These YouTubers just RUINED their career...

The KZbin channel WATCHER just announced they are leaving the platform and instead streaming their own streaming service where they will be charging fans to view their content...
[CREDITS]
[Music] www.purple-planet.com
[Music] Kevin Macleod

[@momokunn]

They left buzzfeed just to become buzzfeed themselves

[@katieartist94]

I saw a comment on Twitter that said “you can take the boys out of Buzzfeed but you can’t take Buzzfeed out of the boys.” 💀 Sad but true💀

[@isabelladeltigre2955]

You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain 😔

[@my0freedome]

Why did they move from buzzfeed if u can’t afford your own content!

[@DavidKen878]

@@my0freedome Tell me you’re a child without telling me you’re a child.

[@hifibeef]

People are tired of paying for 900 subscriptions

[@ghoultooth]

It’s essentially just cable TV at this point

[@ooitscherry6851]

and god forbid you share an account

[@KarlHamilton]

901

[@ChBoiiDangP]

They literally have a service you can subscribe to so you can make sure you’re not subscribed to things.

[@vianeygierut4944]

At this point, I’m paying the cable prices for all of the streaming platforms that I have.

[@crazyinnocentturtle]

Why didnt they just do a KZbin membership

[@norwaytoday]

Because KZbin takes a 30% cut from the membership revenue... This way, they probably get to keep all the money to themselves...

[@sierrarae1316]

​@@norwaytoday 30% 😱 that's CRIMINAL

[@halfpine9952]

maximize profits

[@trishamarie]

@@norwaytodayit’s actually 48% because they also take the US taxes that KZbin has to pay for themselves out of the creator’s cut. A lot of channels are being demonitized for reused content AKA commentary on other videos, and they said they may not even reapply because of the huge cut YT takes. One spilled the beans and told us it’s 48% total.

[@gwentz23]

@@sierrarae1316twitch takes 50% from anyone that isn’t partnered. plus i think (someone correct me if i’m wrong!) you can choose the subscription price on youtube? possibly? versus all the tiers on twitch are set prices. 30% is really good within the streaming industry

[@bbkeons]

And yet, they still have a full patreon, where the highest tier is $100/month?!?!?

[@zivens.2407]

And Patrons don't get free subs to the new service. Just 40% off

[@kristenclark82]

It’s giving greedy for sure

[@Thenerdinyourclass]

@@zivens.2407it’s actually only 10% off as the sale price is 30% off

[@dalishrogue3621]

@@zivens.2407ouch!

[@libriansana8562]

Seems like Every youtuber has a patreon now... 😑

[@Eszti2000]

The way they speak about leaving KZbin makes it sound like they are forced to quit. Like come on, no one is making them do this. At least be honest about why you are leaving

[@tofuwiener]

no literally i was just thinking the same thing, the way they spoke was a little dramatic lmao

[@addy5572]

I wonder if they had come to the end of a five year investment plan, time to pay up.

[@KTannerPaisleyKK]

Tubers who do this always come back. People like free most of us are poor😢

[@foxesofautumn]

All that stuff about appealing to advertisers… really? Has that ever been a problem for them? They’re a safe bet. They don’t do controversial stuff and haven’t expressed an interest in that.

[@lalailm]

Did you hear them talking about how the costs are exceeding the revenue? What do you suggest they do? Suck it up? Stop paying employees? Settle for crappy, unoriginal and low production content, which is literally what is flooding on youtube today? What if they dont want to uninspired and uncreative work? And why should they feel guilty for wanting fair compensation for good work? I swear, the same people who complain about them being clueless for asking people to pay for their content bc 5,99 is a lot for some, are the same ones who dont WANT to take a moment and look at their side. Also no one is making YOU sign their platform. By they still have to find a way to pay their bills

[@xMorganbrittnyx]

This sucks. I love them... But I'm not buying another streaming service.

[@VandalSauvage]

Same. They couldn’t have made a more horrible business decision.

[@amelie983.]

Agreed. Yes, I'm upset but I wish them nothing but success going forward

[@SB-ht2uy]

Maybe they will become the next netflix lol

[@POV18]

Exactly. Looks like I'll be binging their old shit cause nah lol

[@Antisocietyrules91]

This 100%!

[@melancholic_ghostsss]

They originally tried to take down all their KZbin content, but quickly went nooooOOOOoooo we're keeping it up, you guys just heard wrong💀

[@pensivesoprano1637]

Yeah, I was so confused about that. I 100% heard that they were going to take down all their streaming content and put it on their paid service. And then all of a sudden that's not the case anymore?

[@melancholic_ghostsss]

@@pensivesoprano1637 They even said it in a variety article. They just took it back once everyone was mad about it and made it sound like they were never going to do that in the first place. This whole situation is going to be interesting considering they have a tour coming up in Europe👀

[@tomatosoup4618]

And the way Ryan was basically like, "I know people have been hearing rumors that we're taking all out catalog down..." NOT RUMOR

[@melancholic_ghostsss]

@@tomatosoup4618 EXAAACCTTTLLYYYY

[@pensivesoprano1637]

@@melancholic_ghostsss oh, wow! Thanks for validating me, I was feeling crazy 😅 Is there a link to the Variety article?

[@savanahmaestas7663]

Why would anyone pay for the exact same content and no incentives. Career death

[@CesarDraigcyfail]

Because they mentioned something about taking their old stuff off of KZbin and putting it behind the paywall too.

[@Seafairi]

​@@CesarDraigcyfail really? This feels like a slap to the face as a long time fan of theirs

[@KTannerPaisleyKK]

They should create their own KZbin. We need free speech

[@RuminatingRaptor]

@@CesarDraigcyfail They didn't say that. They are leaving their old content on KZbin.

[@RuminatingRaptor]

@@KTannerPaisleyKK You obviously don't know what free speech means. lol And if you think Watcher wouldn't have rules, you are wrong.

[@tonitonibb]

never would I ever think that the day where The Ghoul Boys would be on Tea Spill... but I agree with the mass, this is a really shitty move that seems extremely thought out and not at all at the same time...

[@sandras2624]

Yeah this is so disappointing and weird

[@user-bl7kg7tj1c]

Same :(

[@_TSC_46]

Really sucks I hate what’s happening

[@steph15036]

dude same it’s like worlds colliding in the worst way 😔

[@katieartist94]

I’ve followed them since their first Buzzfeed unsolved video, and I’m SHOCKED! They’d be the last company I’d expect to do this… they shot themselves in the foot and now their silence is deafening.

[@dubyabalthazar4598]

Eh, who cares... ppl are gonna pay it or not. Then they'll make the appropriate shifts...it's up to their audience to show their vote by not paying

[@hoziersexual]

Same!

[@Chris-jn5gr]

@@dubyabalthazar4598 reputation with ur fans is INSANELY important when it comes to branding and having a future as content creators. Saying "who cares" just shows how much ur missing the point of this almost unanimous backlash (a very hard thing to accomplish on the internet btw lmaoooo)

[@baronvg]

Really? I guess my cynicism never let me get attached because I’m not even in the slightest bit surprised by any of this.

[@TheGamer2001]

I have seen them get more and more greedy watching them taking more and more irresponsible sponsorships, so, this was not such a big surprise for me.

[@KyleWoolridgeGrant]

If they are really set on producing high-budget content and it truly isn't affordable to them, they should have pitched their show to an existing streaming service. Expecting people to pay $6 a month to be able to watch one show is just silly.

[@doomedjane]

It very well could be a rumor but I saw someone mention Ryan had talked about this on their podcast how he had talked to a studio about this and they might have replaced him if he went through with it so he didn't pursue that

[@neutralman9124]

Under 3million subscribers is nowhere near enough for this to be viable and their announcement having just under 200k dislikes is wild. They've ruined their careers.

[@lisalasers]

pretty sure colby still edits sam and colby’s videos. they have over 10m subscribers

[@swancorpse]

@@lisalasers i love those kansas boys so bad

[@JenneeAmell]

They’ve also been bleeding subscribers. Almost 100k so far.

[@alyssaohnstad2169]

​@engie3231 there was a browser extension (i think that's what it's called) on Google Chrome where you can see KZbin dislikes. Not sure if it's still available

[@jackcollinsmartin4210]

​@JenneeAmell Oh no, far more than that. Before the video was posted, they had over 3 mil. So yeah, oof 😂

[@AmeliaMastervally]

Watcher on Tea spill? The crossover I literally never wanted but I'm getting 😢👍

[@emmagray134]

I felt the same way when the Try Guys tea was on here 😭

[@originalbk]

Somebody commented under their Instagram post about this with, "Maybe the demons were Ryan and Shane all along." RIP.

[@cornpeal8945]

Lmao that’s kind of a dramatic statement-but I do feel sad they are leaving KZbin. Sad for them and what they have built. I don’t see them having a strong future after this. Hopefully they can just go back to YT one day again…

[@Balletified]

Another commenter: “the boos in the comments might actually prove ghosts exist”

[@elineclaeys8226]

Remember when there was the Try Guys Ned scandal and we all were praising Shane, Ryan and Steven for being unproblematic... Sigh

[@localabsurdist6661]

Apparently Steven is also homophobic and racist…

[@Miyawakiss]

To be fair, that scandal is still way worse than this. But yeah, feels like they've betrayed their fans and loyal audience

[@DankSouls37]

And the try guys handled it far better lol

[@carlyb7870]

It’s literally just a subscription service. No part of this is problematic. They need consistent money to produce the content we want, a subscription service makes more sense. No part of that is scandalous or problematic 😂

[@RedGreyV]

Don't praise anybody you don't know for anything and you will never be disappointed.

[@vulgaritar48]

Just to nitpick, but it was Ryan and Shane who spent years building up a loyal supportive fanbase willing to follow them off Buzzfeed. I don't know who that other guy is.

[@rezhaadriantanuharja3389]

Steven Lim was quite popular with the hit series “Worth It”. However, his partner from the show didn’t join The Watcher and his personality in the new channel is the complete opposite of what he showed in Buzzfeed

[@hoziersexual]

​@@rezhaadriantanuharja3389pretty sure he recently did (don't remember his same, sorry).

[@knitwitchpgh]

Facts. Steven has/had his following but MOST people followed for shane and Ryan

[@Akihiko-senpai]

@@rezhaadriantanuharja3389 it was andrew right? And also adam?

[@daniethegirl029]

10000%

[@cee8ch]

buzzfeed collapsed because of overhiring and mismanagement of funds. just sucks to see that they didn’t learn from their old employer’s mistakes.

[@KristenZianourry2015]

This!

[@kandisowens1880]

I truly blame steven. He's apparently the ceo now Edit: Thanks for the likes, you guys! I made this post in haste, and I also blame Shane and Ryan. Also, there is a funny update; they made an update video on the watcher channel backtracking (a little) lol

[@waterpoptarts9740]

steven always seemed quite nice and it's a shame (if he was the one that decided this) they went through with it

[@kandisowens1880]

@waterpoptarts9740 I thought the same, but my opinion soured when I started listening to their podcast

[@waterpoptarts9740]

​@@kandisowens1880they have a podcast? I didnt realise😭 what kind of things did he say?

[@sarar4270]

@@kandisowens1880 oh i heard something about that podcast. he canceled it and admitted to being friends with racists and homophobes? is that right or wrong info?

[@ghoultooth]

@@waterpoptarts9740I always had a dislike for him, not sure why but he always seemed kinda jealous about the success of Shane and Ryan. Not just that, no one really gave a rat’s ass about his food videos yet he still insisted on pumping them out and spending the funds on them

[@elineclaeys8226]

And don't forget they wanted to remove all the old content from KZbin! The decision was quickly rolled back/denied but in the video it very much sounds like that was the original plan.

[@ooitscherry6851]

that feels so cash grabby

[@celestia486]

Wow.. so we wouldn’t have their past entertainment anymore? Yeah just forget all those years the fans made you who you are today just erase it that’s fine 😑

[@perryrhinitis]

It's heinous how they wanted to charge for videos that we've been watching for free for years

[@jbw3624]

​@@perryrhinitis heinous really? 😂

[@ko.8742]

200k subs lost, 170k dislikes, 71k+ comments, none of these so far are positive on their side. Content creators should be reminded that being greedy will have a concequence.

[@Meocross]

I am just WAITING for them to disable comments and hide dislikes just like every pathetic loser that could not be happy with their cake and eat it.

[@ko.8742]

@@Meocross They were brave for having their comments off to start with.

[@hoziersexual]

Most of the comments are people saying they're either students and/or can't afford it.

[@staytuned2L337]

​@@Meocross(they already are.)

[@zoedunn2140]

Because y’all are just broke and want everybody else to be too

[@amarikiera]

its so sad considering they literally make so much from patreon already…

[@bonsthoughts]

they got fans all around the world (japan here) like do they also not realize this new platform wont be available to some of us :(

[@pimduay]

Ikr, we basically forced to "deal with it" I feel so betrayed😢

[@bonsthoughts]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@pimduayexactly!! no warning or anything, just dropped it out of nowhere ;-;

[@bonsthoughts]

also, IN THIS ECONOMY??😭

[@pimduay]

@@bonsthoughtsYES! Such a slap in the face, did they forgot that's no subscriber = no money? And in third world country $5.99 isn't even minimum wage per day! "Every one can afford" is purely delusional

[@Meocross]

You really think idiots swimming in money still have any braincells left? At this point they want enough money to buy hookers, cars and cocaine.

[@sweetlikebubblegum_]

they need a better marketing team

[@Disre.damn.spectful]

AND CEO and financial team

[@perryrhinitis]

@@Disre.damn.spectful Steven is their CEO 💀💀

[@sarahm.8013]

do they even have one... most of their employees are friends and family, i doubt the majority knows a thing about stuff like this or has a fitting degree

[@lisalasers]

i’m laughing because how are they gonna market this streaming service? come buy our content even though most of our fans didn’t

[@Gr95dc]

@@sarahm.8013 oh don't we love nepotism? the thing that generates the most innovation (lol)

[@kisshufan4ever]

We came for them not the high quality they could film it in a shed and we'd still watch. It'd just a kick in the teeth for the people who have been loyal since the buzzfeed days.

[@MissPinkElf13]

Pirating is always morally correct

[@multifandomharlot]

Yeeeessss. We stan piracy in this house.

[@hoziersexual]

☠️

[@onceyouwheeinyoucantwheeout]

Old Shane would approve

[@richcast66]

Especially in this case.

[@Lmaoook]

I always pirate stuff... Never ever paid for anything ever

[@jocelynkaulitz]

Bruh peacock costs 7.99 and it has waaaaay more features. They’re overcharging for sure.

[@mayaflici374]

I think they just forgot why people tuned in and listened to their own vision too much. Not a lot of people subscribed to Watcher for Steven's series. The fact that his series looks the most expensive to produce just because he wants to try expensive food got people angry. On top of the "everyone can afford this" statement, because let's remember it's 5,99$ USD for 4 monthly videos

[@southpark228]

This is the most Buzzfeed thing they’ve done since leaving Buzzfeed

[@alexusmartinez4123]

I’ve been watching Ryan & Shane since their Buzzfeed days. Unfortunately I won’t be “following them this one last time”. They really shot themselves in the foot with this business decision.

[@bulkvanderhuge9006]

They "have" to pay $1000 so Steve can eat a steak with gold foil on it.

[@addy5572]

Saw a comment that said something to the effect of "i wonder if steven pitched a 5 year investment plan, and now that time is up and they need to pay out" increasingly that feels true.

[@shinee-shawol]

I was waiting for you to cover this. The whole situation is so gross. It's overflowing with greed. Edit: penguinz0 even did a cost breakdown estimate of their channel, and it's truly just ... there's literally no good reason for this. Been a fan of them since Buzzfeed but this immeadietly destroyed that love and support after all this time.

[@tomatosoup4618]

Honestly, Steven is the culprit. I feel it. He hired his friends to make a version of Worth It when people only liked that show because BuzzFeed (a corporation) is paying for it. Now they want fans to do that for them?

[@perryrhinitis]

@@tomatosoup4618 nobody wants to see them wine & dine on the peoples' dime I watch Jolly and they've occasionally done international food tours and Michelin Star food reviews but I don't recall having to pay for all of that lol how come they could do it?

[@kosherpenguin]

Ooh, gonna check out that penguinz0 video next. Thanks!

[@tangerinesandvaseline9415]

we must watch the same people lol i was gonna comment the same thing

[@CapucineNighly]

Ya, Charlie did a good breakdown. Dood has more employees and other side businesses going on and can still pay them all without paywalling his vids on youtube. And he'e more well known with more subs. Man it's just pure greed

[@user-bi3vi2wx8x2]

They called us poor, broke up with us, said they used us as a rung in a corporate ladder and basically said they're stepping on us for the last time pushing us into the ground. I feel sick to my stomach and personally insulted by the video.

[@Meocross]

Speak with your mouse and with your wallet, these gremlins do not deserve your viewership anymore or your money.

[@magicchirp1714]

Even if they do come back to I don't think it will be like before.

[@CainP]

It's only Steven that called us that

[@jknight9487]

That was a painfully accurate description of everything. 😶

[@Allie-x222]

@@magicchirp1714exactly, like the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. It’s just so unexpected and disappointing from a group of people whose values seemed to be the very opposite of this decision, that mind you, they sought no guidance or feedback on from their audience. As many people have said, a simple YT/instagram poll would’ve saved them from this awful decision.

[@Etherealzyo]

Greed is a terrible thing

[@pankreas2195]

If they wanna be Netflix level of quality, they should pitch their show to Netflix, not try to become a streaming service without having nearly as much appeal

[@aespinkmoon]

Never heard of them, but since the start of the video I was thinking “haven’t they heard of Patreon” only to find out they already have one 😭 clearly they also need to start paying a PR team as well

[@DarlenePecker]

I am one of the people who only followed Watcher for Shane and Ryan. Their friendship was comedic but also endearing. I loved the simplicity of Buzzfeed Unsolved. Ghost Files is good but all the extra stuff is unnecessary in my opinion. Their chemistry was the magic.

[@aquari22]

They really thought going to World Tour, eating expensive food, and buying luxurious products out of our struggling af pocket was a good idea. 💀

[@redcoffeez]

shane and ryan blink twice if you need help

[@TRE3URE]

Who's Ryan and Shane I'm new idk

[@ImCedReacts]

They're owners. Lim may be CEO but the move doesn't happen unless they approve. They're equally to blame. They made their bed, they can lay in it.

[@gbaleebaker2198]

*blink, blink*

[@anasdyanee]

​@@ImCedReactsagreed. I'm so sick of people blaming only Steven. I don't even like him; the only reason they're babying Ryan and Shane is because they feel a connection to them. Most people subscribe to Watcher because of them so they see Steven as this big bad villain. Just a reminder, they're all co-founders. Even if they voted, they needed 2 of them to agree for the decision to be made.

[@mechanicalthephantomonial7757]

I thought you were talking about shane dawson and ryan adams 😂

[@BewareOfMpreg]

When Rooster Teeth attempted to do the same with 40 million subscribers, they failed. The fact that they saw Rooster Teeth crash and burn, and still have enough arrogance to think that they would somehow manage to make this work is crazy. Was it the greed? Did they think that their fans would continue to be loyal after being called poor? 🙄

[@hhenry68]

I really appreciated the link to the Try Guys and watching their TryPod over their main videos because I am the same way. I much prefer the dynamic between cast members in videos over high production rates

[@TeaSpill]

Especially when they do the episodes in public!! Could easily watch for hours

[@Ann-zj8nh]

I was broken up with and insulted for being broke by my favorite channel lol. Loved the guys but honestly even if they backtrack and return to KZbin I don't know if I'll come back...

[@franzimaff3473]

I absolutely relate to your sentiment... even if they apologise and decide to backtrack, I can't bring myself to watch them ever again. They broke all our trust its just unforgivable, in my opinion.

[@caithenry8429]

Not after they tried to act like their plan wasn't to move all content behind a payway before the summer. That was the icing on the cake for me to unsubcribe.

[@raeseph]

genuinely like WHO is making their financial decisions? who is advising them? why are they not budgeting at ALL with what they have? out of the 25 employees they have PLEASE TELL ME THEY HAVE A DECENT ACCOUNTANT !!!!!

[@darksideofthemood]

I noticed that when KZbinrs start doing " tv worthy" content people start leaving. No one wants that but the KZbinrs and their dream of grandeur.

[@beekay1137]

"The you left youtube" such a true statement Never thought id see them here

[@Faye-vr6jc]

the biggest comparison to this is GMM it has ALWAYS been free, it has always been focused on youtbe and the mythical society is OPTIONAL and not being subscribed to it doesnt makeme feel like i miss out on any rhett and link content

[@onceyouwheeinyoucantwheeout]

My favorite KZbinrs. They know how to budget, manage and keep their fans entertained without doing greedy sht like other KZbin channels. Watcher was one of my favorites but now they’re meh to me

[@witchassbitch3]

Exactly this. And I feel like smosh and the try guys do a pretty good job emulating that strategy in their own ways. There’s just so many other ways they could have approached this.

[@genericname1622]

I love them because they also used their resources to save channels from Defy, biggest one being Smosh. Seems a really chill company.

[@ghoultooth]

Never like Steven and I wholeheartedly think he pushed for this. Especially because Shane has been vocal about disliking companies that do this. They don’t seem to grasp we enjoyed the simple comedy from Shane and Ryan, not the production quality

[@ia490]

Seems like Shane sold out though 😐

[@knxa]

​​@@ia490Shane's wife ( Sara rubin) commented on Tumblr basically defending their decision so that goes on to show that both Ryan and shane were on board with this decision if Shane wasn't, his wife wouldn't have defended them. Not to mention, Ryan has always talked about making TV calibre content so, yea they're all grown men.

[@paigew6707]

Yes, Steven is the sole CEO, he handles the money and business side so that Shane and Ryan can handle the content. they revealed this on their podcast. I can’t stand Steven, never ever liked him.

[@kokoko900]

Nobody liked steven honestly

[@perryrhinitis]

They could've done a simple poll about this and found out nobody wants another Netflix but only their stuff in it.

[@rachellee.9389]

This whole debacle was not about what we subbies wanted, it was about the money those narcissistic, big-headed losers wanted without working for it.

[@BakaPai]

Imagine being a patron member and being told your subscription isn't lucrative enough.

[@kaytea0963]

Exactly! Or buying merchandise over the years. Feels weird wearing my watcher gear now when I used to love the conversations that came up when people recognized the logos on the street.

[@cherry_top]

The thing that gets me is Dropout is the same price as Watcher. Dropout I’ve been subscribed to for over a year and a half and I have watched hundreds of hours of content and still have a backlog of things to watch- and there is new content coming every week. It is absolutely worth the money bc of the sheer amount of quality content they are producing. Watcher doesn’t have that- and by them not having that/ also not announcing what NEW series they will bring to the table, it’s really hard to make an informed choice on if buying it will be good. It also really rubs me the wrong way that they are removing all the previously free shows. This whole move stinks of greed and entitlement tbh :((

[@caithenry8429]

And dropout still posts on KZbin!

[@zootchs.8991]

I've been comparing this move to Dropout over and over again in my head, because I am a Dropout Fan. They don't have the depth of content, they don't have the budget friendly setup, they don't have any of the keys that makes Dropout a success while others who try this same approach utterly fail.

[@guardianofcreativity4860]

I was thinking the same thing! Dropout is the only subscription service I have. There’s so much content, it’s all high quality entertainment, and they freshen things up with entirely new shows on occasion as well.

[@kisshufan4ever]

It's the fact that if your not American you can't get the content paid or un paid which really annoys me not to mention they already had a patreon.

[@waterpoptarts9740]

why not? that's so annoying 💔

[@ghoultooth]

@@waterpoptarts9740I imagine the website is blocked in some countries, not just that but $5.99 is quite a lot when converted into local currency for a lot of people. Someone on the original video stated that in their currency, $5.99 would be a week’s worth of groceries

[@jinxingxuelang]

they had patreon as well as youtube membership

[@TheGoosebumpsGirl]

@@waterpoptarts9740many streaming services only work in certain countries or have different content depending on the country. I think Hulu only exists in America, and it would likely be significantly more expensive for them to make their service worldwide vs just in the US

[@crying2emoji5]

I had no idea that was the case!!! That is seriously screwed up

[@mollyapteros]

The comments under their video are savage. These guys are wealthy influencers who have become so out of touch and now the people are done. Fumbled the bag big time.

[@MemoriesofOctober]

I saw it in Real Time 😂It was all Facts and the Comments were RAW!!

[@rachellee.9389]

Geez, I hope they don't 'influence' (and I can't say that word without mentally twirling my hair and saying, "I'm an INFLUENCER" amidst the sound of bubble gum cracking and popping) their subbies to crash & burn as horribly as they did.

[@waterpoptarts9740]

I haven't watched them in a while but this still makes me so sad, I get that there's a high cost of living atm but this still feels really bad. even the "unproblematic" youtubers seem to almost always end up doing something like this... edit: this channel is great, idk how you're so fast at making these videos haha

[@AnoukiMorgenstern]

I kinda stopped watching them when their stuff got too professional and well produced. We dont need fancy sets and setups, all we need is 2 dudes on a couch, filming themselves with their phone. I mean...there's a reason why I prefer youtube over TV ;;

[@IvyHale151]

The more it was produced the less fun was being had. Ryan didn't even take the ghost hunting seriously anymore. What is even the point.

[@kaytea0963]

I've felt like it's become more scripted as the production level has increased. Ryan and Shane frequently look off screen after being asked questions about whats on the cork board/Projector/etc. or even just a detail about the story they're sharing and they have no clue. Like they are given a script and don't actually read or look up the stories themselves anymore.

[@VandalSauvage]

I’m sure we were all thinking “Wait, is this a joke?” when we saw the title of their video. Ugh, such a dick move. I’ve supported these guys for years now but I’m not going to financially support them to enable their own shitty business decisions.

[@Meocross]

This reminds me of kickstarter, i basically threw that site away once it turned into a money laundering platform, and these idiots think we have time for this shit?

[@Caseycastiels]

omfg i was waiting for this. It makes me so sad that this is happening. I watched them on buzzfeed unsolved and also on watcher and i have been a long time fan. This is just so unfair honestly like nobody has 5.99.

[@Monica72215]

I haven't watched them in a while but this still makes me so sad, I get that there's a high cost of living atm but this still feels really bad. even the \

[@multifandomharlot]

$5.99USD in my currency is close to $18. That extra $18 could do so much more for me than spending it on a streaming service.

[@aehrlynn]

Their thumbnail looks like the Try Guys "What Happened" video 😂

[@onceyouwheeinyoucantwheeout]

The question is what is wrong with patreon that they needed a paywall? It’s highly suspicious that they have 25 employees and complained about not making enough when they rack in at least a million views per video??? They should cut down their employees and look into what they could budget. Majority of us don’t need this quality production sht from them. Their content from the unsolved videos was what made them have a huge audience in the first place… they dun fcked up now… sigh

[@flyingninja96]

What a shitty move. I’m actually beyond bummed out

[@Dauerglotzer123]

Also, the fact they had a countdown to a big and exciting announcement... And the announcement is a paywall when they post less than weekly on average

[@adelaide8969]

Even Mr.Beast would get backlash from this. What makes them think they’ll big enough for this to be viable?

[@petergriffiinbirdistheword]

I am a huge fan but I'm not following them off this platform, especially if I have to pay. I been supporting them for a long time. I'm poor af. They're on their own. 😂

[@Moonkat143]

I was planning on binging all their stuff when they finished their season and now I can’t 🌝

[@celestia486]

I think you should be happy you didn’t binge and wait like I did because I’m very disappointed. Thought clicking on that video could 50/50 be a joke and still get entertained.. that didn’t end up happening

[@Oohkamitama]

I actually liked their previous production better. The time when Ryan and Shane was just chilling in a dark room with a mannequin in the background and their text on screen

[@lifekeepsflowing]

I have been a fan of Ryan and Shane since 2016. I followed them from Buzzfeed to Watcher. I even watched their Podwatcher and now it feels like they are abandoning their loyal audience all for more money. The thing is though, I can’t afford it and even if I could I wouldn’t buy it out of principle. $5.99 is not adorable for everyone, they were already making money and had a patreon and now they are being radio silent as their fans are hurting and upset. It’s completely embarrassing and upsetting to see how Watcher is handling this. I truly believe the main person behind this terrible and detrimental business decision is Steven Lim. I thought the ghoul boys were better than this but it’s looking like I was wrong

[@kugisaki8027]

never click so fast ( im just bored)

[@jinxingxuelang]

imo Steven is absolutely horrible CEO because he seems keener on making himself a big name like Shane and Ryan (like getting his own series on the new platform) than making sure the business thrives and is cost-effective. but it's not like Shane and Ryan had no say in this and i bet that the two could overrule Steven's decision if they wanted

[@specializedchemicals6669]

we don't need another subscription in a world that even the smallest things that don't need one have one, even if it's for watcher. bad and tone deaf move from them. i'm surprised because shane always seemed to lean to an eat the rich kind of person. many people can't afford to waste that money on something for pleasure and something that doesn't fit as much variety/effort as other streaming services. especially for content that was once free and doesn't need more money put into it because the fan base would still love it if the content was made with dollar store crafts. i loved watching shane and ryan, but this is greed. i'll have to step back from watcher as someone who can't treat themselves to even a drink at a fast food place most of the time.

[@crying2emoji5]

First Charlie, now Tea Spill… if Coffeezilla makes a video about this, then Watcher is truly doomed.

[@Lex-sy3xv]

he did on his second channel voidzilla lol

[@queenie_bee]

They are COOKED

[@onceyouwheeinyoucantwheeout]

@@Lex-sy3xvyup just watched his video. Man this is upsetting

[@jbshiva865]

If they wanted more pay for their content they don't need to create a whole new streaming platform, there's Nebula for example, you can join a platform that already exists that does better revenue share with the creators and still get your fans to join you.

[@IvyHale151]

There is even Flowplain from the Linus Tech Tips guys: also a site that gives more tk creators and won't permaban you without notice. They didn't do any research, they decided this and went with it blind

[@kitkatlove89]

It’s wild because they have Patreon, they have other means of making money without a subscription streaming service. The content doesn’t justify the means of the streaming service they have two specific niches of content and that’s food and scary. At least the Try Guys attempt to diversify their content while finding things that make them money. The channel thats most similar to Watcher in terms of production costs is Korean Englishman/Jolly. Their main thing is Korean Culture and Food. They fly out people to Korea multiple times in one year and vice versa to other countries, yet the only thing they’ve done is memberships on YT! They have provided consistent quality videos showing people Korean Culture and them exploring different areas of the world. They’re not struggling with money the way Watcher has..

[@whodat1017]

Why couldn’t they do a collaboration with tubi or another free platform.

[@Cancus746]

Also, unless one of them personally built this…they’ve already taken a huge loss on website design. This was such a foolish move.

[@Squirrel0Ate0My0Head]

I've been thinking the same thing, the site looks nice but must have been pretty expensive. And I've already seen some older fans complain that there's no app for Roku or Fire TV or something since most older fans aren't watching on laptops- so they aren't even done sinking costs into the project

[@NooralainMirza]

They got to Shane and Ryan too 😭

[@celthric38]

What's with "TV quality show" obsession? I don't get it. I don't even watch TV nowadays. Netflix yes, but that's more cinematic than TV. Their current content still feels like KZbin. The good kind of KZbin video. Maybe just me. Their move doesn't makes sense.

[@zivens.2407]

Not Spill covering the Watcher controversy 😂

[@mayukhikhan8121]

They used to be my absolute favourites at Buzzfeed. Their “Unsolved” videos were an essential part of my childhood. So sad to hear this turn of events.

[@BaybeeWaddles]

Cannot express how disappointed I am that they have completely thrown away their fans due to financial greed. I resent financially well off people tell me what constitutes affordable. The theatrical video making this seem like a thoughtful decision rather than another money grab is infuriating. I always wanted Charlie to react to their videos, but I hate that it's because of this.

[@SleepyLeeeee]

They couldn't even act bothered by it.

[@ananyajoshi7080]

This is so unfortunate, I used to love their dynamic so much!! Buzzfeed unsolved was such a great show.

[@chantellewestlund1182]

I've seen that Steven guy around on YT and always had a funny feeling about him..

[@wendieghostie]

it's because he's always touted as the business guy, and business people are evil

[@victoryv116]

Yeah because I never liked him ..he always gives this very uncanny mean vibe

[@okchun]

other streaming services are around the same price or slightly more for many many shows and movies but this is just for one series??

[@amelie1448]

They do multiple series but with a lot less episodes

[@wwzd2112]

I've been watching their contents since their buzzfeed days and really love shane & ryan so when they moved to watcher, i subscribed the channel as well, but oh boy with $6 in my country currency i can buy a whole week worth of grocery, so no thanks 😢😢

[@allhailkingboo]

It’s giving “we’re butthurt that no networks want to pick us up so…”

[@loretta_3843]

It really looks like a move by people who have really forgotten what being an average, everyday person is and means. It really screams "over indulgence" to me. The only one putting these high production costs on their work is themselves. The extra bells and whistles aren't needed and speak of a loss of touch with reality. As if "This is beneath me, my work must be Oscar worthy material, I am an artiste after all." For people who talk about quality of production so much, it's a really bad look.

[@phreaqueonaleash]

I just... Why couldn't they do both? Release less Yt content, Yt teasers for full length videos?

[@sillysir2]

Isn’t that what Dropout does?

[@Meocross]

How would they make MORE money if they didn't force people to jump to another platform, with the shitty excuse that youtube WITH ZERO PAYMENT GATES unlike online market platforms has become unsustainable.

[@tomatosoup1304]

Right? That's what Pretty Much It does and it makes it so both YT videos and full length videos are enjoyable

[@thisisacrappyusername892]

Tbh the first point should have been to cut costs, because the fans are ultimately there for three core elements: Ryan, Shane, Scary stories This is why you need business people as well as creatives, sometimes you gotta sacrifice the overall vision if youre not hitting bottom line

[@krishakoli3690]

I could’ve NEVER imagined in a million years the ghoul boys would be in a TEA SPILL TODAY NOOOOO🤧

[@danavarrone]

When I saw the thumbnail and title of their video I thought they were retiring, little did I know it was WORSE than that. Such a stab in the back to their audience and it came out of nowhere. I never expected them to be so greedy. So disappointed.

[@MemoriesofOctober]

This would’ve been a better decision Fr..2020 era Watcher was great 2024..Nah not paywall worthy content. Retirement would’ve been a respectable move.

[@orangejuice871]

I had the honor of watching this video as soon as it came out. Not gonna lie I was pretty sad when I first saw the title and I thought they were actually leaving for good. I cannot believe how strongly my opinion changed in only a few minutes of watching a video, and I cant believe they would do this. I always took them for the good soft guys like what the TryGuys are, but this? This is just evil and bad. Im gonna have to say goodbye to their humor and content cause I absolutely cannot afford to pay moeny just for a couple of videos KNOWING that they were already earning more than enough on KZbin and that they just chose to be more greedy

[@Chloehull-ou3ih]

Tea spill never fails to keep us updated with the latest celebrity drama

[@hulacat1555]

This is so buzzfeed core of them

[@ajs8721]

KZbinrs/Content Creators always need to remember who their core audience is. It seems like these guys got so caught up with “keeping up with the Joneses” and wanted to be on par with higher-level production companies that other companies became their new focus, not the audience anymore. To start a subscription service where subscribers only get 4 new videos a month at $6/month, is absolute lunacy. I already pay $6/month for my Peacock subscription. Yes, it’s $6, but I have access to 100s of TV shows and movies every month, NOT four.

[@13CrystalHeart]

I've been following them since their BFU days, about 10 years now, but it's truly the worst timing to do something like this with how monetarily tight things are for lots of people nowadays. We're in a major cost of living crisis, $6 might not seem like a lot, but a good amount of us don't even have such a low amount of money to throw around. Like, currently, both my parents are out of work, so my paycheck goes to supporting my household. (My dad's been looking, but hasn't had luck, and my mom has heart problems and can no longer work.) The money's going towards actual necessities, and if it comes to between necessities and the ghoul boys, the necessities will win every single time. Thanks for the fun times, but this is where we say goodbye. Simple as that.

[@maaretrahkonen7706]

If 10% of their subscribers pay that 5,99 they will get 1,8M every month. So probably this will be worth it for them.

[@Zari-yari]

Yeah I keep wondering if this was their hope all along. Like they knew it would cause a big backlash, but are banking on 10% or whatever to sign up... They have a live show this week though. That's gonna be uncomfy.

[@afriendorfoe]

They're already making around that much now.

[@Meocross]

Reminds me of youtube threatening us to disable our blockers on youtube until i threw their browser away.

[@iamgem]

Sure but to maintain those numbers will be difficult considering their brand will be dragged through the mud

[@TRE3URE]

That's a lot of money for a membership Looks like I won't be watching them

[@nicholruaya8120]

I guess you could say you won't be a Watcher

[@ia490]

It's an insane move. Their content (as good as it can be) doesn't justify a whole ass streaming service. Like what???

[@SheenaBeena06]

They’re literally charging the same amount I pay for SHUDDER!🙄

[@dumpthecherries]

My first thought too! Shudder originals slap! And on top of all the other movies and shows they have it’s worth it. No way Watcher is going to be putting out the same level or amount of og content.

[@SheenaBeena06]

@@dumpthecherries exactly! I just think this is career suicide for them!

[@freefalling91]

They do not sell this with confidence at all. It’s a horrific move regardless but at least look like you believe in it in the video!

[@grth-is6xv]

What really bothers me is how some people have actually forgiven them for this, kinda like how a victim makes excuses for their abuser