(Image via imdb.com) 

Business Manager: Brendan Flaherty

Email: bflaherty1@umassd.edu

After nearly 14 years on YouTube, famous host and beloved YouTuber MatPat, otherwise known as Matthew Patrick, has taken his leave and has passed on his channel to his coworkers.

For those who are unfamiliar with him, MatPat was the creator and founder of The Game Theorists channel on YouTube. Game Theory provided in-depth videos about video games, diving into the lore and story of games you might’ve grown up playing and games that are out now. 

Each video contained a documentary-esque style, discussing each game’s unique attributes that not many might have thought about before.

The videos would range from absolutely silly ideas like, “How RICH is a Pokemon Master?” to the ever-popular continual analysis of the Five Nights at Freddy’s lore videos, which has now become one of his most popular and longest-running series of videos.

It all started on August 22nd, 2009 when the Channel was first created and pitched at “…gaming’s tangential learning experience,” according to MatPat’s final video in reference to one of his firsts.

From there, the channel grew very quickly, focusing on various large video game titles to gain some attraction. The channel would create interesting theories on beloved games, creating videos like “Game Theory: How Fast is Sonic the Hedgehog?”

That video, in particular, became a huge turning point in Matpat’s career, effectively gaining a whole new entourage of viewers. He used this new interest in his channel and ran with it.

After creating thousands of videos and creating an online space for people curious about the games they might surround themselves with, he would create his own series called Game Lab, where he would take these theories and bring them to real life. In fact, one of his most viewed videos on YouTube is his first video for Game Lab.

Along the way, he expanded his team and his theories to not just gaming but to a few other areas, creating The Style Theorists, The Film Theorists, and The Food Theorists. All of them brought a whole new group of viewers and much more attention to the channel. As a creative side note, his original channel logo incorporated four slots, one for each theory channel. Green for game theory, yellow for food, red for film, and blue for style.

Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end. On January 9th, 2024, MatPat posted a video titled “Goodbye Internet,” giving his loyal theorists ten more weeks of theories and fun to look forward to.

He began the video by explaining that in a month, he would be leaving YouTube and passing on his channel to someone else. Almost immediately, all of his fans were shocked and rushed to see if there was any way he could stay. After all, for many, he has hosted the channel since they were very young and has provided entertainment like no other. 

It was like their favorite show was airing its last season.

MatPat has made it clear many times that this is NOT the end for the channels; rather, they will be headed by new faces. MatPat would just not be at the center of them anymore.

He also clarified that his channels are not run solely by himself anymore. A team of dedicated scriptwriters, editors, filmers, and others still helps him create the videos.

Selected for those teams are four individuals who will take over the channels, and each have their share of the theory pie. Simply put, the four channels will find themselves under new management and will continue to produce videos, just without the friendly face of Matpat.

MatPat went on to talk about how he has become tired of all the work he has been through and has concluded, with his wife, that it seemed like the right time to end his legacy.

Eventually, the day reached YouTube and thus the “MatPat’s FINAL Theory!” was posted. A video that no one, and everyone was ready for.

So, what does MatPat do for his final video? Well, it’s another game theory of course. Except, it’s not in the way you might think.

He decided to pitch one final theory on “How to WIN EVERYTHING In The World!” and basically explained the four steps to become a better person and a better player at the same time.

The four steps were to lead with trust, don’t be a pushover, be forgiving, and to be honest. Four amazing steps that will not only better yourself as a player in this weird game of life, but also as a human being.

Many people have gone on to talk about how MatPat has raised them and that he has taught so many key values and virtues to all of his viewers. He expresses this greatly in his last theory.

He finishes the video by thanking all his coworkers and all of us, his loyal theorists and viewers.

“We all won. Look at this thing we managed to build together.” 

The effect of Game Theory and Mattew Patrick will stay with us forever and will hopefully continue to inspire creative minds and make better people out of all of us.

But hey! In the wise words of MatPat and his team, “That’s just a theory.”