We revisit YouTube gaming quite frequently, as it’s an explosive area of the platform that engages fans and creators alike. After all, who doesn’t want to live the dream of making a living off playing video games? Heck, if I could do that, I wouldn’t be writing these interviews all day! But alas, I’m not as fun of a gamer to watch as someone like Optimus.
A YouTuber since 2012, Optimus has grown his channel to 90,000 subscribers. The spectacular growth skyrocketed after April of this year, where he hit the 50,000 subscriber goal and created a video to review his time on YouTube. Sticking to his true gamer life, he started the channel by making Roblox videos, uploading his first gameplay the same day that he created his channel, at the age of 12.
Seriously, someone start a change.org campaign to petition him to un-privatize all these embarrassing uploads. We want to watch the video where he explains his prediction of how the US, Russia, China, and North Korea were going to be on the same side in World War 3. If anything, at least we need access to his original dubstep mixes.
With his subscriber count continuing to grow consistently, Optimus has achieved the gamer’s dream of being paid to game. He continues to do so and considers pursuing it as a full-time career, using it to help fund him throughout college.
We reached out to Optimus recently through his Creator Page on Worthyt, where we were able to ask him a series of questions to learn more about him and his success as a YouTuber. We’ve compiled his answers below — if you have any additional questions for him, you can ask him through his Creator Page. It’s a great way to both support him as a creator and also get your questions answered.
What got you started on your YouTube channel?
I started my YouTube channel in 2012 in sixth grade just to kind of enjoy as a place to upload clips that I would record in games and videos with my friends. It has clearly grown up a lot as I have as well.
What’s one piece of advice that you would give to new YouTubers looking to grow their channel?
It’s not 100% for everyone. You need thick skin. You need dedication. You need a willingness to learn and look at analytics. You need to understand how to make yourself grow with your content. You have to be able to accept things that might be out of your reach. It’s a lot of moving factors, and it’s not something that anyone can just go “do.”
What is one thing you would have done differently when growing your YouTube channel if you could do it again?
Sticking to my guns from day one. I started really trying to grow the channel in 2015, and I should’ve made the content that I’m making now then. I might even be at a million subscribers by now if I did.
What is the biggest mistake you made while growing your own YouTube channel?
The biggest mistake that I’ve made while growing my channel was not sticking to something that I wanted to do from the get-go. I spent years trying to be something that I wasn’t and spreading messages that I thought would equal instant success, and my content suffered. For the last year, I’ve been doing what I’ve wanted to do.
What was your most favorite comment from a fellow fan?
My favorite comment of all time is not set in stone, I get so many comments that make my day or help me understand the perspective of my audience more and these better my content and my mood. Constructive criticism and words of encouragement help a thousand times over!
How long does it usually take to create a video?
Well, my content varies. When I do a video essay style video, they usually take me 6+ hours in total. My Final Review series that is coming up has proven that it’ll be content that takes literally DAYS to create one episode of in time. Some of my commentary-esque videos might only take a few hours total. It’s a variable, really.
Do you have a publishing schedule? Would you recommend one?
I do have one (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) but I can hardly ever follow it. I’m always working on content and I get impatient and want fans to see my videos and often stray away from it. I definitely recommend one though, it helps establish you and the time you should spend on content, it gives fans a set time to come see content, and it might even help you out in the algorithms a little bit depending on how they change.
What video was your favorite to make and why?
My first Final Review for Call of Duty: WWII. I’ve spent so much time creating that video from the ground up, researching the history of the game, looking at numbers, playing the game to get a total grasp on it, it’s just been such a ride making this video and to see it come out the way that it did has made this something that I’ll always love on a unique level.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not making YouTube videos?
Playing video games. If I was never doing that, my channel wouldn’t even exist and I’d be quite a bored person.
If you could make a channel on a new topic, what would it be?
Commentary. I’m an opinionated person, and I like doing these styles of videos from time to time. I have too many opinions, sometimes.
What was the most successful thing you did while trying to market your YouTube channel?
Creating the content that I would want to watch was key. Sharing my opinions and not letting others influence that helped too, but in the end, making a video that I would want to watch is what really did it because it opened it up to like-minded people who have come in droves (and also to people who disagree, of course.)
What was your favorite movie of all time and why?
Forrest Gump. The story of defeating the odds that he was given to make such a great impact on the world mixed with the topics covered throughout American history that he saw/created was absolutely right into my heart, honestly. I love history, I love the underdog, and I love a great story.
You can be any other animal you want. What animal would you be?
The dolphin. Majestic, intelligent, and loved by many.
