Stepping Up Their Game: How Content Creators Evolved Into Game Publishers

The gaming landscape is ever-evolving, and in the digital age of gaming, none have become more pivotal than content creators. Content creators like streamers or YouTubers have carved out a significant niche in gaming culture and have become driving forces in the gaming world. Games gain popularity through their streams and videos, while content creators build and sustain their following through the games they choose to highlight. More recently, this symbiotic relationship has taken an exciting turn: some of our favorite content creators are stepping into the realm of game development and publishing.

Gone are the days when content creators merely reviewed or played games. Now, they are leveraging their deep understanding of gaming mechanics, community preferences, and industry trends to create and publish their own games. Let's explore some notable ventures by these influential gamers-turned-developers and why this development is worth your attention.

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Gaming and Content Creation Partnership

Gaming development and content creation spaces didn’t overlap much during the early days. There was a clear line between the two—streamers used their proficiency in popular games to become more well-known, or they used their reputation to boost the popularity of the games they played.

From Outerminds

The first significant shift began when streamers started using their likeness and intellectual property (IP) for a game’s branding. Think PewDiePie's Tuber Simulator or KSI Unleashed, where games were developed by established companies while partnering with famous content creators for their IP. This move showcased how game developers could leverage the massive fan base of content creators and allow them to become part of the industry they used to just review or play.

A New Era of Game Publishing

From Bigmode

The next significant shift came when Jason Gastrow, more popularly known as videogamedunkey, announced that he was starting an indie game publishing company called Bigmode, with his wife Leah. By stepping into the role of a publisher, Dunkey not only expanded his influence in the gaming industry but also demonstrated the potential for content creators to shape the development and distribution of games. This initiative allowed him to directly support and uplift indie developers, bringing fresh and innovative games to a broader audience. 

Gastrow’s first game, Animal Well, became a critical hit and a roaring success. The Overwhelmingly Positive review score out of 9,000+ reviews on Steam was no surprise, as a game critic like Dunkey surely knew what gamers wanted in their games.   

Exchanging of Roles

From Pirate Software

With content creators delving into the world of game publishing, nothing was stopping game developers from becoming content creators themselves. Enter Jason “Thor” Hall, an indie game developer who previously worked for Blizzard Entertainment and started his own indie game studio Pirate Software. His first game, Heartbound, was released in 2018 on “Early Access”, and has garnered Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam.

However, thanks to Hall’s foray into streaming, Pirate Software is no longer just an indie game studio—their YouTube channel has also gained a massive following. Time will only tell how successful Heartbound and Pirate Software will be once the finished game is released, but it’s already clear Pirate Software’s content creation side will help boost their game’s popularity.

A Gamechanging Partnership

The latest development comes from one of streaming's biggest names—Ludwig. Similar to Dunkey, Ludwig started a video game company called Offbrand Games. Their first game, Rivals 2, is out now on Early Access through Steam and is the sequel to one of Ludwig’s favorite platform fighters. But Ludwig isn’t just starting this by himself. Offbrand Games is also being led by Thor of Pirate Software, melding the two sides that we just mentioned, and making the involvement of content creators in game development more than just a novelty, but signifying the transformative shift in both content creation and game development.