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Asklemmy @lemmy.ml kernelle @lemm.ee

What are some YouTube channels which follow pre-monetisation ethos?

I'm looking for some small content creators who's content has not been influenced by the potential of making money. In the early days of YouTube there was mostly trash, but then a few small channels started using formats, using specific styles and actually standing out above a pile shit.

I used to love how these creators made their content for their viewers, they were so very different from anything we had in those days. Things have changed, I get it, everybody and their dog are trying to make money on the internet. Content creators need to pay bills, feed families and maintain/improve their quality. Honestly, I get it. But it sucks, I feel like 90% of the content I come across are contractually based to release at a specific time or interval. Meaning content creators are just milking their audience and sponsors. I'm not saying this type of content isn't good, it's just how it feels 10x less genuine and from the heart of the creator. (I feel LTT belongs in this category as well) It feels like cable television with extra steps and a personal algorithmic touch.

What people tend to forget is how little resources you need to make good quality content on youtube. It's never been easier to just start recording on our 4K+ smartphones. Yet, it's never been this hard to consistently find early internet ethos content creators.

So Lemmy, can you tell me about some small content creators whichhave the passion and drive we used to see?

I'll leave a few channels here which I enjoyed the most this past month.

Nokeric - Of the rails sketches

Joel Haver - Short sketches but also long form deep thought (Larger channel)

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  • For videogame gameplays, I like 2BSkyen. It's a secondary channel of his (his main ones being TBSkyen and TBSkyenShorts or something like that) and I tend to find that secondary channels are the ones that are usually less plagued by chasing trends and sponsored stuff. In his main channels he has a focus in character design but I like him because he's sort of an all-rounder: he's insightful, knows a bit about everything and is much more eloquent than the average youtuber. I also like that he wears his progressive politics on his sleeve and that he's not scared of playing like a patient gamer and reading the lore. He's also a bit of an insider in the videogame industry and sometimes shares interesting stuff regarding that.

    If you like to discover indie games, I have two channels for you: Wanderbots and Splattercatgaming. The first one is a progressive guy that explores all kinds of indie games (but I do think he likes bullet heavens and turret defense games because there's a lot of those), he also sometimes plays with his wife and friends. The second one has quite a high quality channel and he periodically revisits what feels like every single RPG and/or strategy and/or roguelite and/or space related indie game out there giving his insights on each version of them along their development. Both of these channels tend to play just a bit of the game, not full walkthroughs: that way you can choose if you'd like to play the actual game yourself and support indie devs.

    My last gameplay channel recommendation would be MKIceAndFire. Now I don't know if this fits your criterium exactly because he does very much upload the latest mainstream games the second they come out, and very often before they do because game companies seem to give him early access. The reason for that is that it's the biggest no commentary gameplay channel in YT. So... it kinda feels like and old school YT channel if you used to watch no commentary let's plays on YT, which is something that I did. And if there's a mainstream game I want to watch that I know I won't find an insightful letsplayer playing it... then I know I can watch it in MKIceAndFire. It's not often that I need him, but he's always there. He also has a lot of Mortal Kombat and fighting game videos if that's your thing.

    For non gameplay channels, there's a number I follow that do their own thing and disregard the algorithm:

    • Brian David Gilbert: He just does weird song videos, his humor is kinda 2000s YT.

    • Errant Signal: He does good video essays analyzing videogames, usually indie ones. He also has a phenomenal series he has been slowly building lately called Children of Doom which I absolutely recommend if you like videogame history. I don't even like FPS games and I found it entrancing.

    • New Frame Plus: The guy does video essays on videogame animations. I particularly like his Final Fantasy ones, where he goes through the animation of every FF game starting from the first one, and the Best Game Animation of the Year where he shoutouts a lot of noteworthy animation in videogames for the whole year. I like how it feels he loves and relishes every single detail of animation work.

    • Innuendo Studios: This one doesn't upload very often but he does interesting political essays on the alt right from a leftist perspective.

    .

    BTW anyone reading this that made it to here: if you have channels you would recommend me based on the things I've said I like I'd love to hear it.

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