YouTube Officially Announces YouTube Red, Its Paid Subscription Service With Originals From Its Stars

By 10/21/2015
YouTube Officially Announces YouTube Red, Its Paid Subscription Service With Originals From Its Stars

After months of speculation, YouTube has publicized its paid subscription plans. The site’s new service will be titled YouTube Red, it will cost $9.99 per month, and its offerings will include original programs created by prominent members of the YouTube community.

YouTube Red will launch in the US on October 28th, at which point users will be able to try it out for free for a month. Perhaps the biggest draw for the premium service will be the ad-free viewing experience it provides, but the $9.99 subscription will also include access to several of YouTube’s most enticing features, including a few that have been in the works for a long time. Subscribers will gain access to a shiny new YouTube Music app, as well as Google Play Music. YouTube Red users will also be able to download videos and watch them offline, thus making available a feature the video site has talked about for years.

As YouTube has continually stressed, the launch of Red will not affect the site’s basic, ad-supported service. “You’ll still be able to enjoy YouTube, along with the YouTube Kids, Gaming and Music apps free of charge,” reads a YouTube blog post. “But with YouTube Red, you’ll be able to support the people who make your favorite videos while watching what you want, when you want, on any device you want, uninterrupted.”

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Another big part of YouTube Red will be its library of original content. As we expected, several of the YouTube-funded programs announced in April–including The Fine Bros’ satirical comedy Sing It!will be available on Red. In addition, subscribers will gain access to some independently-produced features led by members of the YouTube community, such as Rooster Teeth’s sci-fi film Lazer Team and Lilly Singh’s tour documentary A Trip To Unicorn Island. Finally, YouTube has announced additional original programs, which will also find their way to Red. PewDiePie, for example, will be subjected to real-life adventures in a series called Scare PewDiePie, while Toby Turner will parody his own career in I Am Tobuscus.

Here, courtesy of YouTube, is information about the programming subscribers will find on YouTube Red:

  • Scare PewDiePie: In this reality-adventure series from the creator and executive producers of The Walking Dead at Skybound Entertainment and Maker Studios, experience thrills, chills and laughter as PewDiePie encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favorite video games.

  • Sing It!: From Fine Brothers Entertainment and Mandeville Films comes SING IT!, a scripted comedy that lovingly satirizes the reality singing competitions that have become a centerpiece of pop culture.

  • Lazer Team:  In this feature-length action-comedy from Rooster Teeth and Fullscreen Films, four small-town losers stumble upon an alien ship carrying a mysterious cargo, leading to a battle to save Earth from an all-powerful enemy.

  • A Trip to Unicorn Island: From the team at Astronauts Wanted, this feature-length movie gives fans an extraordinary look inside the life and journey of Lilly Singh as she embarks on a challenging 26-city  global  tour where she has to remember to practice what she preaches: happiness is the only thing worth fighting for.

  • Untitled Joey Graceffa project: In this all-new reality adventure series, Joey Graceffa brings together an ensemble of top YouTubers for a Murder Mystery they’ll never forget. They’ll form alliances to survive, but little do they know that most won’t make it out alive.

  • 360 Project from MatPat of Game Theory: YouTube educator and pop culture expert MatPat from The Game Theorists  invites the audience to come along for the ride in an innovative new series and 360 VR experience.  In each episode Matt explores the real-life science behind popular video games by throwing gamers into the high-stakes scenarios they play through every day, from water jetpacks to haunted pizzerias.

  • Single by 30: In this romantic drama series from Wong Fu Productions and New Form Digital, two high school best friends make a promise to get married if they’re still single at 30. A decade later, with 30 quickly approaching, their attempt at upholding their vow unfolds in unexpected ways. Starring Harry Shum, Jr. and Kina Grannis.

  • Untitled CollegeHumor project: Written by and starring the cast of CollegeHumor, along with special guests, this new anthology series will take a dark and comedic look at the absurdity of Internet culture.

  • Fight of the Living Dead: In an unprecedented social experiment reality show from Alpine Labs, Fight of the Living Dead takes popular YouTube talent and traps them in a frighteningly realistic zombie apocalypse. They must use their instincts and gaming skills to survive as they battle the elements for the ultimate prize of survival.

  • I Am Tobuscus: From the mind of Toby Turner, this scripted comedy explores the world of a self-involved YouTube creator pursuing bigger stardom. The show features original music, and satirizes the hilarious details of being an eccentric, the new-age celebrity.”

Now that details about YouTube’s subscription plans are out in the open, we can start to think about Red’s long-term viability. There will surely be plenty of hubbub surrounding the service once it launches, but a lot of its success will surely hinge on the popularity of the original programs attached to it. The first of those programs will launch early next year.

We’ll share more details on the specifics of YouTube Red as we have them.

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