Drzhivago420 asks: Is Dungeons & Dragons YouTube going away?

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Disclaimer: Statements expressed in this article are strictly my opinion. If you disagree or have a different opinion, that’s okay. I’m not an expert on everything. I’m not always right. I’m just writing from my experience as I know it. Your mileage may vary.

Not really. I do think the DungeonTubers who made their mark during COVID lockdown might fade into the background as we’ve already seen with Indestructoboy, Guy from How to Be a Great GM and Mann Shorts. Some of them might trickle off a little bit. Luckily, the likes of Bob, Ted, Ginny, Luke, Professor DM, Glicker, de Ropp, and so many more will still be making videos for ages to come.

Stepping up on my soap box.

I’m blessed in that none of the big names ever visit my page, visit my social media or otherwise listen to me (even when maybe they should.) I’m obviously not in their league (Or even in the same sport in most cases.) That’s cool. There might come a day.

But I don’t think the big names have anything to fear in terms of YouTube. They all have their various lucrative side hustles, many of which are cross promoted six or seven times over. Sometimes they even write a couple of pages that get tacked onto some person’s book to try to generate more sales. A few of them even have products up on DMsGuild or DriveThruRPG. Some of them even have products on D&D Beyond. Hooray for them, I guess.

I will honestly say I click off of videos real quick if it’s just a product pitch for someone’s latest Kickstarter. I don’t enjoy watching 20-40 minute ads for whatever felgercarb they have coming up the pipe at $60 per softcover and an additional $30 per PDF next. Then they promote or sponsor each other’s videos. It looks a little like some sort of inbred YouTube… uh words I can’t use on here or YouTube. Oops. You get the idea.

Let’s also remember that TableTop RolePlaying Game YouTube isn’t just about money, either. Those people get free product practically thrown at them. They get free convention tickets, hotel stays, travel vouchers, free meals, as well as royalties for speeches and panel participation. C’mon, I’d roflstomp somebody’s… uh, I can’t say that either. Oh well. You get the idea. You don’t want to know what I’d do for a Klondike Bar, much less tickets and a free table at Gen Con sometime. (Free League- Please make me a deal?!?)

Then there are sponsors and affiliate links. I’m just learning how deep that rabbit hole goes. Try charging some game company hundreds if not thousands to talk about their game for 15 minutes or just a three minute shameless plug for a fraction of the price. We’re not talking Mr. Beast money in the TTRPG industry, but some of those sponsored ads ain’t cheap. One or two of those and I could probably pay my web hosting, upgrade my computer, maybe get a new microphone.

I don’t think the mainstream DungeonTubers have much to complain about relative to TTRPG YouTubers just starting out. Yes, right now the algorithm is supposedly favoring newer channels. I’m not sure I believe it, but even then the algorithm can change overnight.

But I’m down here in the, uh… what’s lower than Little League?

I’m down here at the bottom playing with 🦆🦆🦆ing Tinker Toys compared to the big DungeonTubers with their tens and hundreds of thousands of subscribers. I’m grateful for all 41 of you so far. I’d shake your hands personally if I could. Are we ever going to get to 100? No clue. Maybe.

On the other hand, if How To Be A Great GM had to bail at 238K+ subs and some of these other guys are crying when they have 100K fewer subs- what chance do I have? Some of these guys have been around for a decade. So far the YouTube algorithm has been no more forgiving for me than it has for them.

My highest ranked video to date was kinda rage bait/clickbait. I’m not as proud of that piece as I once maybe was. I still stand by the notion that Paizo should have done more damage control in the wake of the conservative uproar, but they seem to be getting back to normal already. Who knows? Rage bait aside, my channel has as many views as the good Professor was complaining about on his underperforming videos.

I go back to the notion that if any of y’all big names hate having fame and fortune so much, let me take a crack at it for you for a few days. I’ll take all that good money. I’ll go run games at the Hobbit village resort in Tennessee as long as my lodging and tickets are paid. (Maybe food?) Sh🦆, I’ll even run Dungeons & Dragons 5E if you want me to. No sweat. Give me the 2024-25 Core Books and I’ll run out of them. Not a big deal for free, easy vacation time.

Oh noes, don’t make me have to deal with making more in a week than I normally do all month just for one video. I’d hate to have to the money to invest in a computer, green screen, new mics, a ring light, and possibly a new camera. I’d be so happy they’d have to clean… okay, apparently that’s not appropriate to finish, either. Let’s just say I’d be overjoyed and then some.

Stay Tuned Tuesday when I explain a hiccup to all of this.

Thank you for being here with me today. I appreciate you. Keep it real, but please strive for positivity, too. Please embrace the things that bring you the most joy in your life.