Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, one creator’s foray into digital goods went poorly, while another gave up his pixelated alter ego to try a more realistic approach.
Creator commotion
Red light, green light. French creators like Inoxtag took on the first Squid Game challenge (sans all the killing) to promote the upcoming second season of Netflix’s dystopian hit. But this wasn’t an ordinary game of creepy-Korean-doll-red-light-green-light; it took place in the middle of Paris on the Champs Elysees.
Typical Gamer’s wedding was not so typical. The Fortnite star streamed his wedding as he said “I do” to his partner Samara. Given TG’s rapid rise in the Fortnite creation scene, I would say that a playable recreation of his wedding is the logical next step.
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OTK is parting ways with Tectone. The streamer organization is cutting ties with a longtime member after Tectone’s ex-girlfriend Pinkchyu accused him of sexual assault. Tectone denied the allegations and said that his departure from OTK was the result of an expiring contract. Whatever the reason for the parting of the ways, Tectone is no longer a host on the Steak & Eggs podcast.
Pop culture minute
Bobbi Althoff is in a movie. About a year after her meteoric rise to prominence, the podcaster is starring opposite Saturday Night Live cast member Chloe Fineman in a romantic comedy called Love Language. Previously announced cast members include Chloë Grace Moretz and Anthony Ramos.
Noah Beck is under center. The TikTok heartthrob and soccer star switches sports in Sidelined: The QB and Me, a teen romance that features Beck as the titular signal caller. If you want to see what sort of chops this short-form superstar has, you can now check out his acting debut on Tubi.
The new season of Netflix’s The Ultimatum is full of content creators. Many reality show casts are filled with contestants who aspire to break out as influencers on social media. Season three of Netflix’s make-up-or-break-up series is full of cast members who are already creators. I’m not sure how that setup could possibly produce any drama.
The biz
Did Hailey Welch pull the rug out from under her fans? The Hawk Tuah girl received harsh criticism after the value of her $Hawk coin tanked. We knew she could “spit on that thang,” but now we’re learning that she may also be able to “pump and dump that thang.”
MrBeast’s Moose Toys partnership hits the jackpot. The MrBeast Lab Mutators line got the most sales of any action figure during the months of October and November, according to Circana. So MrBeast is a verifiable superhero now; does this mean his turn in The Avengers is just around the corner?
Fortnite studio gets $2 million. Venture fund Lumina led an investment in Creator Corp, which has built games alongside stars like Steph Curry and Dude Perfect. Looks like those Epic Games payouts are due for another year-over-year increase.
Events and happenings
The first TikTok Awards were handed out in the U.K. Even if the TikTok Awards function as little more than a nice piece of publicity for the titular app, they still provide an opportunity for TikTok’s overnight sensations to bask in the glory they’ve earned. Pool Guy Miles Laflin was one of the big winners.
The first crop of VidCon Featured Creators has arrived. At the 2024 edition of the annual Anaheim convention, gamers like KreekCraft and The Krew will mingle with short-form stars like Landen Purifoy and Adam Rose. Keep your eyes peeled on the VidCon website if you want to stay up to date on ticketing information and forthcoming Featured Creators.
C21 brought a “next gen creator festival” to London. The event featured an expansive program and an accompanying content series. It took place between December 3-5 in the U.K. capital.
The internet is a strange place
NPC Miles Morales wants to be a real boy. After guest starring on Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon stream, the man who pretends to be Spider-Man to secure viewer support is giving up his NPC persona. He wants to start streaming with his real-life identity, so now he’s just another creator hoping to move past the shtick that previously defined his content.
Speaking of Kai Cenat…The Cleveland Browns defense busted out a Cenat-themed celebration after an interception. I’d like to say this is the first time digital content has inspired an NFL celebration, but Lance Moore beat the Browns to it. Luckily, this routine stopped before it drew a flag for three pumps.
No, a beloved 93-year-old YouTuber didn’t post pornography. Retired professor Metta Spencer is back on YouTube after proving that her channel was victimized by a hacking attack. Some of her content touches on the topic of cybersecurity, so she may have some new course materials to share with her virtual students.
