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The Yogscast are a group of Bristol-based YouTube broadcasters that produce gaming-related video content, focused around their main YouTube channel BlueXephos, with additional content syndicated through a wider network of YouTube channels. Although initially gaining popularity with videos about the MMO World of Warcraft,^[1] videos about the sandbox game Minecraft brought the channel to widespread attention.^[2][3]

In June 2012, The Yogscast's primary channel BlueXephos became the first channel in the UK to reach 1 billion views.^[4] As of March 2013^[update], it is the most viewed and second-most subscribed YouTube channel in the UK^[5] with over 4 million subscribers^[6] and over three million daily views.^[7] In October 2012, the Yogscast received a Golden Joystick Award in the category "Greatest YouTube Gamer Award".^[8]

Origins [edit]

The group was founded in July 2008 by Simon Lane and Lewis Brindley. The name "The Yogscast" comes from a previous World of Warcraft guild called "Ye Olde Goone Squade".^[9] "Goons" are members of the Something Awful forums where the guild was originally formed and which most of the Yogscast members are part of. Videos posted on behalf of the guild were referred to as "YOGScasts", with the term "Yogscast" eventually coming to refer specifically to those posted by videographer Lewis Brindley.^[10]

Video series [edit]

Principal members of The Yogscast at BlizzCon 2011. Left to right: Hannah Rutherford, Lewis Brindley and Simon Lane.

World of Warcraft [edit]

The World of Warcraft videos were the first videos released by the Yogscast. These videos were largely how to videos. It wasn't until the Cataclysm expansion set was released that Simon and Lewis began recording play-through videos.

Much of the Yogscast's initial popularity was due to media and blog coverage of these videos.^[1] Joystiq regularly covered Yogscast Warcraft videos as they were released.^[11]

Minecraft [edit]

One of the most popular video features of the Yogscast is the Minecraft series.^[2] In December 2010, Simon and Lewis began an ongoing series of Let's Play-style Minecraft survival multiplayer videos. As the series progressed, however, it evolved into a semi-improvised comedy drama and was renamed to Shadow Of Israphel. The Yogscast then expanded to produce video coverage of Minecraft updates, and shorter series consisting of Simon and Lewis playing through custom "challenge" and "adventure" maps designed by members of the Minecraft fan community. Yogscast members Hannah (Lomadia) and Duncan (Lalna) also make occasional appearances with Lewis and Simon to demonstrate Minecraft mods.

The Yogscast have also made several music parodies about Minecraft. As of November 2012^[update], their most popular video is "Screw The Nether", based on Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger". Another popular parody is "Form This Way" based on Lady GaGa's "Born This Way". Both are created and sung mainly by Yogscast member Martyn Littlewood (InTheLittleWood).

At Gamescom 2011 the Yogscast promoted the Xperia PLAY with Minecraft: Pocket Edition on behalf of Markus "Notch" Persson, creator of Minecraft, who was unable to attend in person.^[12]

Secondary channel and sub-network [edit]

The Yogscast had a secondary gaming channel called yogscast2.^[13] This channel formerly featured "YogTrailers", a series in which Lewis and Simon provide commentary while watching videogame trailers. The channel now exclusively shows "Hannah Plays", a series in which Hannah Rutherford (supporting Yogscast member Lomadia) plays through various games such as Alan Wake, L.A. Noire, Batman: Arkham City, The Walking Dead, Mass Effect 3 , Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Red Dead Redemption, Tekkit, Far Cry 3 and various indie games.

In December 2011, The Yogscast started a sub-network within TheGameStation Network (TGS) presenting four new channels featuring members of the Yogscast and the YOGS guild. The channels are YogscastSips (Sips), YogscastSjin (Sjin), Yogscastlalna (Duncan/LividCoffee) and YogscastRythian (Rythian). In the summer of 2012 two extant channels, NilesyRocks (Nilesy) and inthelittlewood (Martyn/InTheLittleWood), joined the Yogscast family, followed by the creation of two more channels: ZoeyProasheck (Zoey) and TheStrippin (Sam/Strippin). Afterwards in 2013, an extant channel, HybridPanda (Panda), became another part of the Yogscast and more recently the creation of TeeYogscast (Jon/Teep), brings the total amount of channels up to 13. The channel AdamzoneTopMarks featuring two gamers called Gamechap and Bertie known for using heavy stereotypical Old English accents, is also associated with the Yogscast, using Yogscast-themed avatars and being featured in several their videos, but are not an official part of the Yogscast family. The YouTube channel of the band Area 11 who are licensed under Yogscast Studios are also associated but don't use the Yog branded avatars used by the others.

YoGPoD podcast [edit]

The YoGPoD podcast was first released on 5 February 2009, and was intended to run alongside their YouTube video releases. The podcast often featured members of Lewis and Simon's World of Warcraft guild. Featured members include Sips (Chris Lovasz), Lalna (Duncan Jones), Rythian (Joakim Hellstrand), Lomadia (Hannah Rutherford), Vyrianne, Yohi, Ravs, Pierson and Drahl. They were released regularly at first, however their releases became more sporadic over time to the point where their podcast "Episode 42: Strawnana" came 5 months after its predecessor as opposed to the originally proposed once a week scheduled.

The YoGPoD's content was varied, but one of the most prominent features was Simon impersonating public figures, and Lewis interviewing them. Brian Blessed and Warwick Davis were the most prominent "interviewees" and the imitations are famous among the Yogscast's fanbase, eventually leading to an actual video interview with Davis in November 2012. A major meme is Tina Barrett as she is mentioned often and the listeners are told to post on her myspace page.

Since 20 March 2011 animations of segments from the YoGPoD have been featured on the Yogscast's main video channel BlueXephos. These animations have featured the work of several artists, most notably Swedish animator Fredrik Malmhake.

The YoGPoD reached #1 on the iTunes UK Podcasts chart on 4 July 2012^[14] following the release of 'Episode 42: Strawnana'.^[15]

MineCon 2011 controversy [edit]

The Yogscast team had their own panel at MineCon 2011,^[2][16] where they showcased the work of the Minecraft community using multimedia presentations, displaying works such as various "redstone" creations made by the Voxel crew, a video displaying the creative Minecraft structures created by Block_Fortress, a server trailer for TheVoxelBox, and exclusively premiering an episode of Shadow of Israphel to the live audience.

The Yogscast and Notch had a major falling out after MineCon 2011, in which Notch accused the Yogscast of profanity and unprofessional behaviour and stated he would no longer work with the Yogscast.^[17] These claims were questioned by MineCon attendees as well as John "TotalBiscuit" Bain,^[18] a long time friend of the Yogscast. The Yogscast responded to the criticisms on Reddit and via a YouTube video, denying Notch's accusations and expressing their disappointment and frustration with the organisation of MineCon, as well as their respect for the Minecraft community and Notch in particular.^[19] Notch later apologised for the misunderstanding, retracted his accusations, and attributed the statements to stress and mis-communication.^[20]

Minecraft: The Story of Mojang [edit]

Simon and Lewis appear briefly in the documentary film - Minecraft: The Story of Mojang.^[21] The film follows Minecraft's rise to success and the formation of Mojang.

Charity initiatives [edit]

Yogscast win at the Oxfam Awards 2012 as JustGiving's Most Popular Fundraiser

In April 2011, QubeTubers held a telethon-style livestreaming event to raise money for Child's Play. The Yogscast appeared as guest hosts along with many other internet personalities such as CaptainSparklez (Jordan Maron), Seananners, C418 and Deadmau5.^[22]

For the 2011 holiday season, the Yogscast team raised money for Oxfam to "send locally-sourced and vaccinated goats to families living in poverty." As of May 2012^[update], a total of £63,779.61 has been raised, exceeding the target goal of £60,000.^[23] The Yogscast was named JustGiving's Most Popular Fundraiser of 2012 for this achievement.^[24]

On 16 June 2012 the Yogscast's Simon and Lewis aided OpShareCraft's livestream as guests.^[25] Over $17,000 was raised in the few hours they were there, adding to the final total of over $1 million.^[26]

For the 2012 holiday season, the Yogscast team did another charity drive for Oxfam, to "provide training and a workshop for the manufacture of modern beekeeping equipment for Ethopian families".^[27][28] They worked with other YouTube partners such as Hat Films and Gamechap. Other YouTube celebrities, such as TotalBiscuit and Athene hosted the livestream. The current total raised by "Honeydew's Honey Drive" is £210,976.83^[29] They were nominated again for JustGiving's Most Popular Fundraiser of 2013 and received a Special Recognition Award at the JustGiving Awards ceremony.^[30]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official website