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okay I finally got to sit down and watch the apology video and it felt pretty genuine. like I've said before I haven't been following this as closely as many have and I didn't feel outraged or betrayed by the initial decision (though I completely understand having strong feelings about it, especially if you're more into watcher than I am) but I still think the whole thing was handled poorly and im glad they owned up to it. a lot of people were saying that they took the radio silence as an offense but I imagine this past weekend has been pretty hectic for them too, and I feel like the conclusion they came to (releasing videos a month ahead on the platform, and then posting to youtube) was a sound one. like I said before I don't think this whole move was done out of nefarious intent at all, just a tad bit of ignorance. the response felt overblown in a lot of areas for... multiple reasons. but I get it. overall I wish the boys the best and I'm glad they've mostly sorted things out (although I'm sure we'll continue to see hate in the coming months)

this is what my weekend has been like

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update finally posted !!

#ohhh I gotta watch that rq here... #sounds like they've actually given it a lot of thought tho! proud of them

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reading the most insane parasocial comments ever about this situation

#again I'm kinda watching this from a distance but every once in a while I'll peer over the fence and it's. hm. #more preoccupied w a game server event happening I so badly want to pull my fav's card

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this is the first thing I've drawn in months

#HELP ME #LOSING MY.MIND AT THIS #THE SPIRIT BOX 😭😭

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all of us who thought watcher’s “big announcement” was the return of the hotdaga rn

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the worst part about it is that i don't even understand the actual logic of this decision? like. the reasoning for it? they had patreon, and youtube ads (which yt punishes people for blocking, etc). they are losing money. $5 usd tends to be a lot for anyone Not. In America ???

#makes me wonder if there's something they're not being totally honest about #<- not in a nefarious way just like maybe this isn't the whole story

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my hot take here is i think watcher made a shitty business desicion and they need to be critizied for it but a lot of ya'll are being fucking weird about it.

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What running this blog feels like right now:

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GUYS CAN WE PLEASE BE NICE TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS 😭

#I understand this a pretty emotional thing for many but don't be rude to random people online about it! #and yknow there are ways to criticize the decision without insulting people's personalities or personal lives </3

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soooo from what I gather it sounds like ryan shane and tesla steve are choosing to start charging for content because they want to expand their creative endeavors okay okay. I see it. watcher has been a big passion project from the start and they want more control over their products. in the process of chasing their dreams they're losing a considerable chunk of the fanbase (and even randos like me who only interact w the fanbase by proxy). they probably knew that this reaction was coming and are willing to take that risk, which is a bold move I can only admire them for. I still don't think they handled the announcement well at all but I guess we just wait and see where this goes!

oh boy what a pleasant day it is. I sure wonder if anything's happening with the watcher fanbase!

#ruining history better anyway

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oh boy what a pleasant day it is. I sure wonder if anything's happening with the watcher fanbase!

#whew... lots of opinions going around #idk what do you guys think

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uh oh

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watcher streaming service is the new quibi

#NOT QUIBI 😭

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i hate to say it, like i love watcher, but my thoughts on them leaving youtube is this is too much too soon, like the bulk of their fans are probs younger/unable to afford another subscription fee, plus youtube has always been where they've been?? it's just so stark to go from this being the site you put your content on for years and then to go full cold turkey, no more posting on youtube ever

and i'll be honest, they don't have enough content to warrant a separate site/subscription all together. dropout is able to pull it off because they have the full rotation of shows and cast as well (dnd, game changer, etc), whereas for watcher, they only have a few couple really successful shows and those are primarily only focused on ryan and shane.

and tbh, i don't think they have a big enough audience to launch it either, like their marketing team could do better on advertising their shows! like, i haven't been keeping up with their recent shows cause either i don't see it on my youtube algorithm at all or i have to go out of my way to go see it.

and i don't know this just feels like a kick to the face to their fans, like even dropout has shorts on youtube and keeps up all their content on youtube like some episodes and the entirety of season one of fantasy high, and now i'm seeing in the comments, that their international fans outside of the usa won't even able to subscribe cause of how payment works which is :///, so yeah, watcher, it's been nice knowing ya, but i don't know how this move will turn out for you, i'm sorry to say

#very well put #my thoughts exactly

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anyway. I'm really sorry to everyone who's very distraught about this, and all the fans who can't pay, my sympathies extend to you :( I'm lucky enough not to be substantially affected by all this so I can observe from a more balanced approach but I totally understand the outcry at this

#I'm not going to get it either don't get me wrong

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ok ive just finished watching the whole video (after multiple pauses just to process everything) & here are my thoughts:

i get where they’re coming from with having more funds to improve the quality of their shows by doing this streaming service, because their current ways are not enough, but they seem to forget a few things, mainly:

their demographic, which evidently are not prepared, ready or even willing to pay subscription for content they have gotten for free for years (not in this economy?????)

how un-gradual this all is. i would have thought that they will still provide video content on youtube, at the same time having exclusive content on their streaming platform, which acts as a more gradual and seamless transition to them doing full-on streaming over time (which is what they aim to do with television-caliber content). them going 180 with moving everything to their paid subscription platform and DELETING all their youtube videos seems like a very rash decision, which they should expect will upset many viewers

i think they forgot that the reason why we all watch their content is because of how accessible and interactive it was, which is kind of the charm & brand of Watcher - the two-way interaction between their viewers and the people at Watcher itself. & now with all these paywalls into play, its gna be increasingly difficult to keep their brand

i hope Watcher knows its not too late to change gears and tweak some things after seeing all our reactions. its one thing to chase your dreams and goals, but its another to listen to your audience. nonetheless i am still happy for them if this is their decision & goal that they’re striving for, but ultimately we all hope they revise back this decision for a bit, for the sake of their viewers and the future of Watcher itself.

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okay I WILL say that framing this announcement as an exciting good thing is a little funny. like they had to have known.