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TOGETHER WITH
It’s Monday and the kids are alright—even if they are receiving “upwards of 4,500 notifications” a day.
AN EPIC STORY
Fortnite’s creator will cut 830 jobs, divest multiple properties
Epic Games is laying off 16% of its workforce. According to CEO Tim Sweeney, the company behind Fortnite will issue approximately 870 pink slips in an effort to offset the cost of its creator-friendly policies.
“For a while now, we’ve been spending way more money than we earn, investing in the next evolution of Epic and growing Fortnite as a metaverse-inspired ecosystem for creators. I had long been optimistic that we could power through this transition without layoffs, but in retrospect I see that this was unrealistic.”
Epic Game’s quest to turn Fortnite into a “metaverse-inspired ecosystem” has already produced some major benefits for creators, including a creation tool called the Unreal Editor and a creator program that delivers 40% of resulting revenue to partners. But for Epic Games, the price of maintaining those investments in its creator community is high.
As part of its slew of layoffs, the publisher will end its three-year tenure as the parent company of SuperAwesome, and will sell Bandcamp (an audio service it acquired last year) to Songtradr.
🔆 SPONSORED 🔆
VidSummit is less than 24 hours away. Here’s what to expect from the world’s most exclusive creator conference:
VidSummit is just one day away. From October 3-5, the world’s top creators and online video experts will unite in Dallas to share industry secrets, rare insights, and unfiltered success strategies.
Here are three expert-led panels you won’t want to miss:
🔥 Roasting YouTube Channels W/ MrBeast & Airrack 🔥
October 4 @ 11:45 AM • MrBeast & Airrack
Follow along as MrBeast and Airrack critically evaluate (aka roast) YouTube channels submitted by VidSummit attendees while offering invaluable insights on improving engagement, creativity, and viewer retention.
📈 The Future of Creator Economy: Navigating Trends, Technology, and Opportunities 📉
October 5 @ 10:50 AM • Colin Rosenblum & Samir Chaudry
Join YouTube experts Colin and Samir as they explore emerging trends, technologies, and opportunities that YouTubers should be aware of.
🌟 Short-cut to Success on Shorts 🌟
October 4 @ 2:00 PM • Jenny Hoyos
Tune in to learn how short-form star Jenny Hoyos grew her channel to 1.3M subscribers and achieved an average of 10 million views per Short in less than 10 months.
Can't make it in person? Get full access to all 2023 keynotes and sessions with VidSummit Replays.
HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰
A new report shows that videos about steroid-like drugs have scored 587 million TikTok views in the last 3 years. (Tubefilter)
The Indonesian government plans to impose significant restrictions on TikTok Shop vendors, a decision TikTok says will “impact the livelihoods of the six million sellers.” (Tubefilter)
U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) hosted a livestream on September 29 that included input from streamers like Vaush, Emma Vigeland, and Clara “Keffals” Sorrenti. (Tubefilter)
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments pertaining to two bills that aim to restrict social media moderation: Florida’s S.B. 7072 and Texas’s H.B. 20. (Gizmodo)
DATA • MILLIONAIRES 📈
This creator quit his job before finding success on TikTok. Here’s why it was worth the risk:
Ryan Lu knew he was destined for more than the nine-to-five life. He went to college reluctantly (at the urging of his parents) and graduated according to plan. But when the time came to get what he calls “a big-boy job,” Lu found himself “kicking and screaming” at the prospect of working in an office.
“I used to pray before bed every night, be on my knees, and I’d be like, ‘God, please, please, please save me. I don’t want to work a nine-to-five, I don’t want to work an office job. I really want to entertain.’”
Lu’s frequent prayers and manifestations didn’t pan out right away. Instead, the creator began working as a paraeducator while devoting whatever time he could to TikTok. But as weeks passed and his views remained stagnant, Lu realized it was his “literal last chance” to get into entertainment—so, he quit his job to focus on social media full time.
“It was the ballsiest thing I’ve ever done.”
With more time to commit to TikTok, Lu began posting videos every day, including several focused on his passion for manifesting. It only took a couple of months for one to take off in a big way. And “from there,” Lu says, “it’s been nonstop.”
Fast forward to 2023, and the creator’s astrology-focused content has now earned him more than 1.1 million TikTok followers. He also recently signed with Viral Nation—a move he says has been “incredible and life-changing.” Check out our full interview with Lu here to learn more about his journey.
BRAVE VOICES
YouTube videos about Ukraine have dropped by 70% year-over-year. A new creator program aims to change that.
Last February, the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a surge of digital content across the internet. Creators rallied to highlight aid efforts, raise funds, and educate viewers about Ukrainian life and culture—but as time passed, that media attention began to wane.
Now, AIR Media-Tech is doing its part to keep Ukraine in the public eye.
According to the Toronto-based creator services company, around 212,000 Ukraine-focused YouTube videos were posted between February and July of 2023—a 70% decrease from the year before. To reverse that trend, AIR Media-Tech is launching a new creator program: Brave Voices for Ukraine.
“Our mission is to inspire and support creators in exploring Ukraine and creating unique, engaging content that sheds light on various aspects of the country's life, thereby supporting Ukraine's cause.”
In partnership with UNITED24, Brave Voices will grant creators “the opportunity to explore significant historical landmarks…discover hidden gems of its nightlife, savor the delightful flavors of traditional Ukrainian cuisine, and participate in engaging craft master classes.” Participants will have to pay their own way to the capital city, but AIR Media-Tech will “take care of everything else”—including “accommodation, a customized program, transportation, meals, and personal escorts.”
Those travel resources are only one aspect of Brave Voices’ mission.
Creators will also have access to general production resources and UNITED24’s bank of footage from Ukraine—plus a fundraising program where participants can work with AIR Media-Tech to direct money to “trusted funds and charities involved in various areas in Ukraine.”
Interested creators can learn more here.
LISTEN UP 🎙️
This week on the podcast...
VidCon made its Baltimore debut over the weekend, complete with panels from Creator Upload hosts Lauren Schnipper and Josh Cohen (and plenty of other sensational creator events, of course).
Tune into the latest episode of the podcast to hear all the juicy details leading up to VidCon Baltimore—plus insights into Meta’s upcoming slew of AI-powered creator tools and celebrity chatbots.
It’s all right here on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.