An Update

[@katiex3171]

you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become 3 guys on a couch

[@happyfacefries]

They wouldn't have been the hero if they didn't apologize

[@spaceystaci1]

Yo! Nice Sandlot reference ❤

[@eldenvedetta635]

3 guys 1 couch?

[@IR-kb1qs]

3 guys on a couch needs to be their next show.

[@vanessaahaha]

omg this.

[@Devki24]

I genuinely cannot comprehend how KZbinrs don’t understand that a lot of people watch long-form KZbin content because they are sick of over produced TV content. We literally do not want more over-produced content or more streaming services.

[@lh3540]

yeah, I have flicker rate neurologic problems and want no flashing graphics. Ideally none.

[@oscarr2480]

Yea I too like watching garbage

[@hannahmullinger9444]

it seems like their goals are misaligned with their fanbase. they want to go into high production media and we're here for the goofs of shane and ryan

[@internettevarolanadam]

​@@oscarr2480there is nothing wrong wanting to eat non-processed food

[@lifadysi9418]

Greed can do that.

[@coachdontmakemedobleachers]

if i had a nickel for every time i saw 3 ex-buzzfeed employees on a couch post-controversy, i'd have 2 nickels

[@thetwilightzone4204]

which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice LMAO

[@rocker7yuna]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@evapunk333]

​@@thetwilightzone4204 I mean, I'd rather it be this controversy than what happened to the try guys.. because that shit was messed up.

[@AmethystEyes]

@@thetwilightzone4204I was going to post this quote! Lol

[@heythereitsme]

​@evapunk333 that reminds me I haven't stalked ned in a while to see what shut he's up to now...

[@loading...1660]

as someone who STILL binge watches buzzfeed unsolved videos to this day, i have to say that it really saddens me to see how these guys have evolved. we never asked for these fancy production rooms and effects, we watched because of the relationship between ryan and shane. you guys could shoot a video inside a cardboard box and i wouldn't care because i’m here for the personality, not the special graphics

[@ruaoneill9050]

Artists always want to challenge themselves though, this is the problem when you make a living doing what you're passionate about in a capitalist society, balancing your "vision" with keeping spectators happy and making enough money. I agree the decision to abondon KZbin and the way it was announced was stupid and insensitive but I don't begrudge them wanting to make higher production value vids if that's what they want.

[@loading...1660]

@@ruaoneill9050​​⁠ i’m all for them wanting to challenge themselves, but why at our expense you know? it kinda felt like they were saying, “we don’t have enough money to do what we want so instead of learning how to manage it responsibly, we’ll just make you pay to watch our content.” they were making it seem as if WE were the ones that demanded these higher production videos. at least that’s how i took it, but i do agree with your response

[@sarahgriswold8177]

EXACTLY

[@Joedithas]

I'll pay for the relationship and enjoy it, you can watch for free a month late. I'll give Ryan and Shane 6 bucks a month while you pay 6 bucks a day at starbucks, bucko.

[@tacticalmanagerbabymommaak5825]

​@@Joedithas wow you showed them😂

[@zarishhassan5286]

The ex-buzzfeed employee to three guys on the apology couch pipeline is insane 💀

[@catforce9999]

It’s an open market

[@thekatchat6017]

😂😂

[@spoons250]

2? Theres literally been 2. Hardly a pipeline. Maybe a leaking straw... But go on, be dramatic and flamboyant. Do you.

[@flowermoonstudio2782]

​@@spoons250 my brother in Christ it was a joke, obviously hyperbole

[@jsas2047]

​@@spoons250if I had a nickel for everytime this happened..

[@tanghereen]

the comment reading party in that room must have been TENSE

[@Emily-do2jy]

I wonder how Steven felt considering everyone was blaming him 😭

[@bornana269]

@@Emily-do2jyimagine how he feels now, knowing that most of his own fandom does not like him 💀

[@cemmett2008]

​@@Emily-do2jyhe takes those things so personally. I'm sure he's prob toyed with resigning. I really hope he's seeing his therapist to process his feelings and knows these thing blow over. They just do.

[@noahgray5229]

@@bornana269 Well, it's hilarious he'd even think the shane/ryan fandom cared for him.. like, why, since when? What for?

[@tanghereen]

@@Emily-do2jy he’s the one who addressed the money stuff too, to backtrack what HE said - the price that anyone and everyone can afford. It took an entire reckoning to get them to realize how out of touch that was? Not a good look for him

[@corey41837]

It's giving Ex that's crawling back after realizing they're not as big of a catch as the thought

[@dreamlandnightmare]

Best analogy yet.

[@yubelwish]

​@@michael352Sailed it

[@letigre5822]

So good 😂

[@user-zq6yw6df8s]

Lmao

[@3lli0]

That's it!! 😂😂

[@roxycauldwell544]

You guys literally have your office facing the Hollywood sign.......that's a you problem

[@medukameguca8529]

So? That's where they live. Should they sell their houses and move to a different city so that a bunch of strangers talking smack to them online can keep accessing their content for free?

[@roxycauldwell544]

@medukameguca8529 lol they're complaining about money despite already having a patron, and already have lucrative sponsors. As business owners they need to be in touch with how much people are willing to spend, and they're overstepping.

[@eddonbordeaux3192]

​@@medukameguca8529 There's a lot of space in the LA area that's far cheaper.

[@enzog8245]

@@medukameguca8529 Those strangers are the only thing affording them that studio facing the hollywood sign. So you know what? Yeah it would be a smart business decision to move...

[@genericname2747]

@@medukameguca8529 If they're desperately in need of money, yeah, they should move to a cheaper place.

[@IMclovin94I]

Shane looks like he finally saw a ghost

[@lighto9573]

😭😭😭😭😭

[@ajsaves4139]

I am cackling 😂

[@shamaripatton-webb7254]

This comment to the top IMMEDIATELY!😂😭

[@mormerill]

Banger comment

[@AbigailLessThanThree]

The ghost of his career for a second 😭

[@lllCTHULHUlll]

Step 1: Stop hiring friends. Step 2: Hire a financial advisor. Step 3: Stop spending money on production quality that you cannot afford.

[@Potnoodle123]

exactly.

[@maddsradd]

@@DARKINBLADE.that little room and table that buzzfeed unsolved started on was perfect imo

[@archeryan8404]

thank you. they def need cameramen, traveling IT, for the ghost files, etc, i get that, but the sets dont need recliners and their own retro TV sets , projectors, and fictional machines. that was all nice when it wasn't costing me 5.99 a month, but its not necessary

[@emilynelson5985]

production quality? I would have said the flights and luxury spending should have been the first concern. Changes to production quality are last thing that takes a hit. Always be on the look out for creative ways to save on production but the quality of experience for the viewer must remain or improve to some degree or the savings will be moot.

[@Em-ht9cg]

@@maddsraddliterally step 2 could solve the entire issue

[@dylancanup8893]

High production quality causes me to watch less. I prefer KZbin to AVOID syndicated refined media. I liked the raw and genuine feeling the older videos had. Not sure how Watcher will do moving forward :(

[@zachhecita]

I think it depends on the channel and personal taste. I prefer high-production quality, as I am a graphic designer. The poor use of fonts, graphics, and layout is off-putting to me. I often find videos that would benefit from just a cursory knowledge about graphic design. For example, a wall of text without any white space looks pretty ugly and is hard to read. Shorter text and bigger breaks between paragraphs is a simple fix to this problem. That being said, there are times when I'm in the mood for those raw and genuine videos that don't have all the bells and whistles. It's like when I want something home-cooked over a restaurant. However, homecooked does not mean low-quality. It's about the passion you put into your work. This can translate through production quality but also with better writing, deeper research, and so forth. KZbin content is awkwardly sandwiched in the middle between high-production media and raw, genuine media. Sometimes, a KZbinr is able to transcend the limits of this platform to create a true work of art, like the Astartes fan animations. I do believe that high production quality is what separates art from content. It's not as if everything needs to be art, there's enough room for all sort of creators.

[@f-22fighterjet84]

@@zachhecitaI highly doubt these high production videos were made to satisfy graphic designers buddy. The original comment is referring to the general viewers, not savvy watchers with high opinions such as yourself.

[@elenakirk5007]

I agree. I don’t watch it as much as I used to. I liked the too many spirits during Covid, but the over produced stuff is not that entertaining to me. I just like hearing them banter, they were so funny.

[@adalaidemarie3225]

Okay, so most of us are coming from Buzzfeed to watch Ryan and Shanes ghost boy shows and Mystery files. I didnt come to watch some people go out and eat expensive food. I wanted the goul boys to go on adventures, to make fun of each other.

[@rappepappe123]

Im here from Worth it, so speak for yourself ;)

[@maryirish8382]

Omg I was looking for this comment, I literally balk when I see some of the titles such as "we compare food truck hot dog with $300 hot dog". Hurts more because Steven is the main "character" in those episodes and I don't watch them because of that, he has no "stage" presence, he tries too hard to be fun and it shows. I can just about bear him on "too many spirits" where let's be honest he nor Ricky or needed. Shane and Ryan make that show, some intern can make them drinks in the background lol., ditch the unnecessary bartenders 😁 So there's one expense taken care of

[@Kimmi2BLue]

​@maryirish8382 and it feels copied from The Try Guys, that's their gimmick and I watch them for that. I want the spooky bestie or going over unsolved crimes.

[@eliotgierat9462]

@@rappepappe123No one cares where you came from. They said "most of us," goof.

[@GeezSus]

@@rappepappe123 someone can't read 👀

[@yashrajdhillon]

I'd pay $5.99 to be a fly on the wall at the Watcher office these last 72 hours.

[@akachino03]

Man I been a fan since buzzfeed I never saw nothing wrong w the last video, real fans gon watch it😂

[@lil_sherman383]

@@akachino03so I’m not a real fan if I’m not rich? If ur paying I’ll be a real fan ig.

[@haziee3108]

if I had a penny for everytime I see a copy of this comment, I'd have a total of $5.99

[@bryanhikes7248]

😂😂😂

[@drumnbassaddictt]

@@akachino03I’ve also been a fan since buzzfeed. I’ve been to the live shows, hell I’ve even gotten my husband so into the lore he insists I play Too Many Spirits on audio while we take road trips. But I was not about to contribute what could be a domino effect of every damn KZbinr deciding it’s time to start their own streaming service. It’s already bad enough having to pay for 20 different streaming services that have 100s of shows, why add another for just a single creator? It comes down to the principle of it. With the way they have it set up going forward I may actually purchase it. If they never fixed it I probably would have forgotten about watcher forever if you gave it enough time lol

[@obscurity3027]

The absolute crisis mode these guys must have been in over the weekend.

[@cathyshook9993]

They look exhausted or like they have been crying.

[@notkevin7662]

“Good” - Buzzfeed Shane, probably.

[@AuthorCADeyton]

I was just thinking the same thing!

[@JerzyImajewski]

​@@cathyshook9993ryan looks like he saw a ghost

[@sfdko3291]

@@cathyshook9993 no they don't lmaooo

[@Innocua]

Ugh. I'm just so tired and done. Remember the blue and yellow text days? I miss the blue and yellow text days. The best thing to come out of Watcher being made has been Puppet History, and even that feels like you've let the heart sucked out of it with corporate schlock. You guys reading old creepypastas was better than Ghost Files at this point, cause at least it seemed like you liked each other and enjoyed yourselves. I've been holding out hope that all of you have been in a creative rut and just needed some time to find your way. No, you're so busy being bogged down with your incredibly bad business decisions that you don't have time to be fun creatives any longer. It's gonna be a slow, painful death for your company if you don't figure out how to right the ship. Hint: *Be the creatives your fans fell in love with.*

[@cintaadiliaputrilarasati3170]

ME TOOOOO

[@NadiaSeesIt]

My god, do you have no real problems? Internet people are so pathetic. They didn't wrong you personally, no matter how much you love being victims

[@Fluff_Noodles]

​@@NadiaSeesIt My god, do you have no real problems? Internet commenters are so pathetic. The person you're replying to didn't harm you personally, no matter how much you love being victimized in the replies. (Your username is NadiaSeesIt so Nadia, do you see your hypocrisy now?)

[@RinnyRusso]

Oh me too me too

[@Laura-kk5ms]

i truly would rather have them take a break and just have fun

[@ericacruz8261]

I saw a comment saying that Not one Of Those 25 Employees Is A Financial Planner..😂

[@pattierotondo1108]

That should have been the first person hired. They also should not be hiring camera and production people freelance if they TWENTY-FIVE people on the staff already. Not having those people screams mismanagement. You would have thought they would have learned from Buzzfeed's waste.

[@gryphorawing]

Just please remember the audience is here for you guys and not the "high budget production"

[@kookoochim]

this!! honestly i just want them making content and being themselves, it doesn’t need all the extra flair and production

[@AdrianChazz]

The Observe video made this exact... well, observation lol

[@anaiii21]

This is very important I hope they see it

[@erinclark4111]

So true! also we know that is code for steven cooking with 24k gold flakes

[@xseno]

​@@kookoochim they need money to pay their life expenses girlie use ur brain ❤

[@philippatill9727]

One day my feed will just be men saying sorry on sofas.

[@rhiannonsmith3629]

With tears I hope?

[@patriciakehler849]

💀

[@Maialeen]

Yes. And I will not be accepting the apologies because I'm tired. There's no lack of content out there.

[@rhiannonsmith3629]

@@dbz9393 mm here's the thing. Going entirely paid was an absolutely garbage thing to do. And this apology was mediocre at best. But honestly dude, there's way more important things to worry about in the world than whether or not I want to genuinely forgive them for this. So, I'm not surprised people are chill with this. I'm going to continue to watch their content because I enjoy it and it's a pretty good escape from said bigger worries in the world. Getting on a moral high ground about some dudes on KZbin and whether or not their apology was "good enough" isn't in the spoons for me or anyone right now. They acknowledged it was shit, corrected it, and we can move on 🤷 warily. But we can move on nonetheless.

[@malkshayke]

What a profound statement lol

[@sschlockk]

imma be honest , yall doing the intro for the new platform was a mess. -you framed it as a quitting posting video -yall didn’t include how people with low incomes could watch -completely ignored your patreon supporters who have ALREADY BEEN PAYING YOU -and you failed to recognize you ENTIRE fanbase who you GIVING YOU THE MONEY on the platform i miss buzzfeed unsolved so much, we clearly didn’t follow you guys to the watcher for amazing quality. we followed over because of the chemistry you guys had as friends. remember when you had a black screen with words over it? what the hell happened man.

[@adrianam.9197]

I'm glad y’all walked this back and apologized BUT the fact that you would have had to "bring Watcher to a close" without this streaming service... that just screams financial mismanagement. If your costs are that high with ALL of your income streams, then it's your job as a business to budget and downsize if needed, not to pass on the cost to your own fanbase in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

[@darebrained]

We've failed to take into consideration the poors.

[@Unfortunately_Mickey]

That video was pure modern art.

[@squeekydinky]

My apartment complex switched to a online rent payment subscription system. It costs $15/m to pay my rent. I spit at subscriptions now.

[@blakeb1555]

Those dastardly poors, ruining our plans once again

[@boomstick8187]

Watcher tried to sell meth outside Walmart

[@badrott8028]

@@squeekydinky15/ month or minute cause if your rent is 15$ you ain’t got shit to complain about lmao

[@DevilboyScooby]

I'm no economist, but if you're struggling to pay your existing staff, I doubt hiring three new hosts is the way to resolve that issue.

[@cupid3890]

ill make more money....by losing more money...AAHAHAHAHAHAHA GENIUS

[@toziassmitt]

“nonono you don’t understand, it’s the YOUTOOOB LANDSCAPE that is economically unviable, it’s not our mismanagement of the company and slowly worse content!!!!”

[@Zenigundam]

They weren't struggling. That was a pretext to cover up their avaricious business practices. KZbin was much better before all of these vultures came here. You can thank Google for monetizing the place. Creators my rump, Thomas Edison was a creator, not these guys. They're saying whatever they can to conciliate their customers, which are what their subscribers are to them.

[@thatgirl9532]

Adam isn’t a host, he works bts, Steven is the boss but yes Andrew is a new host. If they wanted both Adam and Andrew, staff changes should have been made. 25 employees is absolutely insane for a small company/channel like this And it seems like they hired a lot of ex buzzfeed employees too which is bad, even the try guys team have a mixed staff, a few from buzzfeed & others not

[@Tubboclips]

I don't think it was about struggling to pay their staff, I think they had personal goals to make their shows bigger & better from their perspective as creators, & neglected to reflect on whether the audience demand matched that

[@oxytocin2.031]

I don’t know how to run a company, but a CEO once said he took a pay cut to pay his employees fairly. Because he says his raise is doing less work while his employees are happy to get promotions and bonuses.

[@geekgirl_luv4262]

That’s the only correct way to run a business imo

[@twilit]

based ceo, 1 in a million

[@Camoflague]

​@@twilit sadly its most likely to avoid taxes lmfao

[@cardinalbaseballer5]

25 employees for a KZbin channel of this size seems insane

[@Jose-ie7ql]

But they need the new Jordan's

[@badwifi931]

And Steven needs to eat gold-covered shit😢

[@yubelwish]

They need to hire *more* family and friends.

[@whiskeygordon2452]

Seriously and for as little content as the put out

[@Jose-ie7ql]

@@whiskeygordon2452 they need to do unloved again

[@maxvader1000]

I’d pay 5.99 right now to see their reaction and discussion to the backlash over the weekend lmaoo

[@notapwatertaz]

Right 🤣

[@sandpiperr]

Same! That should have been their play!

[@wiinojunko]

6 dollars to just be a fly on the wall in the watcher office over the weekend

[@AstroToad626]

😂😂😂

[@podgy5]

While I get what you mean, I definitely don't want to see what they were going through. There were some horrible and very personal comments being made (not just talking about feeling betrayed etc) 😢 I'm just glad they did at least listen to the feedback.

[@you_like_jazz8406]

Shane finally saw a ghost, the ghost of his career.

[@thrinmon]

Brutal, yet hilarious

[@BecTries]

💯

[@spellmiguel]

😳😂

[@plaster.art.ho3]

😭😭

[@Erickwashere]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@pennydaytreasures8173]

About 12 years ago I got sick, when I found Buzzfeed Unsolved you were a bright spot in many dismal days. I’d often watch an episode twice. Once for Shane and Ryan and once to read community commentary. Your community was honestly as funny as you two. I was happily to see you guys grow and followed you to Watcher…. But it’s never felt the same. It’s overproduced and lacks the integrity of 2 friends being themselves hanging out. Today it feels over scripted and overproduced. I understand wanting a legacy of something to be proud of but your legacy honestly is the authenticity of the Buzzfeed days. I don’t know how you solve that as I understand people grow up, change and mature. However like others have mentioned hiring more employees to solve a money problem isn’t the answer. I understand wanting to be good employers but you may be better off scaling back especially with the economy the way it is. Honestly most people are cutting back on subscriptions to be able to afford food, gas and housing. It’s simply NOT the right time to make your followers foot your bills. If you want to hire someone I’d suggest hiring someone who will help you bring in more and better advertising and not on production and new on screen talent. Just thoughts to ponder It’s a tough time financially for many.

[@jettcode]

Same here, Buzzfeed Unsolved was truly my comfort show. I think that at this point, they should have stopped everything and tried new ideas rather than trying to continue an adventure that no longer seems to suit them anyway. I agree with you, the videos now don't feel sincere at all. And the way they manage all their income looks disastrous. At the end of the day, not knowing how to manage money (and let's be honest, they seem to get a lot of it) shouldn't penalize an audience that's binging on sponsor-packed videos that are practically scams. What a (sad) mess.

[@bellaonaj6037]

Honestly idc about all those fancy edits & stuff, do you remember how unsolved was? Half was a black screen with conversations & yall sitting in a room reading.. it was easy simple & way more enjoyable than all this extra editing, etc. We loved the simplicity of unsolved.

[@Goller7]

3 guys on a couch always means shit went down

[@shalinidewage856]

Bruh I nearly died reading this 😂😂

[@SisselSasha]

3 guys 1 couch

[@rocker7yuna]

FACT 😂

[@mikecrow.1]

Guys is a stretch

[@j.j.h.atemycereal]

No comment accurately captures content creation in the 21st century like this comment. Well done!

[@diamondlionsfc]

This feels like when you were a kid at your friends house and then they get yelled at by their parents and then the vibe afterwards is weird.

[@tomatozest6074]

too accurate lmao

[@michelle6337]

They should have done the apology video in the Mystery Files basement for max effect.

[@kimberlygerlach-villarreal7337]

you are so right.

[@neli8341]

LITERALLY LMAOO

[@Celestials615]

HAHAHAHAHAHA this is too real

[@aditichoudhury6164]

The low production quality was part of the charm. It made you seem more genuine. People might disagree with me but I loved Buzzfeed Unsolved WAY more than I did Ghost Files (Not to say I don't like Ghost Files, just that for me Buzzfeed Unsolved was WAY WAY more enjoyable somehow). Anyway, I am glad you understood your mistakes and corrected it. Also I don't care about Steven. I am only here for Shane and Ryan.

[@sschlockk]

i kind of agree idrk when steven was thrown in there ?

[@payalchoudhary2]

Same. Why did they bring him along?

[@eatmywords]

for me, the main charms were ryan's fear and apprehension, and shane's sarcastic scepticism, which just isn't there any more. these guys are no more entertaining than any other spook channel on youtube. and have you seen how well these ghost streaming channels do? barely any adverts. episodes repeated ad nauseam. tied to a channel's contract that demands shock value; such as, jump scares, intense discordant music, production gimmicks that tend to edge out personality.

[@imperviousdonut]

He was always there but behind the screen ​@payalchoudhary2

[@payalchoudhary2]

@@imperviousdonutBut as talent he is not bringing the views and most people are not here for him.

[@sleonard8116]

I can't speak for anyone else but all I ever wanted was Ryan and Shane goofing around whilst telling crime/spooky/history stories. I never wanted it to come to this😓

[@KudaXD]

I would pay $1,000 to get the CCTV of the office over the weekend

[@cuttleb0nes]

oh my god can you even imagine

[@toml8273]

Be careful making offers, they'd probably take the money lmao

[@vol94]

​@@toml8273lmao. They ain't recovering any time soon

[@avalaja5094]

OMG the money is give for that, but I still won’t pay for the subscription

[@demonsandevils]

IM CRYING IM ACTUALLY WILLING TO PAY YO SEE THAT

[@nerdpinguin]

While it is hilarious that they had to pull together this video so quickly, I am acknowledging that it takes balls to come on and say "yeah we fucked up but here's how we're gonna fix it". Thank you guys for apologising for your insensitive comments and for making changes.

[@wiktoriatluvi]

Exactly :)

[@DumplingDoodle]

It’s not balls, it’s financial necessity. They would have TANKED if they went through with their original plan.

[@Zenigundam]

I personally think it's pathetic. I'm not a fan of theirs and have never watched a video of theirs, but I predicted that they would shoot a video like this one. People will do anything for money these days.

[@lovelybones8179]

​@@DumplingDoodle Thank you! Everyone's commending them for "taking accountability" and "listening to their community" but it was the backlash and promise of financial ruin that made them whip this up so fast. Their entire comment section was lit up, NO ONE thought this was a good idea. If they actually knew their community AT ALL, they wouldn't have even tried this venture in the first place

[@vincent4258]

@@Zenigundam What is even coming out of your mouth? What else did you expect them to do? This was the best option they could have gone with after a mistake they made. I'm honestly so done with people like you talking bad as if you never made mistakes is your life. Imagine everyone hating on you when you made a mistake. Forgive and forget, if you can't do that then just move on and don't come here talking bad cuz what's the point even of doing that?

[@Seven_7777]

The thing is, since watching Unsolved content to Watcher content from middle school to university, the Watcher content just isnt up to par. It isn’t, to me, worth paying for despite it’s ‘production quality.’

[@fauxpinkytoo]

I want to see Steven work a few food drives for the underprivileged. That would be good content for Watcher. Show him how hard life really is for some of us. Look out, Steven. Poverty can come at you real fast...

[@Gallade400]

Have him make a series where he tries to live in poverty like in some communities. Try moving here in the Philippines and live with the poor, together with the increasing 48-50 degree-Celsius temperature. That should give him the insight of whether eating gold-plated shit is still a good idea.

[@Aspenashh]

"Steven tries to live with minimum wage for a months"

[@dakotaeast4126]

y'all were at your peak when you were two guys running around with gopros and being yellow and blue subtitles on a screen

[@AConfusedDemiboy]

God I miss that

[@leo6621]

fr !!

[@NikosBafaloukas]

i relly miss that

[@katiebowman9983]

{wheeze}

[@lintheelf]

they also could TOTALLY go back to doing that on Watcher I'm so confused why they didn't if that's the reason they became so popular

[@sophienah4654]

Y'all need to know we would watch Shane and Ryan walk through and ambiguously haunted vet clinic with two iphone cameras live streaming. We dont need the fancy stuff. My favourite videos are where its just those two reading stories/hanging out. Youve got two great personalities and a dynamic duo. No need to overpower it with a bunch of unnecessary expenses

[@scrappy00001]

I completely agree

[@LolPlove]

Like they said..it’s their dream to be “tv show” producers. They think they are better than KZbin but they can’t actually move off so they came up with this shit show

[@itgoessomethinglikethis8218]

Agree 10000%

[@hollysteckowski8467]

Omg I love their are you scared stories! I been hoping for a new season of it.

[@A-liccia]

I might agree if there was correct grammar?

[@yesafrogisinthere6477]

If y’all are still struggling financially after patreon, live shows, merch, brand deals, ad revenue and tours then youse might wanna take a moment and realise ur not cut out for this

[@n9na_marie]

coming back to say, it's incredibly disingenuous of yall to provide ONLY a 3-month watcher tv pass for patreon members. patreon members not automatically having watcher tv included in their tiers seems like such a slap in the face. why would i be paying you $5 on one platform, and then another $6 on another platform to continue watching /only/ your content?? that would be poor financial planning on OUR part. to give people a 3-month pass only is just bonkers to me, and i really hope more people become aware that this was their little "fix" and give the boys further pushback. this isn't cool on their part at all and I'm really disappointed with this whole situation. yall have 25+ employees, have one of them send out a new watcher tv code at the beginning of each month when patreon charges patron membership fees.

[@nodrvgs]

yeah it’s pretty greedy

[@cassandrasimplex7544]

Wait, wait. So originally, they were offering 30% off a $59.99 annual subscription, which is a couple cents short of $18 off. In fact, the site is still offering that to anyone who signs up before May 30. But ~now~ they're offering Patrons 3 months free at $5.99/month, which is... also a couple cents short of $18 off. Wow, what a sweet deal for Patrons: the same discount everyone gets, but without locking in for a year in advance! Which will presumably prevent them from also getting the discounted rate for the first year they pay for, since by the end of their free 3 months it will be well past May 30. This "gift" to their Patrons is costing them less than nothing. It's the difference between $17.997 and $17.97 -- between two and three cents -- except that you ultimately save $0.027 LESS if you take the Patrons' three free months and still want to subscribe after that. All this does is offer the people who've already been willing to financially support them directly the opportunity to pay three cents more for the privilege of not being locked in for a year.

[@omkarchavan5940]

Why didn't they mention this in the video?

[@nodrvgs]

@@cassandrasimplex7544 thank God people are willing to do the maths and call these guys out in their bs. This is peak greediness

[@OpalLeigh]

“It was so insensitive, we made concrete changes immediately, and we are very sorry we made this mistake in the first place” I’m a grudge holding jerk, but that was what we needed.

[@Jojibri]

Same. I’m still a lil hurt but I won’t jump ship just yet.

[@ananditakumari5249]

Pretty good apology video

[@yung1717]

Okay let’s calm down. They messed up but it’s business not personal

[@Neveko]

​@@yung1717 lmao right? The vocal minority getting butthurt over parasocial entitlement in these comments

[@chrispbacon6810]

They must not understand their fan base as soon as I saw it I ran to the comments ​@@yung1717

[@chasecapozzi6369]

NOT THE TRY GUYS COUCH

[@josiethecatlover]

THATS WHAT I WAS THINKING

[@lildawgg]

LITERALLY

[@rocker7yuna]

Iconic 😂

[@beatrixsparks]

Lmaooo that’s all I could see

[@itsfern_]

THATS WHAT I SAID

[@bdsmGJG]

Ill be honest....just shane and ryan ever really caught my attention to watch a video to its entirety. Most of the other shows on watcher.....not worth it to me. They really failed the mark when theyve had it in their hands the whole time....i hate to see it

[@Gallade400]

Almost two weeks and still no new videos. They really took this L and the repercussions are still echoing. Honestly speaking, we can all agree that it is Steven's shows that are way too expensive, considering the things that he does in his videos. It didn't help considering fans took a deep look in his personal life (the Tesla bit). Though, his shows will work on a global audience than Ryan and Shane's. The reason why fans are loving the duo is because they grew up to love the chemistry. The general public would have no idea what the duo are talking about and, most definitely, they would drop Watcher TV and go back to other, more entertaining streaming platforms.

[@pbranham3508]

How does it take 25 people to run a KZbin channel this is crazy.

[@coffeelink943]

Video Editors, camera man’s, marketing team on merchandise/ customer service etc, Watcher isn’t just a KZbin channel, it’s also a independent Company so those other employees are probably dealing with stuff outside of KZbin

[@Migzilla93]

You can smell how hard they’ve been sweating over the damage control.

[@LuisSierra42]

They didn't sigh so that's a plus

[@Melons2580]

I can only imagine how Ryan & Shanes butts sweating, tightening and relaxing with every sentence they say 😂

[@definitelynotanAIchatbot]

​@@Melons2580 That's so fucking hot. 😫💦

[@eglantinepapeau1582]

I have no idea who these guys are but the drama is worth following 🤓

[@definitelynotanAIchatbot]

@@eglantinepapeau1582 It's two lesbians and a trans-man. Please be respectful.

[@shanemitchell7822]

Honestly, I miss the low budget buzzfeed unsolved videos. They were charming and authentic. The production value on Ghost Files is amazing, but it detracts from the down-to-Earth feeling that made me love unsolved so much. I’d rather watch Ryan bringing a water pistol full of holy water to Goatman’s Bridge, and Shane then claiming the bridge as his own than watch a more conventional high production TV episode.

[@NikosBafaloukas]

I agree

[@crikeypie3750]

I completely agree

[@sbars8069]

Yep. Less was more.

[@aseguradojaicel]

I agree. I think a lot of content creators ALWAYS forget how they all started and how they got their following in the first place. And it's always bc they are resonating to their audience. The production is not the main thing people loved them, it's the duo's personality and also how they deliver their story. They dont need multi million dollar set and stage, they can put more money and time into researching interesting stories and maybe do a mini series where they travel but honestly, people just want to watch THEM!

[@karolinawww6834]

​@@crikeypie3750 True, if we wanted to watch tv we can just... watch tv

[@ruthkim5480]

I just wanna go back to the days when there is a black screen showing a conversation of two adult men arguing if ghosts are real.

[@mariacamilaquinonesvelasco2251]

I think you confuse simple with mediocre and low-cost productions with bad content. The reason why I love this channel and you guys so much isn't because of the great sets, expensive cameras or fancy gear. I think we all followed you from buzzfeed and stayed because you have chemistry, you have great storytelling and mostly you have heart! I can see why you made the move to leave but I think you should consider staying and making a few budget cuts, rest assured we will love the content anyways :)

[@MySnowball14]

steven only speaking twice in this video makes a lot of sense to me

[@NiiRubra]

Lmao. And it's about money too

[@ScarTrek]

And one of those was specifically to apologise for the "anyone can afford" comment, which I appreciate. Even if he was clearly reading off a script, but I imagine they wanted to be super careful with how they worded this so hey.

[@Jobrosfan44]

he aint getting that second tesla

[@mommyyoungblood]

They would have kept more interest if he had stayed this way since the beginning. Scripts and production value went way down as his lines and pay have increased.

[@justkiddingnot1913]

@@mommyyoungbloodthat seemed unnecessarily mean to me, as someone who only subscribed to watcher bc of Steven I can only hope he is “worth it” for the company but would be devastated if he stopped being on screen bc of this

[@BlackBirdSinging47]

My favorite videos from Watcher are still the pandemic “are you scared” vids where it’s just Ryan and Shane on zoom. Please don’t feel like you have to blow your budget on production when we just want to see y’all hang out and tell each other scary stories. I love you guys and felt like your shows gave me some much needed laughs during a difficult time. Thank you for hearing our concerns and actually making changes. It really means a lot.

[@Kiara28735]

I miss old are you scared so much, it was one of my faves

[@greenbirdy28]

same i love are you scared so much. it's just ryan telling his best friend spooky horror stories in a dark room but it's so enjoyable. the contrast of the horror of the story and their silly jokes works so well.

[@petitefraise7385]

I completely agree!!!!

[@lightseyedea763]

Are you scared was my favorite series too!

[@AutieZo]

it's really wholesome how much the community cares

[@gloriousbee9366]

"I think a lot of times, when you're creating something, you get so caught up wanting to make it as good as it could possibly be that you forget what the show can mean to people." - Ryan (Buzzfeed Unsolved: The Making of the Final Investigation 27:50) Just thought it kinda connects together here. Farewell👻

[@DLJames-gf1xr]

I cant describe how little I care about this apology. You didn't mess up, you made a conscious decision to tell your poorer fans to f*ck off, now you want us back, no thanks. At this point I don't think any apology can fix that. I've been a fan since your first years on Buzzfeed, before even Shane was on the shows. I fully supported your move to a new youtube channel and watched all your content. That goodbye video was a reel gut punch moment for me. One of those moments when you feel years of fandom get flushed down the drain. No apology can fix that. This was not a mistake, it was you showing who you really are. And I wont be supporting your future projects, I wont be rewatching old shows, its just been ruined to me.

[@edeliteedelite1961]

You love to hate.

[@lanaaa1811]

So true! Well put together 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@DLJames-gf1xr]

No, just heartbroken ​@@edeliteedelite1961

[@renella1414]

honestly, yeah i agree..

[@ACE53621]

100%

[@Something_Happening]

Please, for the love of god. You could just put Shane and Ryan in a room with a table and two folding chairs and people would watch the hell out of it. Seriously, we don’t need elaborate editing or sets. The unserious and poor quality of buzzfeed unsolved made it endearing!!!

[@Su2D2]

Honestly, I'd prefer it.

[@Ilovedallthepeople]

Must get boring for them to do the same low quality videos for over a decade tho. They are not the same people they were 10 years ago, so of course the content they create is going to be different too.

[@jewelsrebel9744]

yes i 100% agree

[@bilowik123]

You also need to look at it from their perspective, they may WANT to make higher quality stuff. Sure WE love even the low production stuff, but making the low production quality stuff may not be fulfilling to them anymore. Nobody wants to have a job that isn't fulfilling for themselves.

[@sabrinapicard7960]

i def agree, people love just seeing them as people, but necessarily the production value. i think they were trying at least somewhat to make us and themselves proud in growing their content but overlooked the effects it may have. i do really think they just want, at least in part, to give us their best

[@alvarobazan7683]

Shane looks more nervous in this video than he’s ever looked in a Ghost files video 😂😂

[@aviewfromtheinterior]

Is it just me, or was there a bit of a "I fucking told you so" smirk on his face a couple of times.

[@Clydedonovn2424]

Ghoulss don't scare him, but fans do!!

[@hrythr1415]

HELP IKR

[@spoons250]

@@aviewfromtheinterior If you think it got as far as a public goodbye without 2/3rds of the team, your clinically insane. They all wanted to do this, get over it.

[@rypieuwu]

only time he's been more scared was that alarm in mission solano

[@urbanpetzoo7285]

2 weeks later and I’m still in awe

[@Cape4689]

I agree with all of the very valid points in these comments, but the greed accusations are really underestimating the bigger factor here: dumb. They're dumb. This was dumb. And my point is not that they're innocent idiots, it's that they are content creators who failed to recognize their inability to run a company and refused to hire professionals with the skills to do so for them.

[@xsiriuslupinx]

"we messed up" being the first thing they say is killing me 💀

[@xsiriuslupinx]

that being said the change is such good news and a relief for all of us that couldn't afford the subscription

[@ShanDaSheep]

if i was drinking smth i would've spit it out ngl

[@macywilliamson2551]

ikr 😭😂

[@kangaroot_]

It's straight to the point not "copying every other apology" stfu

[@ds2265]

@@ShanDaSheep I can imagine they’ve needed a few actual drinky drinks to deal with all this backlash lol

[@chumpyly]

Kind of bummed that we didn't get 3 ukuleles in this one

[@danadomino]

Hahaha omg 🤣

[@crackheadadventures]

Colleen has forever changed people's brain chemistry (mine too)

[@Just_Jol]

Ok but instead of that bitch they at least said 'im sorry' 😂😂 Colleen cant even do that (not that it can save her career anyways)

[@caits3930]

😂

[@fatdogz5777]

Nahhhhh brooo 💀💀💀💀💀

[@radnwavy5531]

Y'all posted this two weeks ago and haven't posted since... are you guys mad at us 😭

[@rafansyed8420]

Bro, I feel like me and lowkey the majority of us are just here to see Shane and Ryan, like you literally do not need to be spending so much on production it's honestly retracting from your channel's appeal at this point :(

[@danielacarrera2492]

Creators sometimes seem to forget that we are here because of their personalities and charisma and not the high budget production.

[@eileensmith9199]

I would be happy with Ryan and Shane using an iPhone to make content.

[@annahall7651]

Exactly this. I think they care more about the production because it’s something they enjoy doing but as a viewer, I really couldn’t care less about it. My favorite series are Shane in Ryan sitting in a room or around a camp fire reading stories. Or them walking around a supposedly haunted place. I watch their videos because I like Ryan and Shane and their chemistry together and that’s it.

[@srspeep]

It's what they (or at least Ryan) clearly wants to make, though. Which is a shame, because he's built his career around youtube, a place for low-budget personality-driven content, not high production value. I could see Ryan leaving to do just that, follow what makes him happy, if he weren't now locked in to this WatcherTV thing, because it's clear the fan base (myself included) just aren't as interested in watching what he's interested in making. I love the low-budget content. I hope he can find a balance that makes him happy.

[@eazeprestige8853]

Well their personalities is obviously greed , is that what your here for , they just see u as a dollar sign and u so lonely u view KZbinrs as your friends hahahah losers

[@annie4569]

​@@eazeprestige8853"hahahaha losers" -🤓

[@ruffaloon]

the funniest thing to me is that their patreon already existed at nearly the same price and we already got content early through it. this whole thing could've been avoided if they just upped the patreon price by one dollar, released ad-free content a month early rather than a day early, and advertised it more on their youtube channel. plus patreon has a comment section so the community would be more engaged and still get to discuss new episodes as they come out.

[@ninadreams127]

That’s one reason why I don’t love the idea of watching it on the streaming service. I don’t think there’s a comment section there and half the fun of Ghost Files is reading the comments and feeling like I’m watching it with the community.

[@delcarr26]

I didn’t even know they had a Patreon? This seems redundant to have both. I don’t understand what the pull for a second paid platform is if they’re getting the same stuff.

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Watcher’s farts 💨

[@icytrap]

I don’t understand how they did not think about this💀

[@huhhhh5508]

this is what they would’ve done if they cared about their audience *more than* caring to to get their money lol

[@lh3540]

I think we all learned a lot about the disposable income of adults who like puppet shows.

[@SweetHina]

I miss the unsolved crimes Shane and Ryan does. Just a simple behind a desk, reading from a sheet of paper that's in a folder. The jokes and how much poking fun they do to each other feels honest and real friendship. The stuff they do here on Watcher - a chair, picture slide shows, the theories on a cork board, doesn't give me an intense storytelling feeling. I hope you guys bring your personalities back

[@shannon2182]

We would have no problem with a production budget cut, lads. We're here for you guys, not the fun sets

[@swalsh76]

Cutting sets doesn't pay bills. That's what people are missing in all this. Running a large channel on KZbin if you don't directly have KZbin's ear simply isn't sustainable. They can demonitize your entire channel, permanently, without resource, at any time. That kills the business. The only real solution that allows the business to keep growing, the people running it to live good, happy, prosperous lives and putting out good content is to move the revenue streams to another model.

[@LukasSheshene1]

BUT WE'RE NOT HERE FOR STEVEN!

[@frankdobs]

@@swalsh76 they make hundreds of thousands some months what you going on about

[@funnyfun589]

i literally dont like ghost files because it felt too gimmicky

[@swalsh76]

@@frankdobs 1) Citation needed, and 2) running an entertainment business is expensive. The idea that hundreds of thousands of dollars is going into 3 guys' pockets is naive, to say the least.

[@PairOfOddSock]

It's like they just did the biggest, most public focus group ever 😂

[@saraknapp7909]

Shocked they didn’t seem to have done a focus group in the first place, since there’s no way one representative of the fans would’ve suggested going ahead with the original model

[@damekkoDark]

literally. including lists and lists of what warket and what's not for every show

[@shmerples2960]

@@saraknapp7909 Idk, social media and online content creation is still such a new branch of entertainment. Part of their appeal is that they arent part of a major broadcast company, their creativity and sincerity isnt stifled by executive oversight. But that also means they cant benefit from a major broadcast company's DECADES of experience from calculating trends to PR management. At the end of the day, Watcher is a team of young people, measuring the temp of the water with their hands and hoping their sincerity will carry them through. They're bound to make mistakes, but they're also willing to listen.

[@violet7773]

​​@@EmmaGray13 patreon wouldn't be a good focus group since they're all paying at least $5 a month already.

[@mirukusheki]

​@@violet7773 They would have still been against the idea when they find out early that they still have to subscribe to another platform when they're subscribed to Patreon already.

[@ALLWILLBEOVERR]

So… yall waiting for everyone to ‘forget’ what happened before uploading again? Been 2 weeks😂😂😂

[@caitc3837]

right? I legit just came back to this video to see what other people were saying. This is getting ridiculous lmaoo

[@izzahamir]

Same ive been waiting for something too

[@ALLWILLBEOVERR]

@@caitc3837 yikes maybe they won't upload for a month or sum lol

[@bobloop1054]

Things are being uploaded to their streaming service. A new season of survival mode has two episodes now.

[@caitc3837]

@@bobloop1054 Have you seen any of it? Any good?

[@mapa3708]

This is not a valid nor sincere apology, in my eyes. This is just a "we lost audience, and fans, we fkd up". WE HAVE TO MAKE AN "APOLOGY" to save our pockets. Not worth watching anymore. That "good-bye vid" was a HUGE NEGATIVE taste.

[@amberlubig5463]

I appreciate the fact they could recognize the mistake and fix it, but the 3 guys on a couch thing is just so damn funny.

[@werethless12]

The fact that they came up with the idea, recorded a video, edited it, and then waited 3 days to correct it says more than this video does.

[@wittywasnteverwitty7370]

Damage is already done imo. They’d drop us for more money at the drop of a hat

[@accioyoongi]

@@werethless12probably thought it was good at first, but it should’ve been asked about through a community post at first. with the correcting part i gotta say it was the weekend…meaning they’re probably with their family.

[@Raijin1133]

fr i thought demonic goatman cheated on his wife or something

[@armyb140]

Ppl need to learn the difference between a mistake and a calculated decision. It's not that they didn't know what they were doing and were oblivious to it and made an oopsie, it's that they thought they could get away with sucking our pockets dry and we proved them wrong which forced them to backtrack. Don't be naive.

[@beanstheman8844]

i really hope shane saw that one comment about how his past self would’ve told the fans to pirate it. he’s become what he sought to destroy (something something buzzfeed you get me)

[@irlbaby]

this!!!!!

[@ZeranZeran]

They need to stop even mentioning Buzzfeed You mean that clickbait crap thats worse than Reddit? Not something to be proud of

[@ZeranZeran]

@@Blakiedoo wtf does him being a straight white male have to do with this? Also He's Jewish

[@ShamilaK]

Are we really ignoring when Shane told people to share the membership with their friends in the original announcement?

[@perlyshell]

tbf he did say "you can share it with your friends, we don't care" lmaooo

[@sarahkin36]

This feels like... going out to dinner with someone you thought you knew well, and loved hanging out with, and watching them be the most pompous and condescending customer of the night to the overworked, teenage waiter. They notice your shock and horror, and you talk for two hours walking them through why treating someone poorly is - in fact - bad; that is cruel and apathetic, that someone's job being in customer service does not make them beneath you as a customer. It takes those two hours for them to *concede* that they were rude to someone who didn't deserve it. You do not correct them that it is not about deserving. The past two hours showed that they don't, and wont, understand that actions that warrant accountability, or even big reactions, does not equate with deserving cruelty. Correcting them that their actions were not undeservingly rude, but inhumane, would only make them get defensive, and the small step forward was too much work to take it back. They will not understand what it takes to make a clock tick, so you settle for teaching them how to tell the time. When you go home, you lay down in silence, and question everything you believed about your friend; every interaction, every characteristic, every word and feeling... everything. You question if your friendship was ever genuine, or based in some senseless social game. You wonder how you could know if your relationship born of interpersonal connection or strategy. You wonder if they actually like you, and how they would've treated you if you had a different social standing. You wonder if you truly want to know the answers to your questions. You stare into nothing so long that you don't know if you've even slept when light comes creeping through the window. You want to know if they know what gears are, and you don't know if you regret not teaching them about clockwork. You don't know if you will, you don't know if you even want to. You don't know if you even want to keep them as a friend anymore.

[@fricketyfracktraintrack]

Wow. Assuming this is original, what a poetic way to put it. The line about telling time really got me

[@sarahkin36]

@@fricketyfracktraintrack Thank you! That made my day, really. I always feel like I’m just talking into the void since almost all of my writing are standalone, emotional-fueled rants - like this one. It’s nice to know someone not only read, but resonated with me. 💜

[@maxwell8758]

Beautiful comment!

[@annaclark4380]

shia labeouf!

[@fallsdeadaccount1900]

y'all really fumbled with this, gonna take a lot to earn the communities trust back

[@luxinvictus9018]

"we failed to take into consideration the..uh..poors"

[@mauricioayalaflores4134]

basically... and they would of gotten away with it if it wasn't for you lousy peasants. LMAO

[@Popopopipo17]

Lmao

[@adoblo735]

Pretty much what they said and they would've left them to get screwed, these soy drinkers

[@itscarriebomb]

*cue Fickelgruber gagging into a handkerchief*

[@Little_MagpieQC]

This comment should be pinned 😂😂😂

[@DanGamingFan2846]

I'm glad they apologized and came up with a compromise, but I still wish they'd realize they don't need such high budgets or a huge staff. Their amateur video days were their best.

[@watershipup7101]

Yeah, and it'll still take a while to earn back our trust.

[@genjis5155]

I want to believe the whole thing was just a massive oversight and that they weren't driven by greed, but I'm not sure I can.

[@sunshinebowman-gibson1977]

Sooooooo true

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Watcher’s farts 💨

[@garnetbird7557]

I just hate all the hate Cr1tical, Jacksfilms, and their fans are giving them. Yes, they made a mistake that alienated their audience, but they're not greedy scumbags, and this apology doesn't feel fake in the slightest.

[@kaitdid1992]

One thing you just don't seem to get is that we come for the genuine interactions between Shane and Ryan. We love the sincerity and relatability and not some high production, scripted, unrelatable content. We couldn't care less about shows like Worth It where we watch a man eat ridiculously expensive food. That is not relatable and how many times can a person eat food with gold flakes on it before it's boring to watch? We don't care for content like that, what is entertaining about watching somebody who has a lot of money eat food that we will never even be able to eat? The money spent on those ridiculously expensive meals could be used in the production of the other shows that we do want to watch. I'm glad you all thought of a different approach to the new streaming platform where those who can't afford or don't want to pay money for one channel's content on another service don't have to spend that money and can still watch the content. But you are forgetting that we want sincerity and relatablity and not scripted unrelatable content. Please focus on the content we all love like Ghost Files for example. I wish you luck and hope that we can all get back to a better place and not feel this awkwardness between you and us viewers.

[@SupahSpaceOfficial]

i understand wanting to improve production quality. i see nothing wrong with that at face value, however if that directly puts you at risk of s h u t i n g d o w n? that’s a skill issue and as a broke girlie even i know you’re probably working above your means. kudos for apologizing though 😅

[@AoCNiNJA]

The phrase "I'm never going to financially recover from this" really hit home this time.

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Watcher’s farts 💨

[@jessiegowen9020]

THISSSSS

[@michellemitchell3640]

It's sad, I actually enjoyed watching them. I followed them from BuzzFeed bc I enjoyed their content. After their goodbye video, I was heartbroken, but then I realized that their r millions of other content creators I enjoy that didn't expect money 2 watch their videos. They can try 2 justify themselves, but if they were a single mother of multiple children, then maybe they would have thought more b4 demanding funding 2 sustain their lifestyles.

[@OpalLeigh]

They are also never going to reputation-ally from this one 🙊

[@aarishowton8037]

@@michellemitchell3640if they were single mothers of multiple children they’d be MORE justified in asking for more money lmao. If you’re saying YOU’RE a single mother of multiple children and can’t afford it, then, it’s not for you. But for 5.99 a month you’d have to be poorer than me to never afford that, and I’m an unemployed college student lmao.

[@Kimmi2BLue]

I am 100% in agreement with the original unsolved content with them at a desk and then travelling and just having the black drop and just text typing out. One of my favorite segments they had at the start of watcher is too many spirits. Just 2 dudes enjoy a fire, drinking, reading fan write in stories. Its that simple to keep our attention and love Watcher

[@trivialtrav]

Don't bring up money. Not with your millions of views, thousands of patrons, and significant audience engagement. If money is an issue, it's due to your management. This just showed a gross misunderstanding of why people watched. Costly production is definitely not the reason.

[@tootiredforthisbs8379]

They actually listened and I am so grateful for it. This model is more sustainable and accessible for the people. Damage has been done but accountability was taken.

[@CertifiedForkLiftOperator69420]

Was it though 🤨 4 days, 25 staff and 3min apology video. Yeah accountability was taketh in

[@doom3798]

@@CertifiedForkLiftOperator69420 literally i cannot believe people are buying into this. suckers

[@filthesil]

They didn’t listen. They still want to overspend on their fancy office/studio etc. we all just now have to wait longer for unnecessary production values for no reason other than ego.

[@autumn557]

I was afraid people would accuse them of backtracking? But you are right. They listened to their people and I hope it’s successful.

[@dominaiscna]

​@@CertifiedForkLiftOperator69420 4 days, 25 staff and 3 mins does not make an apology any less meaningful - I don't know what your point is with bringing up these numbers as if they mean or say anything in this context.

[@huntercool2232]

In all fairness, them saying “I’m sorry” right off the bat is already 10x better than how most other KZbinr apologies go.

[@TheTeknoroker]

Very true

[@setofreakinkaiba8553]

They are still firm on their stance despite their wording

[@dandeliondizzy]

dont excuse their greedy bs

[@pixiepearls3]

++

[@snowman4506]

"right off the bat" it was 3 days of radio silence

[@cheddarandsourcream]

Listen I’ve got nothing against yall personally, you clearly aren’t bad people but this has just left a lingering fart stench in the air that I fear won’t be dissipating. The plot has been lost here and I am personally not very interested in seeing it through. Best of luck to you fellas.

[@eireluvr]

Been a fan of Ryan and Shane since Buzzfeed and happily subscribed to Watcher. While I am sad they are leaving KZbin, I have no intentions to sign up for another streaming sub when I've already cancelled/suspended a couple big platforms. This apology sounds like they are going to throw YT fans a bone but aren't backing down on the streaming idea. I'll watch the month old episodes. I'm glad they listened to fans, but after alienating so many will they be able to bounce back from this?

[@lilianf73]

I guess we know the 26th person employed by watcher is a PR 😅

[@MagisterialVoyager]

😂😂😂

[@sierrajohnson717]

Bro PR is drinking and celebrating right now

[@bagodonuts5779]

They got the same person from the try guys

[@makatiea]

Oh, absolutely, steven lim is the CEO but isn’t in the middle, Shane is, and shane and ryan are doing most of the talking. people are mad at Steven bc they expect it from him but not shane and ryan.

[@Van-ff6tq]

Brilliant🤣🤣

[@perihelionstudios7563]

God the past 48 hours was like waiting to hear if your friend would make it out of the ICU alive after setting themselves on fire

[@Jellica17]

💯

[@lenagsnyder12]

😂

[@daisytg]

So funny and so true!

[@jamessprenkel8322]

Great analogy

[@jeto3557]

😅exactly ❤

[@Tuna989]

rewatching this and steven looks like he was beaten with salted rope for the last week

[@nintend0fr33k]

As he should have been lmao I also noticed Shane was trying not to smile in certain parts because I can almost guarantee that he was the most against it.

[@LynxChan]

I'll admit, it takes balls to receive this level of backlash and not crumble OR hide, but recognise the screw up and take it back.

[@colonelcrackerz2320]

No dont give them credit for doing the BARE minimum. Nobody forced them to make such a tone deaf decision

[@reececisneros1622]

As someone else in these comments said, it doesn’t “Take balls…” it is out of financial necessity. It was either take it back immediately or watch their cash flow dwindle. And fans like you are exactly why they knew they could get away with just an apology and a plan they should have done INITIALLY. They’ve got a bunch of sheep for fans Fr if this is the main thought coming out of this.

[@maeco7]

@@reececisneros1622 It's possible to recognize that they're doing this out of necessity for their business and yet still appreciate the apology and backtracking. Those things can coexist. I'm baffled by how so many people think there's no middle ground - either you're a sheep or a hater. Nuance is a thing that exists, folks.

[@Alexander-vl1lg]

Subscribed

[@markhumphreys4496]

@@colonelcrackerz2320 So what? Erase what they said? What they said was wrong but better than a lot and people shouldn’t forgive them

[@erinwhipple4666]

All ex-buzzfeed employees who start their own channel need to schedule a consultation with Safiya. Absolutely none of them have done it as well as she has, and her content isn’t behind a paywall.

[@amelieg246]

Safiya is a gem

[@sophiaholtkamp5928]

Nah they need to talk to rhett and link. They have the right business model. They have the mythical society which has teirs, gives gifts quarterly, and special content and podcasts. And they still make gmm everyday and have the mythical kitchen channel. Plus rhett and link already helped smosh rebrand and become more successful when they bought it after Anthony left, so they have success stories.

[@carimeslockdownedtree2654]

I didn't know she was an ex-buzzfeed employee. Huh!

[@kbay907]

HEAR HEAR... and she moved away from lala land didn't she?

[@solalbi8370]

@@carimeslockdownedtree2654 yessss she was on lady like!

[@itsmeeuphoria]

idk why u guys think we want high production content. we all gonna be happy if u guys go look for the goatman again tbh

[@hannahjasmineactress]

I’m here because the try guys had Eugene (the most talented producer from buzzfeed) exit and two guys left are launching this same thing. I was done watching you guys years before because you kept saying “I don’t have to watch this” like you don’t even watch your own videos. That ego was huge. Now you don’t have money to make more quality content and pay your people so you’re gonna launch a streaming service… like why? Can’t you work on something you’d watch too? Can’t you sell it to Netflix? Can’t you pitch it to money people and the studios? If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t apologize so fast. It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t change your attitude behind making content. I’d say stop milking it and mark your finale. End gracefully before it ages badly. Although I know your egos won’t let it happen.

[@psychedeliciou5]

You know what’s budget friendly and way better than what you’re doing now? Going back to your roots, cutting the fancy out. All we want is Shane, Ryan, an implied ghost and a dumb ass spirit box.

[@unicorn4eva907]

Other people in the comments have made this point, I'll reiterate. I think I can understand why they want a bigger budget to try bigger things. As creative people they probably don't want to do the same thing over again (as much as we enjoy watching) think about ghost files and mystery files, in foundation they are the same as the BuzzFeed unsolved videos we watched, but done up and with more creativity, just as they envisioned. They probably have a million different creative ideas they want to try out so the bigger budget makes sense.

[@d0dgecity]

I really dislike the new episodes. I would pay 6 bucks to go back to just two guys in a room with a bulletin board.

[@Someonewhocares4us]

Maybe not the spirit box.

[@rachael_gobirds17]

“Fancy stuff” is what it takes to get ad revenue on KZbin or through any other platform. Ad revenue is also taking a lot of cuts from whoever is hosting the show (KZbin notorious for demonetizing shows over anything remotely not ad-friendly). Ticket sales and merch sales is great but it also costs money to travel for shows, to make merch, etc. so they need ad revenue to make shows like Ghost Files, which is without a doubt one of the most expensive shows they make (travel expenses for ghoul boys + production crew, location filming rights, production and post production crew salaries, plus project managers to keep track of all the contracts, hotels, flights, and shooting schedules, etc.) No matter what people say, it’s going to be an expensive show and the only way to make a smaller budget for that is less episodes and less locations taking a 6-8 episode show and bringing it down to 2-3 a season and that’s STILL expensive to make.

[@joaobrandao9482]

Too much ego for that, and also greed.

[@amandazuniga1298]

Yes! Listen to your audience! Appreciate the acknowledgment and apologies.

[@cassandraconnell2513]

Does feel good to be heard and to know some action is being taken in response

[@claraines2230]

Absolutely, it’s okay to mess up but it’s so great that they’ve really listened to us

[@ashesacedia]

Won't lie, I've been ruminating on how upsetting all this is... But man I'm happy to see there's multiple efforts in the works to try and right wrongs.

[@beokfoundation]

We love it when they listen. And they acted relatively immediately. If they phase out the patreon and make Watcher like the new patreon, I think this is fine. This should work for everyone. but they have to phase out that patreon to prove this wasn't motivated solely by greed (which I don't think, on the part of Ryan and Shane, that it was. It's hard for me to say it wasn't regarding Steven...)

[@jessw391]

@@ashesacediaive felt crap these passed few days because i honestly couldnt have imagined how badly (understandably) the fans reacted. So happy they came back to us

[@carmencorona8]

i’ve been with you guys for a longgg time. like my entire childhood. and seeing this kind of alienating behavior has just made me so sad. you all seem like good people, but please think about others more when you make decisions like this

[@disableddragonborn]

As long as I'm not losing Ryan and Shane AGAIN, I'm happy. While I won't be able to sign up for the Watcher streaming service, I do think it's a smart idea.

[@julesl9451]

For just $5.99 a month you can feed these poor Buzzfeed refugees 😢

[@anapuscau2236]

I’m dead 😂😭

[@crispeggies]

best comment 💀

[@jordannewsom3606]

😂

[@Arihantplaying]

💀💀

[@Lowkey420]

🎶 *in the armmmmmms ooof an angel….* 🎶

[@L--M]

Tbh the more tv show-y the show got, the less funny it became? I remember laughing my ass of at the “just subtitles of what Shane and Ryan are saying” formate. I also loved the “Are you scared” series, while they were just on zoom and narrating cool images. (Props to the artist.) Just two guys telling us spooky stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I like it when someone is creative and wants to improve, I don’t think we should stay the same all the time, but I just want to express how I think it went the “wrong” direction. As for my taste. I just like feeling like those guys are just regular people I can relate to…( ps. English isn’t my 1st lango, sorry if this is a little messy.)

[@666dianimal]

I totally agree with your comment, and your English is very good!! :)

[@danielGarcon]

Fantastic English actually

[@nickriches4641]

Im from England and your English is better than most people I know

[@maeve1780]

Exactly my thoughts. Also glad to find another "Are You Scared" fan, I miss that show sm!!

[@xelena7093]

You articulated my feelings perfectly! Totally agreed and your English is perfect!

[@javiermandujano4706]

You guys left buzzfeed and still gained 2.8 MILLION subscribers. We’re not here for over the top production

[@ariaojou]

A simple survey could have avoided all of this mess. Once again, we're here for the dynamics between you guys. While we appreciate the high-tech SFX and animations, remember that we were ok with powerpoints and blue/yellow texts on a screen.

[@kaskaskas]

This!! I hope they understand that is enough for their fans. The drunk around the campfire series is one of my favorites and it took no special effects

[@AeroAUS]

In a way I still miss seeing those two sided text conversations, perfectly timed with any stutters or odd sounds they made

[@cool-lemon]

That's what I'm struggling to wrap my head around too... like, did nobody think to ask? Or even mention it? At least warm people up to the idea, like you said send out few surveys gathering the thoughts of your fans about this decision.

[@reavingraven6287]

YES We don't need extremely high production values, my favorite shows are often the ones filmed the cheapest, like too many spirits or the podcasts.. No need for commissioned art or all the fancy bells and whistles they seem insistant on..

[@yustitiaayu]

Agree! Some of us come to their video for their personalities, their humors, their randomness. They can just sit on the couch and talking nonsense and I will still be watching.

[@YuiWrong]

This is definitely an improvement, but please keep in mind that we're totally okay with downscaled production and less expensive shows. If you're not making enough money to fund your productions with a patreon, youtube ads, merch, and now a streaming service, then it's not a question of how to make more money, but of how to spend less. Because no one watches you for the fancy effects and intros, we watch because we like you guys. Regardless, best of luck.

[@simashakeri95]

I think they clearly want the big production to keep it fulfilling to them. I think finding a way to compromise what they want to make with what’s sustainable for fans like they’ve done here makes the most sense going forward.

[@p-__]

My farts are better than Watcher’s farts 💨

[@LemonSte]

And nevermind that Steven is flaunting his wealth a lot... Pay yourself less

[@MayvaAva]

I think it’s more about that THEY want high production, they want to make polished well produced shows, as they’ve been saying, but yea, I feel like they could maybe work on getting more bang for their buck

[@Hatter5150]

Maybe they need to look at their 25 employees and make some cuts. Do they really need that many people?

[@user-ht4ii1wi6u]

It's been a month. When are you releasing new content to KZbin?