Game Theory: Why Everyone HATES YouTube Shorts… And You Should Too!

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What do you think about KZbin Shorts? Since their release, they've seemingly been one of the most polarizing new features ever launched on the platform. What seems like fun little short-form videos may actually have MUCH larger ramifications across the platform and the creator economy as a whole. So put those swiping fingers away and let's chat friends.
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#KZbin #KZbinShorts #Shorts #MetaTheory #Meta #TikTok #ViralVideo #KZbinUpdate #Theory #GameTheory #Matpat

[@amyrydell2715]

It really saddens me how KZbin is moving away from longer videos. That's what I go to KZbin for. For the creators for listening to what they say

[@nschep]

100% I actually use and love Tik Tok, more than I should, and I love KZbin for the longer videos. I don't want shorts on KZbin, despite consuming a bunch of that content on other platforms

[@JamesTDG]

EXACTLY! I want to have a discussion that forces me to use my brain, to actually THINK

[@nataliaentalia]

It’s so annoying. I go to youtube to watch longer videos and all I get is shorts shoved in my face.

[@emewantstoplayXD]

Me too! I love KZbin because I can rewatch my favorite long videos to listen to in the background.

[@The_MadDuck]

Yeah fr

[@Professoridiot]

As someone with adhd I have been avoiding KZbin shorts and tik tok like the plague because I already have a bad attention span and I DO NOT want it to get worse

[@captainbluescreen5713]

Same here, and I swear it feels like even my attention span is still better than most of my classmates who use tiktok and all that!

[@Jimpipecigarbear]

As a neurodivergent. Been avoiding ticktock and hate certain shorts because of the sounds some of the videos make. I like picking and choosing over scrolling.

[@anonymousking5215]

@@Jimpipecigarbearthis. If I’m going to watch a short, I’m not going to the shorts tab. I’m going to pick one from like 8

[@NickChad]

It's funny because as someone with adhd I've always hated tiktok and shorts because it's impossible to have them as something to listen to in the background when I've got a long drive or want to do some chores. Can't even use mini player on KZbin shorts like regular KZbin videos to check other stuff on my phone. I literally don't have the attention span for shorts.

[@countryball-enjoyer]

I completely oppose short form content like tiktok and KZbin shorts because of how addictive it is. the worst thing about KZbin shorts is that I can’t even mute it or delete it.

[@gabeburch8234]

I like how he foreshadowed his announcement of stepping down and straight up told us he had a "dramatic couch episode penciled in for January"

[@ignacyantkiewicz8654]

Tok tok is for kids.

[@nit.nat.kit.kat.]

"Now normally, this would be a dramatic MattChat on the couch, but I've already got that one penciled in for January." Hearing that after the whiplash of "Goodbye Internet" two days ago is WILD 😭

[@theqbash]

Yeah… it is for me too.

[@Obese2000kg]

We will miss matpat

[@Kaliiixx_]

I GASPED WHEN I REALISED HE MENTIONED IT SO EARLY ON

[@benwatts764]

“Normally this would be a dramatic chat on the couch but I’ve already got that pencilled in for January” oh boy did he 😭

[@stickshiftman8433]

yea sad

[@JeffHawthorne]

I watched that one first. Before this one.

[@henryhutch_07]

The most dramatic couch talk ever

[@Heartlessdummy]

He really meant it

[@poniez8348]

Don't remind me 😔

[@RaeganScarlett]

KZbin really needs to make a “Restricted Shorts Mode” setting where you can block shorts from showing up on your Home Screen, remove the shorts tab from the app, and block scrolling if you find a short through search.

[@Chris-rg6nm]

Theres an extention i use

[@SkitzSkitzVids]

Settings >General >turn off playback on feeds

[@aleksandrakowalczyk6043]

How it's called

[@lemonlyedits6016]

I agree to this SOOO MUCH like I feel as if I don’t get to enjoy all the long form videos anymore. I wish I could have an extension but I’ve always watched on my phone haha so I guess it doesn’t help with shorts

[@birdbrainiac]

@@Chris-rg6nm tell me more - what's it called?

[@chrisalvino812]

You totally hit the nail on the head of why I prefer KZbin to TikTok, even though they're so similar now with shorts. I HATE how passive TikTok is. I like to actively determine what I'm consuming. And I love interacting in the comments with others and really connecting with the creatots. It's been bugging me for awhile why i can't stand TikTok and this is exactly why

[@Gavetheduck123]

2:21 now I know what this means

[@skilfularcher]

Realizing that shorts and TikTok’s are passive as opposed to active explain why I feel so disgusted when I watch them for like half an hour cause I’m not doing anything, I hate being passive and stagnant, so this definitely explains it

[@theucheao]

Same

[@prehistoricorchid3455]

Yeah, except I can't watch more than 2 shorts cause 1. Not what I came for, 2. It immediately goes to something I don't even care about

[@UltraVioletKnight]

I would recommend "Hide Shorts for KZbin", it's a browser extension that will hide all youtube shorts

[@orangelightning2352]

I only watch 4 shorts that are shown to me because I don't want to keep watching shorts, not what I came for, but the reason why it's 4 is because they're interesting

[@MrGamelover23]

Don't pretend like you're somehow any less passive or stagnant if you spend 3 hours on KZbin.

[@Y2lazer]

I definitely realized the addictive powers of KZbin shorts. I wish they would make it a separate app at least to remove the temptation.

[@Buckets182]

I agree, as someones who's content almost solely relies on shorts a separate app would be great

[@em.5941]

there is a separate app, called tiktok

[@olz33]

there HAS to be a setting where you can block them from the home page

[@ossian882]

​@@olz33ReVanced

[@luzellemoller6621]

@@olz33 yeah i literly cant watch a fun fideo if it isnt FERY fun as in FERY without watching a short mid fideo

[@Messixftbl19]

MatPat told us he was quitting secretly 2:16 😢

[@BTS_ot7_Potterhead_ARMY]

Who would have guessed his matpat Couch Talk was going to be goodbye internet

[@withoutmaster79]

😢

[@waalex11]

I hate them personally for how addictive they can be and be unremovable, but I do like how it helps boost some channels.

[@Dont_Read_My_Picture]

Don't read my name!..

[@gelubra44]

In case you want to to get rid of them, you could always get a shorts remover plugin.

[@waalex11]

​@@gelubra44For some reason I assumed that didn't exist and never checked. Thanks!

[@bibasik7]

On the desktop version of KZbin, you can hide Shorts for 30 days by clicking the X.

[@nofbi8582]

@@BangerContent + ur a ni

[@smartereveryday]

Co-signed. One additional thought: KZbin is not discussing the overall impacts of shorts on society in general.

[@N.Nocturne]

Heya Destin

[@NaiFarang]

11.4M subs DANG

[@hariskhan01]

I am kinda glad I used to watch this instead of shorts when I was little.

[@faxfromfred]

Sup mate!

[@Neobjects]

LETHAL COMPANY LORE.. please?

[@hntrboi1585]

I just realized Matt forshadowed his talk about leaving Game Theory around the beginning, at 0:29 the KZbin title says “Say goodbye to your favorite KZbinrs” and he says his couch chat will be later in January.

[@dankxp420]

"creators always go out of style, burn out, quit..."

[@RoseMimikyu]

One thing that has really bothered me about shorts especially when I follow a creator that does exclusive shorts content is finding the shorts you WANT to watch. Unlike long form videos if you go to someone's channel and look through their shorts none of them have the title listed so you just have to pick one based on the one frame of the short you see and hope it's what you want. Makes refinding a short to share with someone a nightmare.

[@BetterNevaia]

yup or when you see an old short mentionning an update in 2 months so you gotta dig through their shorts to find the update

[@faithhellman402]

And the fact that you can't even see whether or not you've already watched a short, to help you filter through the content when you're trying to watch a series you stumbled upon, but don't know where the rest of it is.

[@Md_Arif2004]

@@faithhellman402 the basic solution is to add the red border on watched shorts and hoping that the creator will set a template of what the video it was, also if there was a list button[that shows the shorts as video detailed format] . near the popular botton on short page

[@benjones7634]

As someone who basically only makes shorts, this is true even for the creators themselves

[@InnD135]

Definitely a struggle to find previously watched shorts. I will say I've been able to find shorts I've watched in my watch history though.

[@NavDisCode]

Me realizing I’ve been watching matpat for like 9-10 years… Did my brain shape my personality through game theory? Oh no.

[@Bulbbley]

Hah, yeah I feel you there. Part of my personality was shaped by this channel. Also You got Quintuple botted by the same bot. That’s insane.

[@Hoschikus]

That's just a theory..

[@Jettfighter]

@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriotspack your things get out!

[@Sai36ofc]

@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriots Well it’s not a bot, maybe a 3 year old. Get off your mom’s phone kid!

[@thependingdataset]

duuuude me too what the heck

[@LetoandZuno]

2:18 , Matpat loves foreshadowing, even his retirement💀

[@kai_alex]

2:20 the january couch chat destroyed us all

[@Keyga]

Another thing I really don’t like about shorts is when I try to search for unspecific videos it shows SO MANY shorts rather than videos

[@TeenPerspektiva]

Right?! Thats a real problem

[@Keyga]

@@TeenPerspektiva there needs to be an option to exclude shorts from searches

[@Eocarcin]

If you never want to see shorts again, get the 'hide youtube shorts' extension on your browser

[@FreeStatesofKapuska]

@@Keyga But then they wont get money!! Paying? Who, their creators? So that there are more creators, and thus more money? Never heard of that...

[@starsiadraws]

That and showing "recommended for you". Like I already see these same videos on my home page and side bars, I'm looking for a specific video/type of video. There's a reason I clicked "search" and not "recommended".

[@EnerJazzOfficial]

the amount of times i’ve felt literally hypnotized by shorts while trying to do something else annoys me to no end and i feel like i need some kind of off option to stop KZbin shorts or Instagram reels from popping up in my results

[@III_three]

Well you can easily block shorts on a modded KZbin app.

[@III_three]

It's called ReVanced. An open souce frontend to KZbin.

[@rpocc]

Oh yes, it must be considered a dangerous mental drug and be supplied with a warning, like cigarettes.

[@good4gaby]

😢I know

[@clowntownyt]

Someone commented that going into settings>general>stopping playback should help with them turning on automatically. I did that and while I was in the settings I also turned on a reminder to take breaks. This is also in settings>general. You can make the timer whatever you want. I hope that'll help at least a bit!

[@BruoBrno]

2:17 I just realized he hinted at his quitting days before.

[@IbbySS.]

Coming back to this video after watching the big announcement video. It really painted the picture of what’s happening to KZbin creators right now

[@DannoDraws]

That last point you made is right on the money - and adding to your point, many shorts creators feel themselves inferior to long-form youtubers. We feel like we're less worthy of being called a "KZbinr" because we can't manage to make the switch to long form content, or because we feel like our viewers don't care about us nearly as much. It adds to the burn-out and emotional toll of an isolated job a wholeeee lot. Personally, even though my entire internet presence was built off shorts, I'm really really disheartened by the effect they've have had on youtube as a whole.

[@Bombilicious]

wsg danno

[@DingdongShingydotQuandaledinle]

i am taking first so no kid can say it

[@ToshibaXD.]

DANNO?? what are you doing here 😭

[@Bombilicious]

@@DingdongShingydotQuandaledinle your 2nd but i see why

[@user-hr8yd1ky4x]

​@@ToshibaXD.He likes game theory

[@creditcrazy597]

Crazy how matt pat has gone from "mat pat the destroyer of childhoods" to "mat pat the guy how's telling you to not get your childhood destroyed"

[@mikesurel5040]

He is a parent now....

[@DaBigBrozer]

He made the whole video to unhook his wife from tik tok... Kudos to him

[@KrisRN23935]

The hero we needed but didn't deserve.

[@_cloudface_]

I have no idea who he is, his voice kinda irritates me so I think I'd remember hearing him before so he's gone from "unknown to kinda annoying guy that made a mid essay" for me 🤷‍♂️.

[@dougla517]

I really dislike the UI and just generally how TikTok works, but I'm in my mid 20s so my opinion hardly matters to KZbin... For the most part. I'm also *slightly* concerned about what TikTok will do to future generations. I have ADHD, and I find the format frustrating and overwhelming, but that's also because I prefer 30+ minute videos that are more comprehensive to shorter form content - I can watch/listen while I do other stuff.

[@insanoorange]

2:15 FORESHADOWING? 😮

[@harley_kay_]

2:20 the mad lad foreshadowing his retirement

[@marleypurdue4923]

The biggest problem with yt shorts is that they are EXTREMELY popular with generation alpha. This is not only bad for that generations attention span etc but for creators like mat said

[@Mr.bigheadRetro]

stop complaining

[@Squidgyluigi]

@@Mr.bigheadRetro bruh.

[@GassedUpGangsters]

@@Mr.bigheadRetroblud is definitely an iPad kid 💀

[@Miracle12348]

@@GassedUpGangstersI own a iPad am I a ipad kid? I have really bad vision and since iPads are bigger I rather use a ipad then a phone. So like- what am I? (Even though I’m not a kid)

[@alexanderyu9120]

One of my friends' little brother is hooked to KZbin shorts and he is 3 yrs old

[@JordanJ1]

Foreshadowing Matpat leaving is nuts. The video title in the beginning, the upcoming January couch monologue, heartbreaking. But I’m happy for him ❤

[@blackoutamvs6550]

This is actually something i have noticed recently, some channels that i watch suddenly dropped views from 200k+ in every video to barely reach 100k on the recent ones even though the content is pretty much the same.

[@user-pb8nn8iv9l]

Now I know what Matpat meant by having a serious chat on the couch in january.. :(

[@joemint5666]

I never knew KZbin shorts had its own game.

[@Mag3.1415]

^bot

[@RainPrime]

@@BangerContentstfu bot and go away

[@agilecandle428]

Wow you got double bots just report them and ignore them

[@youtubchannelhre]

@@BangerContentdon’t think we can’t see your arguments in your comment history, bot actor

[@xaynekingmassiah]

Fr

[@theabandonedbuilder]

I can speak from experience, and I’m traumatised about how unsafe, and unfiltered YT shorts are

[@GamerTVR]

@@BangerContentbot

[@GamerTVR]

@@BigStrongShoebillbot

[@Dont_Read_My_Picture]

Don't read my name!..

[@Timmering]

Yeah it’s true. I’ve seen some weird stuff.

[@lnon4361]

Bro is a snowball

[@WiiU_G4meP4d]

1:57 THE NINJA SLIME

[@nowhere280]

I CAME FOR SAME REASON

[@OneHundredFiftyTwo]

@@nowhere280fr

[@luckydoomduck6614]

Sammmmemme

[@Dot_the_best]

I CAME FOR SAME REASON 2

[@estebanr.fantini9592]

Raaaah us anthem plays Goku appears

[@sunny__41]

2:18 THE FORESHADOWING IS INSANE

[@TheStone190]

I think it would be great if KZbin made it more obvious how to move to regular videos of creators while I scroll through shorts. Instead of having looping videos, allowing creators to have them not loop and have a recommended screen, or at least have it show for a few seconds before looping.

[@whisptrz]

DIDNT ASK + I MAKE BETTER CONTENT SO CRY

[@An_M4A3]

Jesus the bots

[@DiamondPizza1]

I am so freaking tired of bots on every large KZbin channel, and it's just completely unrelated content.

[@thedraftingax5963]

@@DiamondPizza1Me too

[@Yenka3]

GOD I HATE THE UTTP

[@rwolterbeek]

This is why the 'link to full vid' feature is so amazing. It keeps the exporative nature of shorts, but makes it really easy to actually go to the creator themselves and foster a newfound fandom. More and more shorts are active advertisements for a channel or video, and I'm all for it

[@supercat765]

Yes, now if there was an option to limit the feed to those shorts specifically. then it is then just mainly a preview feed that is potentially an excellent tool for finding new creators that you would have never thought to actively search for. Like the preview short, maybe you will like their channel.

[@bbysiea]

@@supercat765 this! i'm constantly looking for new creators to watch, and i love the idea of having a little preview short of their commentary/kind of content they produce or just their general vibe.

[@CarlosDaBird]

@@bbysieamy exact thoughts too

[@kennethM]

Yea but the ui for it is awful.

[@MrDannyDetail]

That's the first I've heard of that feature. Is there somewhere specific I have to click to get to a full vid from a short, or do content creators have to actively choose to add that feature if they want it?

[@Favvlatina]

Guess his dramatic couch talk was so dramatic that we missed it lol

[@night_abra7702]

?? He did it, just a bit later

[@Lemmings19]

As a method of discovering new creators, shorts have some potential on KZbin. While I won't generally actively seek out someone's channel if I enjoyed their short, I would hope to start seeing their longer-form content show up on my video feed if I've been watching/liking their shorts or if I hit the subscribe button on their short. I'd like to imagine that this will happen with channels I might not have otherwise ever found.

[@ShyCorn]

Thanks for speaking out about this. It’s insanely discouraging to see KZbin pushing Shorts so hard, being what is now considered a “long-form” content creator. I’m finally starting to see decent traction this year, and knowing KZbin are working towards a future where I will have to choose between my passion or seeing continued growth is really unsettling. Fingers crossed they listen to feedback from all of us and can find a better balance.

[@MbitaChizi]

Matpat inspires me, my parents said if I get 30k followers here. They'd buy me a better camera for recording.. begging u guys, literally begging

[@PulseEva]

you don't even have content bro what are you on about@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriots

[@PuckTDS]

I'd get really mad at myself whenever I found myself having had scrolling for hours. I eventually started making conscious efforts to remove KZbin Shorts from my feed. KZbin Shorts is the first addiction I've kicked to the curb

[@Eocarcin]

Get the 'hide youtube shorts' browser extension, it completely removes even the temptation of clicking on one and you don't have to have them clogging up your recommended and home page.

[@captainbluescreen5713]

Same! I'm so glad I finally got over the addiction, I found out that I wouldn't see the shorts easily if I used the browser on my phone or just kept using "do not reccomend" on the shorts showing up on the app home page. It took a while, but it feels much better knowing I'm not wasting hours scrolling through the toxicity and other stuff I don't like seeing just to get 1 occasional funny video.

[@daphne4407]

if you turn off watch history they give you a 'turn it back on to see recommendations' message after like 1-2 shorts. does also turn off regular recommendations but mine were always bad anyway. you still get similar videos/shorts under whatever you watch and I find those are closer to what I'm interested in

[@Idenversioinfernosquad]

​@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriots You are the living definition of why society is going downhill. Also give your mum's phone back kid 😂

[@ronik7102]

@@captainbluescreen5713 you gotta love how the uttp annoyances got 0 likes but you got 26

[@bakondude84]

The one reason is i dont like making them is because it always kicks me out and it’s literally like its so annoying im literally getting angry at it

[@kevinfan6869]

The mind-boggling thing I've realized is that I've watched nearly EVERY GAME THEORY video ever made, almost every film but every food and style theory so far. Iove the work Matt and the rest of Theorist, Santi, Steph, Leigh, Amy, Austin, and NEARLY EVERYONE has done for the channel. Identities matter in making sure youtube creators keep their following, otherwise they become short 20-second laughs on social media

[@noblesseoblige319]

"this won't be a couch-talk. I got one of those planned for January, and that'll be more serious" Didn't realize what he meant by that until now... I'm not crying, you're crying.

[@RobairtO-Dhoilingta-n16420]

...No, you're the one crying.

[@quattuorvigintupletritrigi8357]

No I’m not crying, he’s crying

[@PxtchiMxmo]

Im not crying, theres a waterfall starting inside my eyes.

[@anonymousturtle34]

I can kind of personally relate to this. When I was in the golden demographic, I watched a lot of channels like CinemaSins, High Boi, and, yes, Film Theory, and because of that I know notice so many of the little things in movies. I notice the plot holes, the odd lines, the things that just don't make sense, and I'm pretty sure I owe it a lot to those types of channels. Thanks for shaping me, MatPat.

[@ninjanate5018]

I feel the same way ngl. If not for MatPat, I probably wouldn’t be able to gain a deeper understanding of media and would’ve just ignored all the plot holes and such within films.

[@nousukas]

What I especially hate about the shorts, it's that I see a notification from a youtuber I've subscribed to, but the "new video" is just a short that's just a short clip from his latest video. I think he could just stop posting those, but maybe this video will tell me, why he has to do it.

[@GT7_Tim]

no way he really hinted at a big sit down video this early 2:21

[@Omni0404]

But hey, that's just a theory.

[@SomeThingElseYT]

The payout of this new Tiktok like approach has been a concern of mine for a while and a fear that it will become a reason for KZbin to double down. With how little shorts pay out, creators are forced to spam their channels with as many videos as possible to make any sort of income from it. Since we see a high volume of spammed content, youtube as a whole see’s a higher volume of traffic which allows them to take these new artificially inflated numbers to investors and rake in a higher profit. The problem to me is creators wont see their fair share of this higher profit and in a way rewarding youtube for this bad behavior. Which might be a reason they have been pushing creators so aggressively to take on this new video format (along with competition of course) and what feels like punishing them for not. Just my 2 cents though. Glad you are getting the conversation surrounding shorts started! This video was pretty insightful.

[@SomeThingElseYT]

I say this as someone who made 3 shorts that raked in 3 million views for a month and was paid only $18 for that work. I also find my channel being hit hard view wise not being recommended as much (despite retention and click through rate being incredibly high) and what feels like punishment from KZbin for refusing to post anymore shorts due to its low pay and high effort.

[@sirbrandalf7813]

​@@SomeThingElseYT...18? Wow. That's utterly absurd. 3 million is such an unimaginable number when you think about it, and only making 18 dollars out of that is astonishingly unsustainable

[@xtremesubber9136]

⁠@@SomeThingElseYTyeah, $18 is DEFINITELY not enough for 3 million. Like, I heard KZbin shorts doesn’t pay that much, but I didn’t realise it was THAT little. Also, I completely agree with you Adam, this ‘shorts’ content concerns me. As a 13-18 year old, I don’t have TikTok. The whole reason I didn’t download it in the first place, is that I didn’t want to go down that endless loop of scrolling, but now that KZbin shorts is a thing, I’ve become a victim. And I hate it.

[@xninja2369]

​@@xtremesubber9136Can Use ReVanced and disable short feed , on homepage , recommendations etc .

[@ImSonnyReal]

oh my god its SomethingElseYT

[@keebler138]

I'm watching this AFTER watching Matpat's announcement. This video hits harder knowing where it was leading. Thank you for everything Matpat. ❤

[@markwing1806]

Same 😢

[@waffelpokalypse7365]

Samesies.

[@savionsavior3425]

That's just a theory...

[@Fleetwood.376]

The foreshadowing too he hinted about a serious matchat in January when he quit😢

[@danielsilvanusp]

literally at it.. 2:15

[@synthearose]

I feel like IG is the same bc they really are in full on competition with TikTok. It gets boring actually…just scrolling thru nameless content. That’s why I still love YT the most. When mindlessly scroll I can and when I want long form content I can have that too, and all in one app. Plus when I stop scrolling thru shorts, it just sends me back to the last long form video I was watching

[@aaidenlol]

you did indeed have a serious couch talk scheduled for january, god that made me cry so hard 😭😭

[@mattsnotbanned]

Around 9-10 years ago when KZbin added autoplay, I always hated it and thought of it as a nuisance, because I always wanted to pick and search the videos I wanted to watch. Still to this day I never use it at all. Now I kind of understand why TikTok and all these other social media platforms have never interested me

[@boltogen5416]

I agree exactly with this, the first thing I always do on KZbin is make sure auto play is off

[@southernfriedwestcoaster]

Fr

[@bilbsy734]

I'm not usually the overly emotional type but that bit at the end nearly made me cry. I was raised on this website. Love ya matpat

[@kaimemes]

Same

[@morebadcoffee]

yea

[@TheArtsyAviary.]

It's been 11 years since matpat joined KZbin

[@BubblesThe_Bee]

Honestly I love seeing nutshell animation on my feed. BUT I ESPECIALLY LOVE SEEING MAT PAT❤

[@tigrzera]

2:19, wow. Guess he wasn't lying 😭

[@clarkclemons7756]

It feels so strange to imagine not having a favorite content creator. I know what I am getting when I click on a game theory video. I like the familiarity that it brings! It really does help me relax to watch videos from the same creators I watched as a kid. I still occasionally look up Dantdm’s video of him moving in next to Dr. Trayaurus’ lab just to remember how it made me feel watching that as a kid.

[@tominieminen66]

Hmm... now I want to know when I started to watch KZbin, I tend to roam around more in my entertainment, different creators come and go Spurred by your comment I shall try to dive into the history of my KZbin journey

[@ash4760]

This, i know they’re basically ruined but i still sometimes look up popularmmos and watch their OLD videos because I love them!

[@camtuber23]

I'm watching this after "Goodbye Internet'... 2:15 I understand what he was talking about now.

[@Map_bot_but_not_really]

Look at the title in 0:26

[@justluke9456]

​@@Map_bot_but_not_reallyWow the fact he hinted towards it...

[@sahalehogue-eskew1619]

As one of the many many ripples you've impacted. Thank you for the 13 years of mind expansion, the laughs, and the brain tickling theorys. I can't wait to see the gifts and treasures you bring from your new adventures when we get matpat cameos. Thank you

[@user-pn5wk3sd6r]

2:19 Is like matpat telling us hes leaving KZbin soon, but in after 9 videos he'll be gone.

[@ZeldaLilly330]

I gravitate towards longer videos on KZbin, because I like to play them while I'm working and they feel more meaningful. It would be a shame to lose those.

[@SilverstarandFriends]

I'm with you, I like to watch the longer videos once but then my favorites become my go to for background noise while I game or work on other stuff because it's still entertaining but I don't feel the need to look since I've seen it before. Having to switch videos every 10-15min would be a pain so I pretty much exclusively watch ~hour videos or a playlist.

[@mr.boomguy]

@@SilverstarandFriends That's what I do myself when I'm at work. Put up either a playlist or long for videos. It sometimes helps to calm my nerves during work and also helps to dull my thoughts (which are mostly just fantasies and such, but can be draining in the longrun)

[@SilverstarandFriends]

@@mr.boomguy yep, having something interesting playing helps with the monotony of work for sure.

[@awkwardhuman6314]

This made me realize just how important and targeted children are on social media that its scary. Ive been on youtube since i was 10 and i still have the same interests i had at that age! Luckily this channel has always stuck with me and was a factor in me loving random and geeky stuff lol But I do wish KZbin had a switch to turn off YT Shorts because now I am seeing the consequences in children that are less than 10 being targeted and becoming addicted and dependent with the short video format instead of the normal videos. Anyways, thanks GameTheory for being a part of my childhood ❤

[@victorsmash12english10]

I was also thinking about some sort of switch like that and fell terrible after watching too many shorts. Because one comes up on the homepage that interests you, and from there, it all goes downhill

[@WestRipStiker]

If you have an android, you actually can turn off shorts, with a different version of the KZbin app, it's definitely not reVanced, definitely not ;)

[@szymex22]

You can turn off by clicking three dots and I’m not interested on each one on your homepage whenever they show up. It turns them off for a couple of months unless you watch one then it starts again

[@Muhluri]

There are also chrome extensions to block shorts

[@tc8135]

@awkwardhuman6414 i did turn off my YT shorts for a while by selecting "Not interested" on a whole row of shorts. Like the other poster said, they came back after a while, but it was enough for me to get unhooked.

[@Fisheygamer]

Everyone was shocked by that serious couch talk in January

[@Jadevilz_]

2:20 FORESHADOWING.

[@zerocaris5498]

My man talked about how KZbin is dying and then announced that he's leaving. We love you MatPat

[@bluejeremiah1818]

look at the title at 0:26

[@N2O_The1000thElement]

This is exactly why I hope that youtube will one day develop a "turn off youtube shorts" option.

[@RLane-xz5cj]

The shorts cluttering my page is the straw breaking the camel's back for me to get into ad blockers and stuff. Some of them let you isolate and block specific features on a website instead of just ads. You have to keep up with which ones youtube has figured out how to block itself though, so it's a bit tedious. I also don't think there's any hope for the mobile app on this front though.

[@nicodawisp]

​@@RLane-xz5cjyoutube revanced :D

[@nicodawisp]

youtube redux (for desktop) and youtube revanced (for mobile) are your friends :3 i never watch shorts or even see them unless im actively seeking them out from a creator i like, makes my life a lot better

[@amylivsley4882]

Matpat is leaving the Internet😢

[@pythogron]

​@@nicodawispYUP! I just couldn't understand why would anyone not search for their own solutions and waiting for "official" solution. I don't even remember the last I watched a short, it's been peaceful

[@JohnathanFallSeasonGuy]

KZbin has always had short form media, I remember when the longest video you could upload was 10 minutes, the problem isn’t that Shorts exist the problem is how KZbin is handling them, by treating shorts and long videos as separate entities instead of embracing them both as equally valid forms of content. Creators should be forced to make shorts, and creators who make shorts shouldn’t have to struggle to make long content.

[@Dominguezzisa]

WHY DID MATPAT TEASE HIS RETIREMENT IN THIS VIDEO?? 2:18

[@forthelowpriceof4.99]

His goodbye at the end too😭 the signs were all here

[@Dominguezzisa]

@@forthelowpriceof4.99REAL, and there has to be more of these teases. I need a compilation of them

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

The thing companies never seem to understand is balance. You know how they say energy diversification is important. That should apply to social media. You have to adapt to many different learning styles which requires using different formats. That does not mean only focusing on the one thing you think is popular and ignoring the rest.

[@neeneko]

Unfortunately, career advancement doesn't mesh well with balance. Personal brands are built off being transformative , any pieces left over from the previous person takes away from the singular focus of what you have done, and that image is what gets you your next job.

[@stoodmuffinpersonal3144]

And we don't do it to energy, too. We say we should, but don't. We should ACTUALLY do it for both.

[@TheXenoEnder]

Capitalism isn't designed for balance, it is quite specifically imbalance in practice

[@shannyn7404]

This video made me realize why I find using TikTok frustrating. I was using TikTok like KZbin. I'd watch a TikTok I really liked, and then try and go to their page to watch more of their stuff. I'd search for a type of video instead of just scrolling. I want to choose what I'm going to watch. Its definitely because I grew up on KZbin. Fascinating.

[@opaque3998]

dang. looks like youtube got this one!

[@darladay4766]

Not the devastating "January" Easter egg. Side note, as a Tiktok anomaly I was always in my following feed. Those creators helped me survive 2020.

[@AceofAllAcesJames5558]

1:59 IS THAT NINJA SLIME?! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

[@SeanLamb-I-Am]

It's interesting that this video appeared on my suggestions shortly after the health update for Dianna that Destin made. The outpouring of love and support for Dianna in the comments is what helps make this site what it is. Creators may sometimes make bad decisions, but they can also have unfortunate circumstances around which the fanbase can rally to help.

[@LuisSierra42]

I just watched that video as well, but I saw them in my notifications

[@saphcal]

i just watched that video too lol weird.

[@calebfaulconbridge9629]

Same

[@srbu8650]

Same with me.... It's so uncanny

[@AGuyThatMakesStuff]

who is Dianna

[@soffren]

This explains perfectly why this year was such a boom for editors. Cutting shorts became the highest paying skill beside smooth brand integration.

[@GrumbleThePerson]

“This wont be a couch talk i have that saved for January” never realized what that meant untill i rewatched this vid 😢

[@randomrandom2020]

Bro why isn't this a film theory?

[@santoi]

Why are you the most popular comment?

[@theoschneider6099]

Ya

[@Athena_Light]

This felt haunting. I avoided tiktok but fell in yt short addiction.

[@crumblingcascade]

In the same boat :(

[@thecuriouscat4102]

You're not alone, unfortunately.

[@sirichandanaakarapu378]

Same 😢

[@CasperdaGreat]

Yep, that’s me

[@Wyldflare]

Same

[@AnonimusQualquer]

Interesting to hear about this because without using TikTok, without being in touch with the younger generation I wasn’t aware that you are supposed to just scroll through the shorts. I saw my husband doing that few days before I watched this video and I found it confusing since it felt like going through the entire recommendation list to find the few gems he really intended to see. And yeah, I actually look through the Shorts recommended and only click on the ones that actually interest me, I don’t scroll through them. Because of that I do notice the channels producing them and interact with them just the same. And I’m not that old, I’m in my mid thirties, but still it was interesting to see that being somewhat virtually illiterate on how short videos are supposed to work and treating them the same I do with longer videos, I didn’t feel this alienation with the creators. Though can’t say I escape the addiction part. That s**t is strong.

[@YingofDarkness]

Same tbh. I only started paying attention to shorts when my favorite creators started making them. Then I only paid attention to the ones from new creators I like. I don't just scroll through feeds unless I am extremely bored and even then if I find one creator's videos I really like, I'll go to their channel page to look for more videos and will subscribe if I see more stuff I like. I treat it like a marriage of Vine and KZbin more so then i would tiktok

[@PoiuyKnight]

My situation is the same. However, I'm 18, 19 in a couple of months, for what it's worth.

[@TheKetina]

Yes! This is exactly my situation as well - I actually could tell MatPat my favourite shorts creators, because I watch them selectively and visit their channels and never scroll through them!

[@MsCellaneous]

@@YingofDarknessagreed

[@VcSaJen]

I find "shorts" interface virtually unusable. It's incredibly easy to accidentally move to completely unrelated video I don't want to watch, and going anywhere where I want is basically impossible. I always substitute shorts URL to normal video url when I watch them. It's still annoying to watch without a vertical monitor, but at least I can actually navigate.

[@ThatTexan-xr9gx]

Around the 4:30-ish minute mark when matpat talks about how you can get interested in anything at anytime is so true. Just moved, but on the way up I35 to DFW, I noticed all the different big rigs had different states on their license plates, and I started keeping track of the different states I saw on the plates to see how many states I could get. Fast forward, and now I wanna draw license plates😂you can definitely get interested in literally anything

[@ProfessorLinder]

HE DID NOT JUST FORSHADOW HIS RETIREMENT @ 2:15

[@mckenziebate2949]

Finally someone brings this up! KZbin shorts has always creeped me out for some reason, but I could never quite put my finger on it until now. Thanks MatPat for bringing these issues to light!

[@Cinnaschticks]

Same. I just assumed it was because all of the weird stuff that cropped up the further I scrolled.

[@Jay_Frank]

Get the shorts blocking extension

[@Cinnaschticks]

@@Jay_Frank that doesn't really work for phone users, the main audience for shorts...

[@user-ho8wm8xp1i]

When Matpat uploads a film-themed topic to a channel intended to analyzing gaming, you know something has fallen into the deep end.

[@jan_Eten]

yeah

[@webbedshadow2601]

Yep you know its gotten bad...

[@Face._.]

0:25 and 2:15 😭 foreshadowed twice, we'll miss you Matpat

[@Square_Peg]

I really REALLY hate shorts, not so much because they are short, but because the player sucks, I can no longer add them to my watch later playlist and because they clutter up my subscription feed. I'm 46 and a PC user watching on Chrome so I found an extension that just simply blocks all shorts everywhere. It is wonderful. It is the way KZbin was before shorts even became a thing.

[@SeaForest]

As someone who is 24, started watching KZbin in late elementary/middle school, with Markiplier, Game Theory, and Jacksepticeye as the 3 channels I first got invested in… I don’t think this is just a theory 🥲 Hope KZbin changes for the better, I keep hearing so many creators I watch talk about how depressing it is, and with the Theorist himself showing the overall view of it, hope 2024 is a better year ❤

[@pokegard]

I have been strongly against KZbin shorts since it became a thing, especially because as far as I am aware some old videos of short length was turned into shorts after the fact Edit: autocorrect added an extra s

[@theoutsiderjess4869]

My cringy first video when i was in high school got turned into a short when it lsunched

[@Jettfighter]

@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriots🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@zerogaming0000]

yeah you're right, somebody i know uploaded a video that was under a minute long and it was turned into a short automatically

[@zerogaming0000]

@@UTTPNewEnglandPatriots just remember, nobody asked you to exist

[@iamgoo]

​@@zerogaming0000Unfortunately yeah, two of my vids were as well

[@byron.]

Another thing unmentioned here is content theft/plagiarism has always been a problem online, but the lack of creator identity makes it even worse. If you saw a game theory video with matpat’s voice on a channel called “mysteries of gaming” then you’d probably realise something was up. On the other hand, many ‘successful’ shorts accounts across all platforms purely steal or ‘react’ to content, but viewers don’t know or care that it’s stolen.

[@RylanintheShed]

“i’ve already got that one penciled in for january”😢😢😢

[@burgerking6368]

1 year ago I deleted tiktok from my phone and my life changed for real for the better. One thing tiktok or shorts can´t replace is kind of the feeling of belonging.. especially at Gametheorie, there it feels like one huge community, all with the same interrests and intentions. Thanks Teamtheorists for making this happen. Greetings from germany

[@Squidgyluigi]

I am so sorry you have to deal with these bots.

[@legogenius22]

This pairs super well with the recent film theory of KZbin breaking your brain. While not necessarily malicious, the constant stream of content made by algorithms and many social media platforms is making money but has some serious fallout. The claims here mentioning how it's definitely fallible by not leaving a lasting impact on the consumer/viewer and leaving them saying there addicted to it immediately can push it into bad light at some point. Truly incredible, insane stuff this year, thank you to every single person on team theorist. Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and a happy new year!

[@judeearlywine9759]

♥♥♥

[@BenSchappacher]

2:20 seeing this now just gave me a rush of emotions

[@Chicken-120]

IK MAN😥😥😥😥

[@harrisonthomas4507]

Who else came here after watching the ninja slimes latest video of when he got on this video at 1:59 ?

[@IMBLACKBABY]

Meee

[@Bfdivids]

Me

[@RONER-kc2pt]

"Remember internet that's just a theory. A game theory!"

[@Bruh-rm9ur]

Me :u

[@IPhoneguy865]

Me

[@AmethystsMinecraft]

Personally I have already been avoiding shorts and TikTok just for these reasons, my attention isn’t the best, and I’ve been trying to get better, which they certainly don’t help with.

[@Jay_Frank]

Shorts blocking extinction would make that easier.

[@MELLMAO]

​@@Jay_Frank they removed almost every single one and it only works on desktop, when real issue is the phone app

[@thexavier666]

@@MELLMAO Google KZbin Re.van.ced

[@fredericbellemare3991]

​@@MELLMAO on the home page of youtube on your phone, you can click on the three dots on each short video and choose "not interested" until there is no longer short recommanded for you. Unless you watch a short from the short tab, youtube will not present you anymore shorts

[@MyMateNate]

This video is 🔥🔥 Hit the nail on the head and cant wait for the sit down serious video early next year 🙏🏻

[@dontlookatmypfp5722]

Wow 13 million subs. Can I please have a shoutout?

[@sansdiamond7229]

how does this only have 1 reply? maybe the comment section algorithm is rigged, but thats just a theory, A COMMENT SECTION THEORY!

[@mangmee69420]

ผมไม่นึกเลยว่าพี่ Nate ก็ดู Game Theory ด้วยเหมือนกัน 555+

[@chris5823]

windersons father and kennys son

[@Poppy-ie8hg]

My dyslexia hates your username

[@fastDYING93]

That pun at 22 seconds.... I did exactly that thing that you said not to do. Laughed at the thing that you described me doing at that exact point I was doing it, I clicked to youtube home page, then came back to tell you I did that. Well done

[@Abdichar]

Thinking about how KZbin emphasizes the creator or the Contant… I feel it is ironic that this is probably the last, Matt Pat video or game theory video that I will watch unless I go back and watch replays… Now that Matt Pat is leaving game theory, I really have no interest in the channel anymore… It was Matt Pat his demeanor when he talks, and the way that he approaches topics that kept me invested in this channel… Matt, Pat we will miss you… I will miss you… I have been watching ever since your first assassin‘s creed theory… And I really enjoyed all your theories since then. Thank you for educating us, and opening our minds to concepts that we would never have considered on our own.

[@LifeHecker]

2013 MatPat: KZbin is a game. 2023 MatPat: It is still not a film theory!

[@SorchaSublime]

to be fair from the perspective of a youtuber, KZbin is absolutely a game in a way that film isn't.

[@sdrawkcab190]

As someone who never used tiktok, and hated youtube shorts being mixed in amongst my video sub page. Eventually there were a couple of times when I got caught mindlessly scrolling through them, and absolutely hated how long I got sucked into it. It was shocking to me I could easily waste the one or two hours without really noticing. The one benefit I got from it though was being convinced to check out a few TV shows I wouldn't have otherwise. Suits specifically.

[@kidd32888]

I love tiktok but ppl don't like it shouldn't get short form shove down their throats

[@BlockchainClarky]

im in this boat, never watch shorts but when you find yourself in the feed every so often its easy to fall into the trap and lose 30 mins, watch 200 vids, notice zero of the creators and feel like you've gained nothing

[@puppigirl143]

u never used tiktok..?

[@IIIIIIIIllllllllllIIIlllIII]

Rewatching this after that serious discussion on the couch that was planned in January

[@user-dt7ss5xz4x]

KZbin needs to make “Shorts” a separate app. Easy fix, they can compete with TikTok and not ruin KZbin. It can be the s in alphabet