeFranco could probably spin off a career in Radio or something assuming the format isn't too dead.

 

[Dusk Golem]

I mean, I don't know about you, but I'm going into teaching and hope to stay with it until retirement age.

My job is my hobby, so I expect I'll be working in my 60s too because I want to, my work is something I want to dedicate my life to. However, statistically the average age of retirement is 61-64 in the US.

 

[UltraMav]

My job is my hobby, so I expect I'll be working in my 60s too because I want to. However, statistically the average age of retirement is 61-64 in the US.

Oh, I was unaware, I assumed it had jumped up to like 70 at this point. Well hopefully I'm right there in the average somewhere so I can enjoy my last decade of life.

 

[Permanently A]

Branching off into other media seems viable. Someone like Philip DeFranco could probably spin off a career in Radio or something assuming the format isn't too dead.

Isn't he starting a news business or something?

 

[Max_Po]

As a casual watcher, I much prefer the You Tubers over the f**king beggars on Twitch ... asking for f**king money.

I just find it fucking pathetic... putting on makeup and showing a bit of cleavage and asking for donations.... you have working hands... legs... get off your ass and get a job...

 

[Tagyhag]

I think it all depends on their talent and if they can branch out/adapt.

That AVGN video is a good example. James talks about how if he just did AVGN he'd get extremely burned out but he's branched out to do a couple of shows and he's writing a book.

The more niche a Youtube star is, the higher the chance that they'll be forgotten if they don't adapt.

I feel like most of them know this, but some believe that they don't have any other talent aside from what they currently do so they're just riding it out for as long as they can.

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

Probably most naturally transitions into hosting a tv show of some sort.

 

[Spinifex]

I watch a lot Youtube / Twitch content but it's all so fucking garish. The obligatory DONT FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE and the gif overlays and music that plays on subscribing / donating is like something out of Idiocracy.

There has to be a better way to get these content creators some fucking dignity.

 

[UltraMav]

The obligatory DONT FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE and the gif overlays and music that plays on subscribing / donating is like something out of Idiocracy.

This always makes me laugh. Like, bruh, I know how YouTube works. I'll subscribe if I like your content enough, relax.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

I guess you need the same strategy as any other career where you have to stop young (like sports or porn): Earn enough money while you're doing it to not need to work afterwards and just live off of what you got. (Obviously only feasible for the really successful ones)

 

[IdreamofHIME]

so basically youtube stars are like porn stars

I see many doing porn to pay future bills once the YouTube bubble has popped for them.

 

[andythinkpad]

Well Casey Neistat flipped his daily vlogs into a job for CNN so that's something.

He was doing *this* before youtube even exist anyway.

 

[davepoobond]

he has less time to do his job because he has a family?

okay.

but does he have another job?

 

[The Real Abed]

A lot of them are only doing it to help in their ultimate career. Like a lot of film majors who just happen to like making silly videos (AVGN) so when no one watches their silly stuff anymore they'll already have the ability to get a great job, if they don't already have one, in their major.

Some of the mega popular ones will get offers elsewhere or have enough to retire millionaires anyway.

Some will just disappear and do whatever they were planning on doing before YouTube anyway. Possibly something having nothing to do with what their videos were about.

As long as people keep watching they'll stick around. People like the GameGrumps like to joke that they won't be around in 5 years anyway, (They've already been around 5 now.) but pretty much all of them in their group have other jobs. Danny's a musician, as is his sidekick, Arin does voice work a lot and acting. These people already know the well could dry up any day so they're not just standing around.

 

[Walter White]

I figure when you're reaching the end of your youtube career you just create a network and contract up-and-coming youtubers to it. They get to be part of your brand and get a boost in popularity, and you get a portion of their income.

So exactly like a porn star.

 

[xJavonta]

They need to diversify. It's dumb to just hope your career lasts long enough in something as fickle as YouTube.

Well Casey Neistat flipped his daily vlogs into a job for CNN so that's something.

Like Casey. Dude was smart to "end" the vlog, sell his company to CNN (but still work for it), then bring the vlog back. He is one of the YouTube greats right now and he's still making moves to have a path after YouTube. Smart.

He also did those stupid Samsung ads. I remember watching them, and wondering why a sixty year old millennial was telling me what I should be.

What? He's like freshly 40 I think lmao. And from an marketing standpoint, those Samsung ads were a good call. I personally feel like Samsung usually spends way too much on marketing, but the Neistat relationship is a solid investment.

 

[SoundPulse]

I would say that most will fizzle out and just disappear. They'll find something they're more passionate about, have real life beckon, find a "real" job using the skills they honed, or just plain fade into obscurity. It's just the way of things, and there are already plenty of examples.

There will, of course, be the ones that keep going, though, but they'll be the exceptions.

As a casual watcher, I much prefer the You Tubers over the f**king beggars on Twitch ... asking for f**king money.

I just find it fucking pathetic... putting on makeup and showing a bit of cleavage and asking for donations.... you have working hands... legs... get off your ass and get a job...

Haha, I remember a tech youtuber that managed to crowdfund a Mac Pro for no real reason other than he wanted one and his audience was willing to give him the money.

 

[MWS Natural]

I watch a lot Youtube / Twitch content but it's all so fucking garish. The obligatory DONT FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE and the gif overlays and music that plays on subscribing / donating is like something out of Idiocracy.

There has to be a better way to get these content creators some fucking dignity.

Except it works and has nothing to with "dignity".

 

[Mr_Antimatter]

Youtubers seem to be able to move onto other more traditional media.

What I want to know is what happens to the livestreamers. Some of those twitch folks have huge audiances, but how do you sustain that long term?

 

[UltraMav]

he has less time to do his job because he has a family?

okay.

but does he have another job?

You don't see how a single man with no kids would have more time to dedicate to his work than a married man who has to help raise children?

He also goes into how he doesn't really feel comfortable shouting "fuck!" at the top of his lungs for a gag now that he has a child in the house, so he has to work around the family's schedule.

 

[Sinfamy]

It's mostly a launching pad to bigger things these days.

 

[clarknova156]

I watch a lot Youtube / Twitch content but it's all so fucking garish. The obligatory DONT FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE and the gif overlays and music that plays on subscribing / donating is like something out of Idiocracy.

There has to be a better way to get these content creators some fucking dignity.

It's probably for the best that there is a finite time on such careers. Now that advertisers are pulling out of YouTube (honestly much of the time for sensible reasons like being attached to hate videos or controversial topics) the careers of these personalities are going to be even shorter. I'm sick of the same people begging for likes and subs and what not anyway so the wake up call is that the streaming/YouTube bubble is popping and talent isn't likely going away but the filler of personalities is going to have a MUCH harder time keeping a presence. It will divide the folks who want to pursue a full time career from those that want easy click bait money.

 

[Corpekata]

Yeah, I don't see many of the big one that have young audiences last into their 40s or whatever. Smart ones will save early or figure out ways to branch out. I can't really say I see Pewdiepie holding onto his records at 45. Cult of personality shows like that his audience will grow out of and the new kids probably will find someone younger to get hooked on. Like was that stupid Scare Pewdiepie show a hit before it got cancelled?

I think some are in better positions like those that focus on the news (like your example of Sterling) rather than "Watch This Guy Do X" type of folks.

There are some that will make the jump to more traditional careers like Rachel Bloom but I don't think many have the real creative streak (or say, credentials for more serious jobs like reporting) to make that leap.

 

[Lulubop]

Dsp will somehow still be on YouTube into his 70s.

 

[Permanently A]

As a casual watcher, I much prefer the You Tubers over the f**king beggars on Twitch ... asking for f**king money.

I just find it fucking pathetic... putting on makeup and showing a bit of cleavage and asking for donations.... you have working hands... legs... get off your ass and get a job...

I mean, can you blame them? They're making way more money from twitch streaming than they would be from a regular job.

 

[jsnepo]

I wonder what Happyslip is doing now.

 

[Abounder]

What's the ninja from asktheninja.com doing nowadays? Anyway I say their ultimate fate is to fade away and hopefully diversify beforehand. Twitch superstars like Lirik and Dansgaming have talked about the latter

Do I see a lot of them still chugging along @ 60 years old? Well decades of 1-man band stress sounds like one hell of a toll to endure, but yea I can see aging content creators still doing their thing like an old standup comedian.

 

[Zelenogorsk]

As a casual watcher, I much prefer the You Tubers over the f**king beggars on Twitch ... asking for f**king money.

Yeah I find it funny how youtubers with very successful patreon accounts will occasionaly mention it and their supporters at the end of a video but for the most part it doesn't come up during the main parts of their videos. Twitch streamers on the other hand always have to specifiaclly call out every single follow and donation live as it happens, while also having a permanent graphic on their stream listing the biggest and latest donations.

I get that the sites have developed different cultures and ettiquites but it makes it really hard for me to watch Twitch and take streamers seriously.

On Youtube the motto seems to be "make fun/engaging/interesting content and people will want to support it" while on Twitch it's "pretend like you're the best friend of the random person that just gave you five bucks"

I see many doing porn to pay future bills once the YouTube bubble has popped for them.

"Hi everyone, Anthony Fantano here, the internet's busiest pussy eater."

 

[sappyday]

Dsp will somehow still be on YouTube into his 70s.

And his subscriber count will still be below 200k

 

[GodParticle]

I find it more questionable being a twitch streamer or pro gamer. I see people quitting jobs for that and can't imagine someone making that a career choice

 

[kewlmyc]

Only ones I'm worried about are Let's Players. Not sure how those skills apply to other jobs.

 

[maruchan]

some people just quit. like shaycarl one of youtube's biggest vloggers, was caught cheating on his wife with a porn star. dude is a republican morman so he just disappeared with his family

 

[Slayven]

Depends on the person. Some will be able to flip it into a something they can do the rest of their lives, most will not. Pretty much like anything else

 

[Mohonky]

I see many doing porn to pay future bills once the YouTube bubble has popped for them.

Errrr....a lot of youtube stars are already aet for life, at least if they are half way smart.

 

[UltraMav]

I see many doing porn to pay future bills once the YouTube bubble has popped for them.

Sterling ahead of the game once again.

 

[massoluk]

Sterling ahead of the game once again.

Ahh but will Jim Sterling be comfortable shouting Fuckonami and wielding giant dildo around his kid

 

[UltraMav]

Ahh but will Jim Sterling be comfortable shouting Fuckonami and wielding giant dildo around his kid

His Patreon is padded enough I think he could afford a secret sex dungeon for that kind of stuff.