hey. I’ve been seeing a lot of big YouTubers begin to retire, in one way or another. While they all were shocking, but understandable, I never really wanted to look into it as not all of them were people I watch regularly. When MeatCanyon made his video, that’s when I began getting concerned. And while his situation is less of a full retirement and more of an extended break from one channel to focus on his second one, it still caught me off guard a bit. (And it seems something similar is going on with other creators like Tom Scott. It’s less of a full goodbye, and more of an extended break from pushing out videos constantly. Which I completely respect. Both are still bittersweet and don’t diminish their goodbye vids in any way!) And while it’s kind of the same for this next guy, this one really struck a chord with me…

MatPat is also retiring from hosting and voicing theory videos on the theory channels. Even though he also is more just taking a back seat and will still pop up every now and then…his goodbye video just…it was the one that hit me hardest because I actually watch his channels a lot! I discovered his channels around the mid 2010s, and after watching a couple videos, I began watching Game and Film Theory regularly, and eventually, GTLive as well. I may not watch every vid on the channels, but I always loved watching his theories on stuff I grew up with, as well as introduce me to new things as well! Food and Style Theory both compounded on that and now I’m proud to call myself a Theorist!

Again, MatPat isn’t like, completely going away. He explains that he’ll still be involved in approving scripts, video ideas, and also hop back on every so often! He’ll still be there…he just won’t really be the face of the channel anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to see all the things he’ll be working on, and I’ll continue watching all the channels and I love all the new hosts they have chosen! But it will never be quite the same.

And now, here is something I wanted to add to all this: I feel, personally, that with what feels like all the legends passing the torch, and making room for the next generation, it’s finally time I start doing my part and help be part of the next generation. I don’t know if I’m either a millennial or gen z, but I feel since I was born in the late 90s, and grew up in the 2000s, and a bit of the early 2010s, I think I might have a foot in both generations. But regardless of all that, I just want to be a part of the next wave of creators! (I actually think I might be around the age of the new Theory hosts…theoretically of course (pun intended)) I make cartoons and comics, and mainly want to join the indie animation scene! But regardless of what I do, (as long as it’s something I love, and it’s not at the expense of my or anyone’s health and safety) I feel it’s time for me to finally put my dreams into reality. Even if the first dedicated video I make is a simple frame by frame, low fps, slideshow-style intro vid that’s only a minute or something, it’ll be something to finally get me started!

I made a resolution that 2024 would be the year of Drew’s Cartewns (as in, the year I finally start, finish, and upload animations semi-regularly to Newgrounds and other places!) and while seeing a bunch of legends retire, even if they may still be there in the background, isn’t what I’d want to be the sign for me to start, and I’m most certainly making this even more intense than it already is, I think it’s time for me to take what I learned from watching creators like MatPat, as well as my favorite shows and life and stuff, and begin my own personal creative journey, or more accurately, the next important chapter in my creative journey!

I don’t know what I will make, or when I will release it. But I do know it will be on Newgrounds, and it will be very soon!

Thank you to everyone who helped shaped my childhood, on screen, off screen, online, and offline!

I’m ready to finally, take the leap!

See you all soon!💖💖💖