Game Theorists creator MatPat has announced his retirement from YouTube.
The beloved content creator has been hosting his YouTube franchise for 13 years, in which he deep-dives into the intricacies and outlandish theories behind popular video games.
At the time of writing, his channel has 18.5 million subscribers and is a pivotal part of online gaming culture.
Why is MatPat retiring?
In an emotional new video posted to YouTube titled “Goodbye Internet”, MatPat, whose real name is Matthew Patrick, confirmed that he would be “handing off the channels to someone else” and that his last hosting day would be 9 March.
The 37-year-old cited a desire to reconnect with family as integral to his decision, stating that he had been “work first for over a decade”.
He said: “We knew that honestly, we didn’t want to do this forever. As much as I love you and I love overthinking things, and I love theorising, I don’t love late nights.”
He added: “I miss the days where I could just sit down on the couch with [Stephanie, his wife] and play video games, and it’s not for content.
“Or I’m playing a game, and I’m not thinking about what theories are gonna come out of that. I miss it.”
Mr Patrick and his wife, Stephanie, established Game Theorists in 2011, before launching several spin-off channels, including Film Theorists, Food Theorists and Style Theorists.
As well as commentating on video games, the channel has also raised over four million dollars for charity in a series of fundraising events.
Will Game Theorists be ending?
No. Despite MatPat’s retirement, new hosts who have already featured in videos and worked with the team for many years, will pick up the baton and continue making content on the platform.
“For me, and my journey in this place, I always wanted to go out on a high note,” he said in the video. “And when you stop and look at the last year, this has been the best year in the Theorist lifespan, no joke.”
After devoting a third of his life to the platform, leaving won’t be easy, however.
In a tearful statement, he said: “I love you guys. I do. You’re not just numbers. You’re not just ad impressions, you’re not just merch sales. What you have done for me… and what I have done for you is special.”