What makes a good content creator? Well, I guess that depends on the individual and their taste in content and video games. Some people like watching the best play their favorite competitive games like Halo, Fortnite, PUBG, etc. Others are looking for a reviewer to tell them whether the new game released today is worth buying. And some just enjoy seeing people in physical and psychological pain, like the CX Prison Stream or when I played Cuphead until I wished I was dead.
For me, I’ve learned that there are a few specific attributes that I enjoy in gaming content: authenticity, confidence, and humor. And if you have all three of those attributes, I am most likely subscribed to your channel and eagerly awaiting your next release. Everyone that was nominated this year has some or all of these characteristics, and while you personally may not value them as highly as I do, I encourage you to check each of them out.
So without further ado, here are the nominees for the “My Favorite Fellow Nerd(s)” award:
ACG (YouTube)
What’s wrong with video game reviews today? Well, a lot of things but for me, one of my biggest gripes is a lack of depth. Enter ACG (Angry Centaur Gaming). I’ve never seen a reviewer break each and every facet of a game down to this level of detail. Take the Gears 5 review above. He doesn’t just say “the graphics are beautiful”; he breaks down the character design, the landscape, any frame rate issues, how it looks on all the different settings, etc. And he does this with everything; sound, gameplay, new features, story; all the way down to where you should buy, rent, or wait of it to go on sale. You may not always agree with his final recommendation, but I’d challenge you to find someone that is better at explaining it.
DrDisrespect (Twitch)
I’ll be honest with you guys: I don’t really watch a ton of live streams. I just don’t have the time or the attention span to sit and watch someone else play video games when I play, write, and review games myself. But when I do have the time, I’m watching the 2x back-to-back Blockbuster champion. In an industry full of “people pleasers”, DrDisrespect stands out because of his brash, proud demeanor. Oh and the fact that he’s a fucking giant (he’s 6’8″). I love his level of authenticity and how he unapologetically speaks his mind. On top of it all, he’s one of the funniest and best-produced streamers in the world. There’s a reason he won Streamer of the Year at the eSports Awards this year; it’s because he’s the best.
Girlfriend Reviews (YouTube)
I remember seeing a viral video this time last year called “Should Your Boyfriend Play Red Dead Redemption 2?”, and I immediately wrote it off. I just imagined it was like that clip of the girl screaming at her boyfriend to get off Fortnite but for Red Dead 2. But hol’ up a minute guys, I was wrong about this channel. Matt and Shelby do an exceptional job not only reviewing games but also making people laugh. AND, they design it all for an audience that doesn’t normally play video games: your girlfriend! I actually forwarded the Game of Thrones video to my friend, who then forwarded it to his wife. Her response? “FINALLY SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS ME.” That’s how good they are at what they do.
It’s Obvious Gaming (Podcast)
About 2 years ago, I was looking for a podcast to listen to on my daily hour-long commute to work and stumbled across these guys. I’ll admit that at a glance, they don’t do much to stand out in the growing world of gaming podcasts. They aren’t outrageously funny or deeply analytical either. But to me, they’re some of the most authentic podcasters out there because they’re just like you and me. The It’s OG crew are three of the most unbiased awesome everyday guys from Atlanta that love talking about video games and Taco Bell, and I love them for it.
videogamedunkey (YouTube)
You all know the name and if you don’t you’ve been living under a rock. Dunkey has been around for over a decade now, starting on Newgrounds with little flash videos and eventually morphing into one of the biggest and funniest video game YouTubers of all time. When I’m procrastinating at work or I hit writer’s block for blog posts, I’m usually watching Dunkey videos. I just can’t get enough of them. They’re funny, they’re genuine, they’re highly rewatchable and I’m pretty sure my friends are sick of me sending them links to his videos every single day. Especially the Tetris one because I’ve watched it at least 50 times.
What’s Good Games (Podcast/YouTube)
Andrea Rene, Brittney Brombacher, and Kristen Steimer are 3 of the best women in the gaming media industry. Combined, they have over 30 years of experience in the industry, and they’ve seen and done it all. So naturally, they also run one of the best gaming news/analysis podcasts in the industry as well. The What’s Good Gaming podcast not only is informative but, as the video above shows, it’s hilarious. From Brittney’s quirky humor to Steimer’s goofy jingles (release an album girl, I’ll buy it), these girls are guaranteed to keep you laughing with every edition of their podcast.
And the winner of this year’s “My Favorite Fellow Nerd(s)” Award goes to…
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Girlfriend Reviews!
All of the nominees above deserve your follow and support, but no one had a bigger impact on me like Girlfriend Reviews. Their videos are perfect in every way; from the video editing and voice work to the humor and analysis of each game they discuss. They burst onto the scene in 2018, but in 2019 they cemented their place as one of YouTube and gaming media’s best content creators.
So congrats Shelby! You’ve given hope to every gaming nerd out there that one day they’ll find someone that appreciates and supports their favorite hobby as much as you do.
