These YouTubers just RUINED their career... 

People are tired of paying for 900 subscriptions

They left buzzfeed just to become buzzfeed themselves

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

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.

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

The way they speak about leaving RU-vid 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

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...

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 :(

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Pirating is always morally correct

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

they need a better marketing team

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

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 RU-vid I don't know if I'll come back...

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

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 !!!!!

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

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

Greed is a terrible thing

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.

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 :((

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

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.

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

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? 🙄

shane and ryan blink twice if you need help

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

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.

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 ;;

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

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

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

$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.

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

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 RU-vid. The good kind of RU-vid video. Maybe just me. Their move doesn't makes sense.

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.

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..

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

never click so fast ( im just bored)

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.

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

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 😢😢

They got to Shane and Ryan too 😭

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.

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

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

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

3:15 Steven's idea of making things affordable for "anybody and everybody" forgets that not everyone lives in the USA. In Latin America, for instance, lots of folks earn less than $1000 a month, and in Venezuela, the average salary is just $145. It's a reminder that not everyone has the same financial privileges, especially in different parts of the world.

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

My grandma always said that any amount of money is a lot of money if you don’t have it. Some people can’t afford to feed their families and keep a roof over their head. I went off Watcher when a by one of them, I can’t remember who, said during the BLM movement that they had racist friends….yeah not people I wanna support

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.

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

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 RU-vid and that they just chose to be more greedy

I get that things might be rough for them but I completely agree with the comments, they should be finding alternative ways to save money than this and senior staff like Steven don't exactly look to be financially off. As a longtime viewer of their content, I will not be following their new venture, I lowkey only watch them for their spooky content and they do it only about a handful of times every 6+ months. This subscription is only going to kill the company faster as older fans drop out and the company fails to find newer fans because everything is stuck behind a paywall.

Yeah they’ve lost their minds. I’ve been a big fan of Ryan and Shane since their BuzzFeed days and was so happy for them when they started their own channel and Patreon. But if I have to pay to watch their content then I guess I’ll just have to miss out sadly. I literally cried after watching the announcement video. I’m audhd and they’re one of my comfort “shows” and was great because it was free. But I’ve now lost yet another consistent piece of joy in my daily life. I wish them well, but I can’t help but be a little bitter.

Never thought tea spill would cover watcher but this is the consequences of their actions😭

This is so buzzfeed core of them

Does this mean no professor!?

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!

If someone moves their content to another platform or paid subscription, or even a free subscription where I have to give my email address, it’s a no for me, even if I really like them. The number of paid subscriptions is getting ridiculous. I’m not interested.

I think they feel as though they should have gotten a contract with a streaming service. And when that failed, they went this route. They should have offered a free 3 months or something to show their fans that it’s worth leaving RU-vid for. Otherwise no one is going to know…

“Tv quality content” but ghost files has been the worst most unserious ghost hunting show for two seasons. Their content has been comfort for me for years but I can’t justify a whole streaming service?!

After watching their video my second thought after my anger at the situation was “I can’t wait for a tea spill video on this”

it’s one thing content creators make money out of big companies (like RU-vid) and advertisers because we give them the views… it’s a whole other thing we’re the ones actually funding them. some of them have to understand they’re not Hollywood 😭 and even in that case, yeah we pay for streaming services and movie tickets, but this is like if they literally made us pay the actors’ salary, none of us would. this is crazy i kinda want to see how they get out of this one lmao

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

This is the perfect example of creators not knowing their audience at all. Also greed

One thing that wasn't mentioned here, is the Patreon has been downgraded to podcast only. I guess they removed tiers and didn't mention anything to them on the live stream they had the week before they made the announcement on their RU-vid. So all those people that paid a year in advance for certain perks, were blindsided. Of course I'm sure Patreon will help them get refunds since they paid that money expecting perks that will no longer be delivered, but the fact there was no warning leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

If they had wanted to do a subscription then they should've worked harder on putting out more content consistently that justified a service like this... but for the content they have now... They should've stayed with youtube membership, and patreon... and been content with that

.... this reminds me of that hong kong yt channel bomba who kind of did the same thing by stopping their yt channel and starting a streaming service. in the end, it didn't work out (not enough content, updates not coming soon enough, if you compare pricing/quality of content vs other streaming services, etc.), and they came back to yt, and made a "documentary" style apology to the audience? not entirely an apology. at least not an acceptable one to the audience (from what i remember)

I never watched anything with Steven in it, he wasn’t the one I followed when they left buzzfeed. Gonna miss the ghoul boys.

I remember watching a video (it might’ve been the making Watcher video, not sure) and they said they had to let go of some employees because they didn’t need them/couldn’t afford them. Now they have 25 employees, for what???