Let's talk about Critical Role and the Twitch Leak...

[@PlayYourRole]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for watching! If you have the time, please go out and let Critical Role know the Beautiful Bastards support their growth! Also, feel free to comment below what super secret Business nonsense you think I've been involved with. Wrong answers only.

[@percussiveseer415]

:O you surely must be one of the CR camera people and you promised to not say everything you know (hey trying an answer is still closer to getting it than saying nothing!)

[@danielpayne1597]

Some people donated to CR and then got mad at how much money CR made. That is sad and hilarious to me. I think Play Your Role did a terrific job explaining the expectations that were shattered by the realization that Critters spend a lot of $ on their passion. Some people may be forgetting the part where those donations were given because the CR product is that GOOD, that heartfelt, that fun. And none of the CR cast started off as just "some guy," they were always professional voice actors and/or writers. Yet they are genuine human beings who have genuine fun playing D&D together, and most of us love them for it. As a writer and D&D player, my pipe dream is to work at something I love and make a living doing it. I'm happy for the CR cast that they have achieved this dream for themselves. There's nothing to hate about it. As such, which I haven't given CR a cent, I love CR and the $9 mil Twitch earnings doesn't deter me at all from considering buying their merch.

[@quendi5557]

You are obviously Batmans stand in when he is out batmaning because there is no other way he could be bruce wayne and batman without dying from 6 levels of exhaustion.

[@quendi5557]

@@percussiveseer415 mine was a batman reference so you are ahead of me in realism.

[@quendi5557]

@@danielpayne1597 Yeah, it's kinda weird to me that people are shocked/outraged that they are making money, because my immediate response was: "I mean, yeah, it's a buisness." In fact since critical role is a buisness with employees I am glad that they aren't scraping by because it means that they can afford to expand and create new job opurtunities and other things like that.

[@TheWillCarter]

It’s great to see a company founded and run by genuinely good people succeed. Congratulations to CR.

[@PlayYourRole]

Agreed, it very much feels like a nice light amidst a sea of disappointment

[@tibot4228]

I would just caution against assuming they are good people. We like them a lot, but we don't know them. Of course, this also means that there is no reason to act as though they are nefarious or dishonest agents.

[@intoHeck1964]

The important fact: the company was started AFTER they found success. This while thing started as a “well lets try streaming a game for laughs” and people loved it enough to help it grow to this point

[@dylancox631]

Facts

[@babyatemydingo574]

Company not run by assholes? Great. No sense that they’re taking advantage of their workers and are probably improving working conditions as well as support for their people? Golden.

[@BKPrice]

CR has an elaborate set, awesome props, Matt Mercer's setting is now an official D&D product, takes four+ hours of professional voice actors' time every week. "Wait, they make a lot of money?"

[@jessicadrury5450]

Not to mention, they're also employing a lot of people for their sets and production, and it's expensive to own/rent warehouses to build said sets in, and they still have to make a living doing this, I don't think anyone should really blame them for monetizing their game. They're doing it for our entertainment, they *should* get paid.

[@Ysmiras]

$~9mil for a professionally-produced entertainment business with a salary-staff of +20-30 individuals, operating and therefore taxed in California, specifically LA. Beyond that, the show definitely does not have running/maintaining costs as low as popular solo streamers. So steady American middle-class income for their staff, maybe a bit more than a Store/Regional manager of MattressFirm successful for the main cast members. I’d say that’s a modest but successful business.

[@PlayYourRole]

Exactly! I think a lot of people misunderstand 'Revenue' for Profit.

[@bmpproducer9334]

9mil of twitch, dont forget merch etc. Doesnt change anything but probably not middle class income with is nice for them

[@novaiscool1]

@@bmpproducer9334 even then the profit off of merch isn't going to be that high given the prices they have. Some items have higher profit margins than others of course, but I'm willing to bet they aren't making that much.

[@yat282]

For any streamer, twitch payouts are generally smaller than the income from their ad reads, the same goes for CR. Plus for any company in general, Merch makes more money than the show the merch is made for. Plus having a show made for free by fans that they get to sell to Amazon for exclusive streaming rights. Plus multiple sponsored Elder Scrolls streams, plus things like the Wendy's stream, though they had to give away the profit for that one because people got mad. They make many millions more, we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. If people downplay this now, this while thing is just going to happen again

[@cryofpaine]

@@yat282 let's say you're right. Let's say they make three times as much, 9Million a year. CA has a 20% corporate tax rate, so we're already down to 7.2 million. Now, remove operating costs. The rent or own a sizable studio in LA. The cheapest, smallest I found was 300k per year. Electricity, sets, computers, cameras, etc. Let's say they have 1M in operating costs per year. That's 6.2 million. According to their friend & former G&S coworker, Eric Campbell, they have about 40 employees (their site lists over thirty by name). 6.2 million / 40 = 155k. That's it. If they all take home the same amount, each employee only makes 155k even if all their revanue is triple what Twitch says. Which it isn't. Ad spots, a figure a cheap ad is 10k to produce, and Hulu and KZbin pay 2k per 100k views, so let's say they charge say 15k for a Sam ad, 5k for a regular read. (I'm being generous.) For 50 shows, that's 1M a year. So realistically they're making 4M off the show itself. Which means for the sample calculation to be accurate, they have to make that much again in merchandise & licensing. Hard to say, but I seriously doubt it. Plus we don't know if those Twitch figures are before or after Amazon takes their (sizable) cut. Probably before, so that's even less. If it's only 20%, that still drops the above math to 119k per employee. In short, even if they are doing very well as a company, they're still a small business making good money, but not rich.

[@Naoyoy]

If anything, they’re going full out nerd. They’re doing basically what every dnd nerd would love to do if they had the money. Their fans are supporting them and thanks to that, they get to enjoy their game that much more and we get to enjoy it with them. And they do a bunch if things for their community constantly and just bring out positivity in general. I believe their money is well deserved and would argue they should make even more for what they bring to the table.

[@PlayYourRole]

"They’re doing basically what every dnd nerd would love to do if they had the money." That right there. That's a great summation of it all.

[@christiantaylor3877]

@@PlayYourRole Is there something wrong with them spending the money they earned?

[@cleanixx5343]

@@christiantaylor3877 No he supports that statement

[@TimParker1]

for real, who cares... this team is an amazing creative force.

[@Mediados]

The CritRole Team has proven to be truly trustworthy with money, unlike most successful companies they have never gone astray from their original vision.

[@aadlersberg]

$5 million a year for a show with this cast and production is really not that much of a budget, especially for a top streamer I'm surprised it's that low

[@PlayYourRole]

It's true!

[@DisneyLover258]

Doing the math, that's $370k every month given by the subscribers. That's 74-87k people subscribing to their channel every month out of the millions of fans they have. Which also means a ~$15k payday for all of their employees every month, including the cast. These people have full time jobs on top of this because, while *I* have to somehow make my living on $16k a year, I also don't live in the LA area where things are more expensive. I'm also not buying hundreds of dollars worth of equipment or a professional studio to make sure people watching me do something is of good quality for them. (seriously, go back to early streams and you can see the massive jumps in quality each upgrade. And those upgrades cost money.) Which, my math doesn't factor in. So...maybe it's $10k a month, idk. Most of us are little people who think $10million is a lot (and it is) but most of us are thinking that that's a lot for me individually rather than for them communally. And communally, $10 million is a good amount of money for a company to make over the course of 2 years to pay it's small group of employees a good wage and get good quality equipment for the company to do good work rather than mediocre work. The problem people seem to have is that they're bad at math and also conceiving things on a scale bigger than their personal wallets.

[@aadlersberg]

@@DisneyLover258 exactly and that's the Budget for the entire show and all the crew not just on camera staff. They're basically producing a TV show

[@yat282]

I mean, that's not taking into account all the money that we're not seeing. Selling the animated series to Amazon was probably worth millions of dollars. Advertisements on the show are hard to estimate but is also probably something that they earn at least as much money doing as they earn from twitch revenue, if not more. That's how it works for every other streamer anyway. Then if we go based on any other company in the world, their merch probably makes them much much much more money. For example, when they make pop vinyl figures of vox machina, that isn't CR selling those. Funko pays them a ton of money up for only to license the characters, and they make and sell their own figures with CR's permission. Plus the Clothes that constantly sell out, Puzzles, Art Books, some of which have collectors editions that sell out immediately for hundreds of dollars each, other books, licensing CR property to be printed in an official D&D book. All of this stuff makes money, and a lot of it.

[@aadlersberg]

@@yat282 that's why I don't get why people would think this is a small group of friends doing it as a hobby the merchandising alone should tell you this is a bug business, and why not? A group of professional voice actors put on a show for millions every day

[@1337w334b00]

Imagine getting mad that the show that puts out literally hundreds of hours of video content annually is making a lot of money. I don't get the people who are upset by it because it's not like it's unearned or has nothing to show for it. They've got over 700 hours of content between the two main campaigns, if anyone deserves millions, it's people who can maintain that kind of production.

[@PlayYourRole]

^^

[@AndrewWilson-ol6jb]

Hundreds of hours of *free* content. It costs nothing to watch them on twitch or youtube or listen on a podcast platform. You can still watch the show without spending a penny. People choose to donate and buy merch, they aren't required to.

[@bluesnake4626]

@@AndrewWilson-ol6jb Exactly. Paying is very much optional

[@grantbaugh2773]

And, unless I'm mistaken, all of that content is available for free. It's not like they're charging money through the nose for access to it

[@songofrest]

@@grantbaugh2773 you are not, every stream to date has been made available on youtube by them a week after airing on twitch. Cant wait for tomorrow. Got those new campaign jitters.

[@EricBurnetMusic]

I've noticed a similar phenomenon in underground music. When a band rises from that scene and starts being profitable, there's always people who call them sellouts for turning their project into a job.

[@PlayYourRole]

Which is weird because... That was always the goal, wasn't it? To make a profit so you can put more time into doing what everyone loved regardless. It's kinda weird.

[@EricBurnetMusic]

@@PlayYourRole 100%. I experienced this as a metal musician. As my band was beginning to approach the position where breaking even on costs was feasible, we had a promoter tell us ''you're not in it for the music'' when we asked for a guarantee for a gig that would at minimum cover our gas and food to get there (it was a 14-hour drive). I think fans of underground communities and subcultures identify heavily with niche art and find refuge in it. They forget that it's being made by human beings who are in the same capitalist machine as everyone else and would rather be paid to make art than make art full time and scrape by on a living of random side jobs.

[@craigjones7343]

@@EricBurnetMusic that promoter is not in it for the music. They are trying to take advantage of your band

[@EricBurnetMusic]

@@craigjones7343 For sure! Don't worry, this was 12 years ago and we didn't work with the guy.

[@danielpayne1597]

@@EricBurnetMusic Giving your music a listen right now! Here's to your success.

[@brendanblanks4438]

Personally, my first reaction to "Critical Role earned the most and it was millions" was "Really? That's GREAT!" :P

[@srvfan17]

Man, look at the maps and minis Matt has to put together every week just in case there's a combat in a session, that alone would cost thousands of dollars a year

[@PlayYourRole]

I wanna make money off DND so I can buy cool terrain, that alone is enough reason

[@LadyElaineLovegood]

Totally agree. Plus, how many studio changes/upgrades have we seen over the years?

[@herman1francis]

Even if you paid some unknown guy to make all this stuff it would cost you high. But imagine having goddamn MATT MERCER doing it for your table, it would cost you a fortune.

[@queerquill]

@@LadyElaineLovegood Don't forget audio and video upgrades. The first thing they spent big money on was making sure their audience had a better experience.

[@queerquill]

@@herman1francis Matt could EASILY get a job writing movies for a big franchise. And he hasn't. Because he loves what he's doing.

[@bluebird6883]

"Critical Role today is “very profitable,” Willingham says, although the company won’t disclose financials. Yet, he adds, “If Critical Role were about maximizing profits, we’d bring in more MBAs - but we’re really not.”: - from the recent Variety Article, and I believe it. It's refreshing to see people who actually care about putting good stuff out there, something that's quality and that has heart. I believe they all deeply care and will do good with what's given to them. Even if they are profiting from it, I think they deserve it, seeing where they all started and all the risks they have taken in their lives. It's been very inspiring to see adults being successful in their passion. Also in an interview Matt talked about how amazing it was to be able to give back to his parents with what he has now, like the dude and his family used to live in a van! How can you get angry at that??

[@MFZBitch]

Still a rather unmoral, and against their usual stance they portray, decicion to partner with Amazon. I dont have a single issue with them making money. But i do take it as an affront when their money is mostly from fans who do try to make conciouss decicions in what companies to support with their money - in this case a rather small self made stream - and than have these people involved with going ahead and taking money from such a evil conglomerate. Its kinda is hypocritical.

[@Erriku84]

@@MFZBitch Accusations of hypocrisy said while funneling money to Google, right before watching The Boys with their Amazon Prime account, and after taking a trip to Wal-Mart. I bet you are the reason I never got to see the Wendy’s episode too.

[@MFZBitch]

@@Erriku84 Now thats a lot of assumptions you got there. The google thing can be right, but that goes back to "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism". Amazon Prime i funnily enough get for almost free as a student where i live. WalMart aint a thing and i try to buy my food from local small buisnisess as much as possible. My personal circumastances still dont change that fact that they represnt themselves as very left leaning, but than make a multi million dollar deal with amazon.

[@MFZBitch]

@@Erriku84 And also yea, fuck Wendys - they should have never taken that dirty money, still good they donated it. I do think taking down the episode is unnessecary tho

[@Erriku84]

@@MFZBitch The Google thing IS right. Amazon Prime is still something you engage in and therefore shovel money into Amazon’s pockets. I made quite a few assumptions and you validated them all. Maybe if you were not in a rush to pontificate over capitalism, you might have stopped yourself from doing so. You also missed my point, which was that you had accused CR of being hypocritical, while demanding that they meet a standard which you are not willing to meet yourself. You are a case of the pot calling the kettle black, so your personal circumstances are in fact, very relevant in demonstrating the irony of you accusing anyone of being a hypocrite. I have no love for any of these companies listed. They are all exploitive, horrible entities. For you to deride someone for making a buck off these companies while you are also guilty of perpetuating the cycle of these exploitive worker conditions is self-important nonsense and lacks any self-awareness at all. Also, left-leaning doesn’t mean willfully poor. Even left-leaning organizations must operate within the boundaries of reality under a cruel, capitalist society. Stop being naïve. Attacking CR for their success is a case of misplaced rage.

[@goliathcleric]

While I personally do not enjoy Critical Role (nothing against them, just not my cup of tea), I don't think it can be overstated what it has done for D&D and tabletop gaming as a whole. How many tens of thousands of people picked up the Player's Handbook for the first time after watching Critical Role and thinking, "Hey, that would be fun." Honestly, I don't think anybody knows. Sure, the Mercer Effect and the perception of what the game could be as a result may not be universally positive, but that is a personal obstacle to be overcome, not something to chastise anyone on Critical Role for. Now, would *I* personally enjoy playing in that game? Honestly, probably not. It's just not the type of game I like to play or run. That doesn't make it wrong - it's just a different game style. We as a community should be thanking them for all they have done for the game we love, instead of chastising them for profiting from something they do extremely well.

[@PlayYourRole]

The fact is, they took DND from a hobby to an industry... And a lot of people are upset at them because of that. They think they made it mainstream, but... Nothing is keeping it from continuing to be a hobby for you. The beauty is, what happens at your table is YOUR choice. It doesn't have to be monetized. But for those who love this hobby, they made it possible. And I think that's worth applauding.

[@danielpayne1597]

One of the best "I don't enjoy it but it's still good" statements I've read, good on you. I wish you enjoyed CR, but you do you and enjoy your own variation of tabletop gaming. CR doesn't have to be for everybody, after all.

[@rockynonose172]

Wow well said. Good on you👍

[@rockynonose172]

@Paul Gauthier yes point made Hasbro is making money here. That being said there are a lot of d and d shows out there that you can watch now. Have to admit I prefer crit. And they have helped promote the game I know of two books alone. Plus if you have ever watched them they plug a charity or disaster relief almost every episode ( really sure that's not for the shareholders.just saying) I mean it's cool if you don't like them for making money for Hasbro. Just think you may have missed a few things maybe? Respect your opinion though.👍

[@Logan_Baron]

Your post reminds me so much of what I saw going on when I first started watching CR from the beginning. I would see a lot of people in chat, you could still read chat back then, who had never played D&D but said the show made them want to try it. As a long time player of D&D (way back in the old BX boxes with the Moldvoy art) I encouraged them to play, but told them that their games would not be like CR, and meant that in a good way. That there are many styles of play, may types of DMs and players, and many different themes of play. Your games may be goofier, or more serious, or more dark. May be more standard Lord of the Rings type fantasy with your standard Elves and Dwarves, or more extreme fantasy with more fantastic characters like Tieflings and flying ships. As much as Love CR, I completely understand that it's not everyone's style, and shouldn't be. And on the Mercer Effect, though I have learned from Matt, I don't want to be him. I stick to my own style of DMing which I prefer, but appreciate others.

[@mcfluffier]

CR is a professionally produced show with expensive props, studio costs, salaries to pay. Good for them, anyone who hates on CR for making millions, doesn’t understand it’s a business.

[@MFZBitch]

i dont hate them making millions, i do however hate them working with Amazon

[@MFZBitch]

@Ian Jones yes, amazon is definetly the worst out of these. Just look at their tax evasion or the conditions of their warehouse workers. And the best would have been if they went for self publishing.

[@EmilM-pb2hn]

@@MFZBitch What if they can bring that money towards more charities than they've already raised money for? You're sort of looking at a one-sided perspective here. Although I agree that Amazon sucks, the same can be said about Bethesda or Activision Blizzard.

[@MFZBitch]

​@@EmilM-pb2hn It dont matter what they do with the money - what matters is the message that is being sent and the exposure without criticism. And yes, i also disliked that they took sponsorship money from Bethesda or work with/for Blizzard. Gotta say, there still is quite the difference in severity with Amazon tho.

[@jacobodom8401]

@@MFZBitch yeah in this case I have to agree - fact is that CR has shown willingness to suck up to major corporations like that Fast Food one-shot which was canceled due to fan response.

[@razorrex221]

As a pro DM who makes his living from running DnD for kids, I really appreciate your view...the money is important to keep a roof over my head, but it doesn't take away from the fun and Adventure I bring to my kids. Whenever I bring it up, other gamers think I'm living the dream, and I often feel I am... critical role was a big inspiration for that and I am grateful we have them pushing the envelope of what some nerds can do!!!

[@shantyman161]

Pro DMing is a thing? Please, tell me more, Master @Razor Rex

[@davefletch3063]

I just discovered paid DMing is a thing. Very interesting idea

[@danielmcgillis270]

I could never be a Pro DM and get paid to DM. As the DM for my group my payment is a home cooked meal every Friday evening. And our wonderful host also has my favorite alcohol available as well. That is payment enough. When I was a player in a group at a local game shop, the players chipped in for the room rent and the DM played for free. Our contribution to his running the game. I don't think I could make enough money running a game or games.

[@TrueMaskGames]

hey! :) as another person getting paid to run D&D games and other RPGs (although for adults) I completely agree. As I always say: I don't run games to make money. I make money so I can run more games! Best of luck to you, friend, hope your path is successful :)

[@matthewkopeck8540]

@@shantyman161 pro dming isn't news buddy

[@shealupkes]

At the moment they don't seem to care all that much about the money, when they do ads they do the most absurd, off color, and embarrassing stuff. They're charging none of their viewers for consuming their content, they post fan art left and right, and most of their side projects were formed by kickstarters rather than budgets set by banks. They're by far one of the most consumer friendly entertainment businesses in existence right now, and above all that, it's still a bunch of friends having a good time.

[@kingsasquatch]

I think you hit the biggest point- NO ONE has to pay to consume their content. “BuT i CaNt WaTcH LiVe”. Yeah and? I don’t get to watch network shows live because I don’t have a streaming cable or Hulu plus. I have to watch sitcoms that air on television the next day. The consumption of their product is completely free and they’re STILL getting money. That tells you it’s being given to them willingly

[@MFZBitch]

Problem i have with them making that amount of money is that they did not need to partner with bloody Amazon.

[@kingsasquatch]

@@MFZBitch oh no they went with the studio who would give them the most reach and was willing to take a shot on them. The show wouldn’t be being made if they didn’t partner with an actual studio and no small time studio, 11M or not, would take a chance on a cartoon show based on a game of dungeons and dragons

[@MFZBitch]

@@kingsasquatch The show would have been made, it would have taken longer tho, but that'd been absolutly fine. And the way they usually present themselves is quite opposed to partnering with a cooperation that is known for shitting on its workforce and avoiding taxes whereever they can.

[@Goomyx1492]

@@MFZBitch By your logic, they should quit Twitch altogether then right? Twitch is owned by Amazon after all. Also by your logic, everyone should quit Twitch.

[@bigal_5585]

It's crazy to think that some would believe they are just in it for the money. I can't count the number of times they have asked the community to donate. They constantly promote charities like 826la and red nose day. I remember when they asked us to donate to help the fires in Australia and whenever a nat 1 was rolled a company would donate money to a charity of some PLUS their creation of Critical Role Foundation. As the critter community grows so do their efforts to give back to the world and help during times of need.

[@PlayYourRole]

Exactly. They need the money, don't get me wrong. They're a business. But they don't ask for it, and that is 100% the most important thing for me.

[@latentpotential4520]

@BlackMage about those tax breaks, there is a critical piece missing in your analysis. Companies or individuals don't normally donate money to charity in order to claim a write off, that is basically the government acknowledging that they are contributing to "the public good" more directly. It becomes a problem when a company or individual makes a donation to a charity, and that charity has some other related party as the CEO/executive/the board. What that means is that the entity just paid tax free money to another person using the charity as a tax haven. This is part of what people were talking about whenever Trump bragged about donations he made to his own foundation. His own foundation pays him and his businesses for consulting and events, it's a racket and it is gross. So unless the CR cast has some personal financial ties to these charities that they promote, I don't think it is really problem. *Note, I'm not trying to talk down or be confrontational. This stuff can be very complicated and it is part of my day job to understand this stuff so I feel a little better equipped to educate on it when I can. No offense meant to you or anyone else.

[@mayaenglish5424]

@BlackMage I mean, considering they literally were supporting charities since day one with 826LA when there were 12 people watching the stream I don't think we really have to worry about their motivations lol.

[@alexanderlaclair9887]

Here's the bottom line of it though. Even if they are just in it for the money what's so wrong about that? They're content creators, and damn good ones at that, their personal motivators shouldn't matter as long as the content is worth the price.

[@TheSchnieder6]

It's probably been forgotten, mostly because how quickly CR swept it under the rug. But it can be useful to remind people about their Wendy's sponsored one-shot. A number of complaints came through about Wendy's contracts for their produce, something about farmers being exploited or some such. CR responded by taking down their own video and donating what Wendy's payed them to a related charity, farmers affected by the bad practices or something. And definitely had to pay out-of-pocket for reneging on their deal.

[@tiagocidraes2390]

I had no idea about the twitch leak so I'm impressed that critical role is the top earner, but to be honest I'm not surprised. I am however surprised that this made people angry...

[@PlayYourRole]

It will never cease to amaze me the things that make people angry, but it's also important to remember: unjustified anger is almost always due to misinformation. Rather than lashing out, it's always important to help educate instead!

[@tiagocidraes2390]

@@PlayYourRole wise words to live by, keep up the good work!

[@silver8680]

It's jealousy, nothing else. They're mad because their favorite stream isn't the top earned. Karen shouldn't raise kids if they can't comprehend. Majority of s1 CR they were asking to help with the donations.

[@MFZBitch]

It doesnt make me angry, put thinking it over for a bit it does make me disappointed and not want to give them further financial support, for having partnered with Amazon, since there clearly was no monetary need.

[@IsaRican810]

@@MFZBitch I’m curious as to how you came to the conclusion that there was “no monetary need”. As some whose father owns a business, only having enough money to keep things running and not having anything saved in the bank in case something happens is a terrible way to run a business, especially if you have employees who depend on you. For example, the office my father owns needed the deck replaced and that put him out $25,000 and it’s a deck and ramp for a small house. Imagine how much money it would take to build and kit out a new set to allow social distancing during covid. You are not required to give money to anyone and if you feel like you’d rather give it to someone who “needs it more” power to you, but I fail to see how them having enough money to do new and exciting things is a bad thing.

[@wizthrift]

I heard about the leak but I had no idea we're really cared how much money people make. It kind of baffles me that people are upset because if they support them and they watch them wouldn't they want them to be successful? I don't know it seems weird to me that people would get upset but whatever. I'm glad that they make so much money in that they're able to do everything that they do like getting a new set, and hopefully hiring more people to do more stuff to make their show better. Fantastic video Jay good job.

[@PlayYourRole]

Thanks Wiz! Always enjoy seeing you around!

[@override367]

Here's what I care about: Are their employers paid well? Are their employees treated well? Do they donate money to harmful causes? Their employees are paid well, treated well, and they literally donate to good charities and do not donate to negative causes

[@GammaRaz]

I think it’s jealousy mainly

[@Lycaon1765]

The CR community is one of those communities that has lots of leftist/communistic people in them. Lot's of comments any time about how money is bad, rich people are bad, "eat the rich!!" stuff will be said at any time and quite few people will question such commentary. The community likely had an idea that their company, CR, was fine. It was okay to like them, they didn't even make that much money anyway so it's fine. My cognitive dissonance is just getting the way of my good time. Then they saw they made a lot of money and got upset. Because money bad.

[@edwardp4417]

Did we really need the twitch leak to tell us that CR makes millions of dollars? I think it was pretty obvious to anyone with eyes that CR was raking it in. I mean, look at their kickstart. Look at the amount of merch they sell. Look how much WotC is partnering with them. I say good on them. If I could make a living playing/running dnd I would too.

[@nickm9102]

Those who are in it for the game know and don't care. But there are a few that look for a reason to be a victim. They are the ones with the loudest mouth and an empty brain. This makes for a socialist mentally with standards akin to religious perfection. (Once the mark is reached a new mark must be set to keep an enemy ever present.)

[@sadlobster1]

The worst part is some of these people think that there's something "wrong" with the fans. They think people are wasting their money on donating to CR, even going as far as to say "if you think CR is therapeutic...you need professional help." They're basically saying that anyone who finds emotional relief from CR's content after dealing with the stresses of the real world should either be put on drugs or sent to a doctor

[@PlayYourRole]

Money is material. It's only there to be able to gain things... If we want to spend our material money supporting something we love, there's nothing wrong with that. As long as it's not hurting anyone, it's great!

[@sadlobster1]

@@PlayYourRole That's exactly what I think; plus, watching D&D shows is a great way to lift one's spirits during these Pandemic days (especially if you're quarantined)

[@brianhalligan9268]

So by that logic any person who buys a movie ticket or watches TV or I don’t know buys a TTRPG game to play with friends is wasting money. People are not being mind controlled to give to CR they simply want to support them in the same way anyone pays money for any service they enjoy.

[@tracycarico648]

We are getting professional help. Paying professional storytellers for weekly 4 hour sessions to explore our subconsciousness for what makes us feel better about life. Hell, from what I have heard about therapy prices you have to pay, the amazon prime, twitch, and some merch are cheaper and make you feel like you actually got something out of it, it is a bargain. It is about the equivalent of a sports fan getting season tickets, buying the jersey, throwing the house party for the big game, etc. for a school or town you may or may not have attended or live in. And who gets rich from that? I met Travis at a con, nice guy, shook my hand, smiled, and even said hello at a photo opt. Had 3 photo opts that day, stood next to 3 famous people. I got 2 smiles, 2 hellos, and one solid handshake. One of them I got nothing from but the opportunity to stand there and pay for a photo. That one I wish I could get the money back from and give it to Travis, so he and Laura could go out to dinner.

[@TheGerdakaBM]

Because they don't get to capitalize it. They are made because people are supporting something not directly tied to the ruling class. They will say what ever it takes to miss direct miss inform and make anyone or anything believe not giving only something that profits them money is bad. Crit role keep on yes and ing and to hell with the bourgeoisie

[@deltablaze77]

I would also remember Taliesin takes time away from ruling the Eldritch Pantheon.

[@Celestiaan]

I never got the reasoning why all these people are getting upset with these people in general making money on twitch. Especially critical role. As you said, critical role takes that money to increase the time they can spend on the show itself. Have you seen their new stage?

[@PlayYourRole]

Oh MAN. The stage. I am SO excited you've no idea.

[@brianhalligan9268]

Also unlike a lot of channels that are individuals for the most part CR is a whole company with staff it’s not like all the money is going directly to Matt Mercer.

[@saravaneerde6164]

Is there a sneak peek somewhere that I have missed?!?

[@knuckles543]

@@saravaneerde6164 i believe they showed it on the latest state of the role (or the one before...), but only a sneak preview

[@lolusuck386]

Imagine giving money to a streamer and then getting mad that they are making money.

[@PlayYourRole]

I think there's just a general misunderstanding of how streaming and profit works sadly... Hopefully this can help educate!

[@docop8926]

And they got millions of dollars donated to them to make an animated series and instead of putting it out for free they charged those SAME donators to watch it! That shows there true colors!

[@RhysticTutor1]

Did we assume they weren’t making money…? Big names, big community, big-name sponsors… and then donations. There was no way this wasn’t profitable, people just like to believe it’s not.

[@PlayYourRole]

Some people just legit don't have an understanding of how it works... Hopefully this video can help out!

[@TimoRutanen]

The actual question is, is it more profitable than focusing on their own acting careers like before

[@ericdraven234]

@@TimoRutanen maybe, maybe not.... but I'd happily take a pay cut to get paid to play D&D! This from someone who played Basic back in elementary school

[@TimoRutanen]

@@ericdraven234 You and me both, my man.

[@Emanuele_Sacchi]

I'm truly and genuinely happy for the guys. Critical Role is a rare gem, great escapism with compelling storylines, exceptional role playing, memorable characters and a boatload of fun. Every last one of the cast gives 110% when it comes to roleplaying, and Matt is, well, a DM god, period. They deserve every penny they made so far, and more!

[@shallendor]

Critical Role had the advantage of all the players having already had a lot of fans, many people don't care about the D&D, they just care that they can watch the voice actors they love! I remember when they would spend hours just opening the letters and packages they received from their fans on G&S!

[@PlayYourRole]

This is also true! The magnetism of who they are was one of the largest draws for me.

[@rhyattgere4833]

I'm sure this is true, but it's entirely the opposite for me. I'd never heard of any of these people until I stumbled across Matt Mercer's Vin Diesel DnD one shot. That led to to CR, which led me to discovering their voice acting careers. My first OMG moment was realizing that Liam was Illidan from WoW. "You are not prepared"! And yes, I absolutely miss the days of those "Critmas" parties...

[@Ailieorz]

Kinda agree, I'm not sure many other groups could have done this. Sure there's some famous players around but these people are a genuine ensemble which is what you need. They're basically a theatre troupe doing improv and using D&D as a basic narrative.

[@basicems24]

I've been watching since it started on G&S and outside of a few hardcore anime fans(definitely not the largest percentage of their current fans), the cast did NOT have a lot of fans to start. The majority of people watching were G&S viewers watching the next show that was uploaded(myself included). They built this themselves basically from scratch.

[@AsMeh]

honestly I was surprised to find out how outraged people were about that, I could understand if it was people who maybe don't watch critical role or those who hate something cause people like it but actual "critters" hating it, I was kinda shocked. ngl when I saw how much they were making I felt pride like, yea we did that we managed to elevate them to this height and I couldn't/can't wait what amazing things they would do with the money they had.

[@MFZBitch]

i am happy for them, but i am disappointed and a bit offended that they partnered with Amazon. At the time it already rubbed me the wrong way, but i could still justify it with there never going to be a second season without Amazon, but with such numbers that clearly isnt true. It would have taken longer, ofc, but i'd venture to say the vast majority of critters would rather have waited 2 years longer than be involved with Amazon.

[@medievalhedgehog6967]

It's like people forget that they have a company based in L.A. with employees to pay, sets to make, equipment to maintain, minis to buy, merch to produce...and their content can be accessed for free! I'm glad that they are making bank

[@josephine4s]

I think back to the “Between the Sheets” interviews, where it was mentioned by multiple people that they felt so supported by their families to try this regular game with no guarantee of financial success, and the mentions of how they can put more time into it because of its success, and Matt talking of how he is grateful because the show ensures him that he can support his parents in their old age. Compensation is very important, and the cast and crew do put a lot of effort into this big show. They also are clearly facing a lot of stress despite the fun and good things. Matt has talked about looking forward to just a home game again, and with the introduction of new DM’s and players makes it clear that they are retaking steps to step back a notch, and aren’t planning to wring every last penny they can without giving back to the fans- I mean, with the Legend of Vox Machina, they went from an episode to a season to honor the excess donations! Also, about the brand, that does help secure earnings for the company, but it also helps to reduce bad press that could come from non-affiliates using your stuff in a way that reflects badly and was not approved of by Critical Role.

[@aduckwithayoutubechannel]

I find it strange people got angry that Critical Roll still seemed like a small group of friends rather than a large company. I always found it so nice that they stuck to their roots as a tight knit group of dorky friends. That isn’t lying to your fans, that’s keeping up what drew your viewer base in in the first place.

[@thedarkwatch1699]

I don't know if the internet just sheltered me, but ever since this leak, I've seen far more support in favor of CR than in tearing them down. If other people have been experiencing that lemme know but if my POV is the common one that means that the toxic parts of the community are far and few between. This will calm down ultimately, and probably when Campaign 3 starts it will be a thing of the past entirely. At least I hope so. I don't want to see shifty internet trolls ruin something good in the world.

[@terraglade]

Im glad CR is succeeding. Maybe it'll become a long term company. As much as i dont like the thought, Mercer may need breaks or to stop GMing for a variety of reasons. It'd be good to ensure CR will last beyond that day.

[@curtisholsinger6023]

I mean, they've gotten us used to one-shot guest DMs, and brought Aabria Iyengar in for EXU, I think you're 100% right. They are preparing for that eventual shift where Matt isn't DMing constantly, and maybe there are multiple games going with different cast members. I'm SO excited about where Critical Role is going!

[@davidhodgson1011]

@@curtisholsinger6023 just imagine if its not just on Thursdays...what if there is a different game every day of the week hosted by a different GM and different cast members all overall hosted by the CR team...that's where they're headed and its exciting.

[@ajerqureshi6411]

I remember hearing that Matt is considering that a next generation of players may be needed for CR, meaning when he feel the time has come, he’ll probably step down from DM duties and let someone else take over.

[@grabyourlantern]

It's still just a table of nerdy ass voice actors playing DUNGEONS AND DRAGOOOOOOONS. It will always be that way. At the same time, for anyone to have EVER imagined they could be like the cast of Critical Role they didn't understand what they were watching. Those folks aren't merely gamers, they are really experienced story-tellers, and in the case of Liam at the very least, intimately familiar with theater and what it takes to not only make a good story but how to PARTICIPATE in one. Most people can't don't really know the rules of improve, and this is key. It was not their plan to go to stream anyway, it was Felicia Day's concept, because she's a friggin' genius, and could see what they had even before they did themselves. The money the earn will not make them retire. They genuinely enjoy what they do, and I think we have many more years to look forward to with them here to entertain us. We live in lucky times.

[@PlayYourRole]

They're people doing what they love, and that has a large draw to it.

[@CunningSmile]

Thank you for mentioning Felicia Day. As you say it was her concept, most of the cast thought it would only last a few weeks and they’d go back to playing at home. And as you say anyone who seriously thought they could do the same under estimates the power that launching as part of Geek and Sundry in its hay day brought to the endeavour. They started off with a much bigger boost then any independent streamer could match

[@Ailieorz]

Holy shit THIS! They are an improv theatre group. And I love that you singled out Liam because he does as much to build the story as Matt does, his are the only characters that build on the story/world, the others are just experiencing it (IMHO)

[@boppinowl]

Exactly this, I think people tend to forget that they did start off the campaign mainly playing at home until Felicia Day brought them into G&S back then. I've been with them since those times and am happy that they are doing what they love and also succeeding in it. At the end of the day, they are indeed still just a group of nerdy ass voice actors playing D&D and through them it has also inspired many people to pick up the game and try it themselves. It took them years to reach this point and look at the difference between the production value from when they first started till now - that does not come free.

[@vernonhampton5863]

One. ONE guy, gets it. Great video.

[@PlayYourRole]

I think a lot of people get it, but those ones aren't angry so... They're quiet. Usually is the angry minority that makes noise unfortunately. This video is made with the purpose of educating and getting the information out there!

[@vernonhampton5863]

@@PlayYourRole I agree with you. They run an entertainment business, let's be real. But the success of it is BASED on the fans. So there is just a loud bunch of people literally complaining about a good time. I hope they make all the money, honestly, I enjoy it.

[@vladimirserpov6773]

CR deserve every bit they earn. They've changed life of many to the better, mine included. Long Live Critical Role!

[@docop8926]

And they got millions of dollars donated to them to make an animated series and instead of putting it out for free they charged those SAME donators to watch it! That shows there true colors!

[@terraleighvaipo7738]

I genuinely enjoyed your video and the time you put in. Didn't know about the twitch leak and honestly, as a proud critter, I'm so proud of everyone at CR for being at the top. They work so hard to get to where they are and what they manage to give fans is nothing short of amazing. Thank you for the content and reminding us how awesome the CR crew from the cast to the crew truly are. Loved your content 😀

[@MedievalMary]

Finally a voice of reason. This video needed to be made, Thank you for making it.

[@Lngbrdninjamasta]

I myself, just thought that was one of the reason they began making a separate charity. I figured they were making more than enough money take care of themselves and then get back to the world their community existed

[@PlayYourRole]

Yup. Pretty much sums up my own thought process.

[@paulsavas2394]

Well, how much CR money is donated, in addition to what they raise through the drives for donations from Critters? I’ look forward to checking their 990 when it becomes available.

[@netcowboy]

I don’t disagree. But they have been promoting non-profits since their very first show.

[@dmsammychuck]

So sound and level headed. Thank you for this. You have my sub. This is good mindset thinking without allowing emotion to drive. Can’t wait to dive into more of your content!

[@BrotherSkodidi]

Thank you for speaking out on this! You've hit all the points I've thought of -- I'm glad they're able to keep doing what they love doing, and sharing it with all of us!

[@johnblack7294]

I'm wearing a CR shirt right now. I bought it because I love the message on it and the message that they leave us with every Thursday. "Don't forget to love each other" no part of me thinks that this slogan is disingenuous. If any business deserves our money, it's these guys.

[@hindrickalendhi3515]

Brilliant video and brilliant message. I know I was definitely made a little vaguely uneasy by the twitch leak info, but your video here named and addressed the concern that I was feeling perfectly. I now feel much better about it, you made very good points and I hope enough people see this to drown out any major issues that may arise.

[@nslater1388]

I mean…it’s good they’re making money. That means more content. These people worked hard and it paid off. Good for them!

[@samminicksm]

Think about this, they have staff to pay living salaries + benefits, the have to pay rent and insurance for their building, utilities for said building including the sheer amount of money they have to shell out for internet and server protection, set production, equipment for stream quality, maintenance of things like copyright, merch production, taxes, and every miscellaneous expense that happens because life.

[@kinghoenn3478]

You forgot the map expenses. Every DM and player knows those are not cheap and every week it seems were getting another unique map. Those take time and money. Very easily running into the thousands.

[@Kalarandir]

Generally, those that are hating on them simply do not appreciate just how much work has to be done to produce Critical Role. It is a problem that all GMs have when players expect you to perform and put the work in, when they do little more than simply turn up.

[@paulflood9826]

I’m honestly surprised it’s not more, and they deserve every penny of it. I think they should get more, they deserve it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@yat282]

They make a lot more, don't worry. Like most streamers and influencers, these numbers are actually the smallest part of their income by a lot

[@variansloth]

spoken my thoughts so well and then made me emotional on top of it all. i think it was something needed to be said, especially from someone with business experience, so thank you for sharing this

[@bleizy7866]

They do have little ads for subbing in the break (with one of my favourite vids : including old school spooky boy Taliesin in black and white, and lovecraftian early 20th century vibe), and the sam ads, which are the most entertaining ads I have ever seen. So a bit at the beginning with sam and laura, and a bit on the break for like 3-4h (median) streams and vids ! Conclusion : they advertise, never guilt or force people to sub or anything and are literally some of the best people ever, especially for the entertainment industry.

[@CaptSpacegoat]

Thank you, I reacted to that too. But yeah it's more for fun and never a forced subscription, so the subs are more like donations to CR ❤

[@austinblack8558]

I heard about the leak, and my first thought was “wow, good for them!” I’ve been a fan watching avidly from week to week for years, and I was just glad to see that people I grew to care about were doing well. I was also exited that the platform I always wanted to share was growing in popularity. What with this info and the animated series on the way, Critical Role may not have to be a closeted love I can’t share with anyone anymore. I was shocked to learn that this reaction wasn’t more universal. It seems obvious to me that these nerdy voice actors deserve all the accolades and money they receive. Beyond the numbers and the stats, anyone who I’d consider and avid fan, (spending the 4 hours or more a week to keep up to date) isn’t making these angry claims against them. Though it is very one sided, I have spent over 4 hours a week with the cast for years, and I feel I know each of them fairly well. To any of us who have spent this time with critical role, their intentions are clear. Not to say that anyone who doesn’t watch this much is a “fake fan” or “doesn’t get it” but I doubt they understand the cast as intimately as some others. Ultimately, money complicates things, and I think that is what people are reacting over, much to your point PYR. Ultimately I just wish the best for my one way friends on CR and the community they’ve built. I have no doubt that their good hearts will win out over all the talk. Because hey, that’s how they got here in the first place!

[@tede.b.martin4727]

Thank you for your commentary. You hit the nail on the head!

[@johnprice875]

I love the fact that this small group of friends were able to build this super successful business that shares a hobby I love to such a massive audience that might not have normally come across role playing games!

[@drfoxcourt]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for coming to the defense of what is possibly the best radio-play style improv show available today. One should never let the best be the enemy of the good. If the fact that they make money (and making money honestly with passion for the greater world) makes you dislike them, you should stop watching. Put the effort into your own tabletop games and shut up. I still find value for my twitch subscription. The crowd-fundings, merch, and causes I contribute to for the sake of CR make me feel good. If money keeps CR going, I say "Huzzay!"

[@PlayYourRole]

I'll always stand by just trying to be objective. If Critical Role did something I disagreed with, I would state it! (See my Exandria Unlimited series). But just because they did something negative, or positive, it's important to be objective and understand they are trying to do good... And that's worth pointing out.

[@JupiterTheWizard]

God forbid a company actually makes a profit, especially when they supply a service of entertainment that millions of people enjoy!

[@RE-dh3rw]

For free, even. Never forget this, they are providing hundreds of hours of content FOR FREE How dare they not live in dirtshacks and go trash diving for food. If they are not struggling artists living in their moms basements are they even real DnD players? /s

[@Risng_Phoenix]

I'm so happy for them. There are doing so great.

[@tshelle8580]

I remember when I first saw the leak I just said this. "Yeah a win for D&D!"

[@intoHeck1964]

I was surprised to learn they were the top earners on twitch. This only shows how good their content is and how large their community is. If you hate them because you now know how much money their fans give them, you were never a real fan. If you were, you would be happy for them

[@randywolfkamp932]

I think people also need to remind themselves of the COUNTLESS hours of content they have provided. Not even just on their main campaigns but all their other shows as well. Then ask yourself have you spent more money personally for far less entertainment. If I added up the money I spent on movie tickets over 3 years (maybe not they last three years, thanks covid) I would easily have spent more money than I have on critical role but seen far less hours of content for it. Yet I don't complain about that...

[@PlayYourRole]

Exactly. All that FREE content shouldn't go without any sort of compensation, you know?

[@kingsofgeek]

I’m happy for them. I really love the show and can’t wait to see what comes next.

[@firewomandixon8943]

There’s always going to be haters, doesn’t matter who does what. Thank YOU for making this video & taking time out of your life to help others become educated on this!! Kudos to you!! Well done!! 💕💚💕

[@EMTwombly]

Critical Role is a phenomenal group that presents and acts on a tenet of modesty and cooperation, and sends a message to their audience to help others that is a drive that all of the cast members possess. I spent my career helping others through complex issues that Critical Role express through their games that show these issues as being okay, survival enabled motifs, and regardless of the dysfunction portrayal of the character- their is a ability to overcome whatever barriers they may face.

[@MFZBitch]

This is kinda actually why i am a bit annoyed and disappointed with them. I love them for the things you mentioned ... and than they went ahead and partnered with Amazon...

[@MissesHappyPunk]

They release their content on YT only a couple of days after the Twitch release. FOR FREE! I think, that's the best proof for them not doing it mainly for the money!

[@queerquill]

I really, really appreciate your message here. EVEN IF they weren't doing good in the world.... they have brought me joy. And I'll never begrudge people who bring me joy from being successfull.

[@Wraithing]

As someone who's watched every episode (and over all the years it's been on KZbin) - it's been fascinating to watch the CR cast through the realisation of the show's huge popularity and then real fame (especially Matt, who seems such a gentle and kind man). CR now has become so much bigger than anyone could expect (from the modest success of the earlier 4e podcasts of Acquisitions Incorporated). Even though I've been there throughout the journey (and I like wearing the t-shirt my son bought me), I wouldn't DARE call myself a fan. Wow, they represent a level of emotional investment I just… well… wow! For me, it's just a show. I enjoy it. I've played D&D (both sides of the screen) since the 1980s. CR is a good ambassador for the hobby, mainly because they seem to try so hard to do the right thing. They are on new ground in a complicated age. Exandria Unlimited hasn't been as enjoyable for me, but it's hard to work out why - I like all the new people and I used to watch Aabria on Saving Throw channel, it's just not… I'm stuck on episode 3 and haven't finished yet. I will (no doubt), but it's not been essential viewing for me. Critical Role's income doesn't really bother me - billionaires going into space bothers me, and the way the millionaires (they're all millionaires!) we vote for fawn, grovel and bend over backwards to enrich and institutionalise the powerbase of any global monopoly… that's annoying. So, the financial system in general is more than a little bit sickening. Has the money helped make Critical Role better… I'm not sure. It's become a little harder for me to get as excited about it. One thing I strongly suspect is that, whatever money they make, they seem like people doing their best… and that's as good as we get nowadays.

[@mjr8888]

It's not just about miscommunication, it is about people who've hated them due to issues over the past few years. People who have an axe to grind due to taking the littlest things that has happened and blowing it out of proportion, etc Trust me, there are so many people on Twitter who just hate them because it's popular to hate them as well.

[@PlayYourRole]

Unfortunately, there are people who hate just to hate. Even worse, they tend to be much louder, and it's important to drown them out with legit information and understanding.

[@battlecast9202]

I keep finding myself trying to watch them, but I just can't be entertained by it. However, I can understand it's appeal. It just isn't for me, not from lack of trying.

[@jesstolley7193]

@@battlecast9202 That's totally fair. There are many popular TV shows and movies I'm just not into myself. I don't think it's awful content, it's just not my taste.

[@chrisjordan6432]

I mean, considering the average cost of a home in the state they live in is somewhere around 700k, and we know they have several employees. 10 alteast including themselves that have shown their face on screen... that's less than 1 mill a piece assuming they did an even split. Guesstimating groceries, utilities, car payments/insurance, health insurance, etc... that is by no means an outlandish ammount of money. And speaking from a (struggling) business owners perspective, a large ammount of that money went into the business.

[@matthewkopeck8540]

"Several employees" lmao they have way more people than "several"

[@AbWischBar]

You know what - I actually always hoped they would do that much. The production quality is high and CR has such a constant entertaining value that it is simply worth this income. People forget how tough the entertainment business can be and often money does not go to those we pay to watch or hear. The only thing I hope is that the group maintains the raw side of things. I have not been a fan of the celebrity productions, where all the fun non-story interaction between the group around the table is cut out. Don't overproduce - have the high video, audio and content quality but maintain the pure aspect of friends enjoying some time together. Being part of that is what - at least for me - makes this show millions valuable.

[@dnf-dead]

I'm so glad I found critical role and wish them continued success

[@mark_sturzbecher]

Considering who Critical Role is and what they do with a majority of their money... yeah I'm okay with that. Any chance we can get them more?

[@PlayYourRole]

Ahaha my thoughts exactly. They've proven the more they get, the more they want to give. I seriously respect that.

[@robertcoplin2830]

Nicely said. I heard the first few minutes of this presentation and hit the roof. All this thumb sucking stuff drives me a little crazy. Then I came back to the program a little later and listened clear through. Thank you for telling like it is. CR is great stuff and they do good work. They got me started with D&D, before listening to them I knew exactly nothing about the game. Also I like your site, thank you. Be safe.

[@PlayYourRole]

Thank you! Critical Role continues to be inspiration that you can strive to do good, and be successful. And I will continue to desire to emulate that

[@genderaxio7433]

Tbh critical role inspired me for long time and now when I saw the numbers it became even more inspiring. They are just nerdy ass voice actors that made being nerds their full time job. They were normal people that climbed to the top and it's just humanly possible, I wish I could be like them one day, just a nerd from nowhere on stage playing dnd and hard working with passion behind the scenes, and I'm determined to pursuit this dream.

[@ozysturm1084]

Well Done, very well spoken and explained. Lots of respect and admiration for the CR team.

[@greyborg3846]

Given their production value and the fact that they are an entire company I honestly think that that number needs to be higher. It's clear that they sink a TON of what they make right back into making the show better and better. And they also have to pay their entire crew. I think it's clear that their passion is for the game and the community and for bringing that to all of us, and at such a high quality, they all deserve to succeed.

[@ethanrivers4057]

If anything, being too earners and still staying so modest is a true testament of their humility. Critical Role has become such a blessing in my life. I love the story, I feel like with every episode I watch, I get much more value than I should by watching it “for free” on KZbin. I’ve bought their campaign guide through their website, I backed their campaign, and NEVER have I felt buyers remorse when buying their products. I haven’t involved myself too deeply with other critters but I feel at home in this community. We’re all just nerdy ass people watching other nerdy ass people playing a game. Laughing with their jokes, crying at their losses. When (I will not mention name here to avoid spoiling someone) died, I was listening to the episode on the road and had to park to cry, because those characters they play mean something very special to me. Fly high Critical Role, we all love you and will continue to support you!!

[@gerrysigworth5315]

Thank you for giving great insight. This was such a well developed video (sleep included). I hope that people remember how difficult it is to build a business and brand. CR is amazing and I am THANKFUL they are making good money because it helps them continue to produce an amazing show. I hope that they are continually blessed with love, support, and MONEY so that we get to experience everything that we have experience.

[@infexious]

Seen a few of your videos in the past, very enjoyable and insightful. I appreciate the thoughtfulness put into this one my man, and to your closing comments of how you feel towards your viewers: we feel the same toward you. Keep um up the good work, my friend; and u got another subscriber. 😎👍🕊💛

[@alexbarn3841]

I’m not the biggest critical role fanboy, and I think a lot of “Critters” are insane for how much they glorify the show. But making money doesn’t make someone a sellout, and honestly I expected them to have been making more. If there were a change in content to try and dig deeper into your pockets then yeah I could see getting upset about how much money they make, but from what I’ve seen it’s stayed the same apart from improving the stream quality. Although I think a lot of people are missing that this number probably doesn’t include most of their sponsors since I don’t think that kind of transaction goes through twitch at all.

[@ummacnai]

@@zenvariety9383 @Scorpious187 AHHHAHHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHH!!!! *breath* AHHAHHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!! Thanks, needed that. Simply stating: you're wildly conflating a bunch of political positions and drawing conclusions based on watching social media arguments. This is not a solid hand for proving any trends of viewership nor any conclusions you're drawing from those trends.

[@JV-the-Tossh]

@@zenvariety9383 @Scorpious187 Hrm... Well, I mean... As far as I recall, Vax was pretty clearly bisexual and having a very open homosexual flirt already before the game went to streaming, because it was established the first time we met Gilmore, so saying it happened after the newer people came in seems... I'm gonna say... "Somewhat overzealous of a conclusion". And far be it for me to make myself a spokesperson for anyone on CR; I'm really not. But I do have this sinking feeling they'd rather have the pornographers, marxists and tumblr crowd than people who act like You two do on the internet. From what I've seen in these last 5+ years, they're more about this whole positivity thing. I really recommend it. It makes life much more enjoyable. Now, if Y'all are trolling, fair play, you're certainly gonna get some people riled up with that, but... It's also willfully divisive and doesn't really leave anyone happier or better off than before. Not really following the creed of the CRF and their charitable efforts. I wish you a good day and hope that if you are serious, you find something that can provide you with happiness so great that you do not feel the need to try and prevent anyone with a different political opinion than you from watching it. Also, spoiler alert: I'm pretty sure the CR people are pretty leftist themselves, so if leftism is a problem, I think y'all might have some bigger issues in the future. But hey, you do you. Just don't prevent others from doing themselves either, 'kay? Peace.

[@kingsasquatch]

@@zenvariety9383 neither is pandering to far right ideologies and bending over and spreading for unadulterated, unbridled capitalism either. You’re not wrong- there’s nothing wrong with making money, but your packaging of the idea sucks

[@kristie9144]

@@Scorpious187 Something I will never understand about the right is how what anyone else does is ANY of YOUR business. If you are not directly involved, what do YOU care what someone puts in their game? You don't like it, then play your neo-Fascist lock-step version. No one likes a gatekeeper, particularly one that doesn't believe in acceptance.

[@colli_]

@@Scorpious187 you lack of self awareness is honestly mind boggling.

[@quendi5557]

Loved this video. It's not mindlessly defending something, it's explaining the facts that people are either ignoring or aren't aware of. I think the internet could use more of this.

[@PlayYourRole]

I often believe that the best way to fight hate is to help others understand. People don't get angry for no reason! But... Unfortunately, anger is often a reaction to misunderstanding.

[@quendi5557]

@@PlayYourRole I think what really got me is the fact you went: "I get why you are shocked/upset/angry but here's why I think that this is fine." And provide reasons that are easy to digest and just require a bit of common sense to think of. I hadn't thought of the merch sales pitch an how little time they give to it but once explained it makes a lot of sense.

[@Wrzlprnft]

Seconded.

[@ellieauroraroseling3805]

Just wanted to say this video earned a subscription from me. Thank you for being a rational voice amongst a reactionary world.

[@Micaerys]

You spoke big truths there, it was a great video! Honestly, I was quite surprised when I saw the leak (I don't use Twitch very often, so I wasn't very aware of the money it moves) but after reading about it ... I felt proud about them. Not everyone can work in something they enjoy and be paid, and they do, and it's a very complex project, so it's perfectly understandable that they move that amount of money! Seriously, you did an amazing video, and I understand the subject a little bit better because of it 😁👏🏻

[@theeternalbard4308]

I'm not going to be mad about the 80/20 rule (or the 90/10 rule as it seems to go in entertainment) being applied to the industry popping up surrounding the resurgence of the RPG hobby. Those folks put out a genuinely enjoyable show and good on them for doing it. That being said ... I wish it was concentrated more like 70/30 but that is not how the world works I guess. My advice: Go out and support your local artists and creative writers as much as you support critical role.

[@henryohenry1504]

Yea they literally could be making SOOOOOO much more. They can add a patreon, put alot of their content behind a pay wall. And honestly you talk about merchandizing, but they barely keep stuff in stock 😆

[@corporealghoul]

This legit made me emotional. I love this video and i love critical role.

[@Nmc01236]

To start, I fully agree with you and am super happy with CRs success. One small correction, though, is that they do ask for subs on stream. It's a small segment, maybe 3 minutes or so during the break, but there is one during every main campaign stream they do. Just wanted to throw that out there, keep doing what you're doing, I think this vid is really helpful for people who are misinterpreting the whole situation.

[@Eviler-1]

Great video! We need stuff like this in the community :) thx for doing the public service the community need right now

[@PlayYourRole]

As long as people are doing critical thinking, we can all get through this. It's always important to think, then act!

[@aavavertu229]

Imaging someone being upset about you receiving salary for work done.

[@robertochacon5338]

as a DM Just looking at Matt Mercer I always knew it was not something just ANYBODY could imitate. all of them are amazing and they deserve their success. Go guys! make loads of money :)

[@GrimBrotherIII]

Bro this is so spot on - faith in the CR community restored!

[@dale.wakefield]

Don't forget that the twitch leak only showed payouts straight from twitch - that's Subs, Donations, Bits, money straight from twitch to the streamer. This doesn't include things like sponsorships and we all know they are sponsored by many large companies - D&D Beyond, NordVPN, etc. That isn't covered in the 9 mil. They make (probably a lot) more and deserve it because of their hard work :)

[@yat282]

Plus merch, which is probably a lot more than even that

[@dominicrea]

Anybody looked at how much we pay individual members of professional sports teams? Let alone how much revenue the teams themselves bring in. The cast and crew have brought lighthearted gifts to our world in a very tough time. They deserve all the gifts they receive. Keep up the good work @criticalrole

[@panhandlersparadise1733]

Well first off, you can subtract 2 million because Taliesin spent a million on hair dye and Matt spent a million on the opposite of laser hair removal in order to grow a beard. Sam spent several millions on those expensive costumes he wears for his pre-game promotions. Ashley has to spend a million keeping that latchkey kid husband of hers entertained. Travis and Laura spend millions on basement renovations because Travis is jealous of Joe Manganiello's dungeon and Deborah Ann Woll showed us what a real rarities store should look like when it conceals a secret door and hidden D&D playroom. Plus, they need money to buy tacos. If you don't buy tacos afterwards it doesn't count as a real D&D game! That's official tournament rules!

[@angelawatson7294]

Thank you Thank you Thank you!! I appreciate you using your platform to clear this up as much as you can.

[@kzookid2051]

I fell in love with the game and cast the first time I watched an episode, and that has only grown in the years since. This is an amazing group of friends doing both what they love, and trying to make the world better at the same time. The reason the critter community supports them so strongly is that CR has already improved our lives in so many ways, and helps us to spread that to others whether they play D&D or not. The current Foundation charity is one that takes kids from the poorest families in India and not only educates them, but teaches them to give back to their families and communities - not as if it's just a good thing to do, but it's a duty to do this. CR has enabled millions of critters to do the same. Thanks for taking the time to point all this out to those who would challenge the benefits and goodness of these nerdy voice actors. The rest of the world would do good to follow their example.

[@HWORD-xg6hi]

Why are we still thinking that critical role is the same exact d&d game we play? Just because you play a pick-up game of basketball for fun with your friends doesn't mean you're Curry or Harden or James. Mercer himself has to pushed back against the Mercer effect. My fellow TTRPG enthusiasts, we have to stop seeing critical role as a game that could be ours and we have to start seeing it for what it is: a fantasy entertainment production that is heavy on improv with actors for players that happens to use D&D as a guide for their improv. And we need to learn to consume D&D in a healthy way. Don't like that there's money involved? Blame capitalism.

[@Ambers128]

When they announced their Charity Foundation, I knew this was my charity. I feel I can trust they've vetted the receiving organization. Leaving the world better than we found it.

[@thepaultheory]

As an AnCap, I'm excited that they are doing so well. People should enjoy the fruits of their labor. I'm a twitch subscriber of their's, and will continue to be one. Can't wait until for Thursday's campaign 3 kick off

[@Archalleon]

They are not just small group of nerd friends playing DnD now. There is huge production behind it all. And people who do not understand, what kind of effort, energy and will is needed to be in their situation, will never know, until they do something this big. I congratulate critical role, and i'm verry happy for them. They earnd every penny.

[@Kate-oe1om]

Honestly, this whole thing just proves that you can't win under capitalism. We're all being told all the time that we should monetise our hobbies and our creativity (something that for most people working a 9 to 5 or more for pittance is absolutely impossible). And against all the odds, Critical Role actually did it (and more importantly, seem to be trying to build an ethical business model out of it), and suddenly that means they've sold out. Is art and creativity only valid if you're starving in a garret to produce it? Anyway, rant on exploitation and alienation under capitalism over.

[@KTSalyer83]

Everything you said was stupid at worst and ignorant at best.

[@Kate-oe1om]

@@KTSalyer83 I disagree

[@KTSalyer83]

@@Kate-oe1om you're allowed to be wrong, and you are.

[@Kate-oe1om]

@@KTSalyer83 I continue to disagree, and your lack of argument isn't particularly convincing

[@KTSalyer83]

@@Kate-oe1om capitalism is the only fair system. You get out of it what you're willing to put in. If all you have to offer is no real skills, low effort, and no sense of industriousness, then that's exactly what you'll receive in return. It isn't societies job to make sure you have enough. That's solely your responsibility.

[@simoncuff4092]

Well done CR for all the hard work done by Matt

[@sandiesandholm1236]

Hell yeah. Good for them. They put so much work and love into this. And like you said, I don't think people that have never done it, realize how much goes into running a business.

[@SuperGoose42]

4:50 *(pointing and laughing ensues)* Great video, looking forward to the next one

[@PlayYourRole]

Thank you so much!