Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.
This week, a Fortnite legend returns, an Irish gamer rustles up some screams, and a long-running showcase of exemplary digital work rounds out 2025.
Creator commotion
Tfue is back on Twitch. The man born Turner Tenney was an OG Fortnite star, but his streaming career took a backseat as he focused more on non-gaming endeavors. Now, Tfue is back on Twitch. He said he’s “nervous” to resume streaming after going two-and-a-half years without a consistent schedule, but his passion for gaming has been reignited.
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MrBeast plans to offer financial advice on a new channel. During an interview with Jon Youshaei, MrBeast claimed that he wants to help his fans increase their financial literacy. If those videos turn MrBeast’s money-managing fans into customers for his upcoming financial services venture, I’m sure he won’t complain.
The Young Turks’ YouTube channel turns 20. The progressive political organization was YouTube’s first partner channel and an early source of internet-based punditry long before Hasan Piker (a former TYT personality) got big on Twitch. TYT will celebrate 20 years on YouTube with a live event on its website. The festivities will kick off at 8 PM ET on December 22.
Pop culture minute
Jacksepticeye is an executive producer for an indie horror film. Shortly after Markiplier announced the theatrical release date for his film Iron Lung, his buddy Seán McLoughlin announced a horror flick of his own. Godmother, which features a cast of scream queens, will be a thriller set in the woods.
Take a good look, and what do you see? It’s a Dr. Seuss book, partnered with Blippi! Moonbug’s colorful character (portrayed by Stevin John) will celebrate Christmas through an official collab with The Grinch. He’ll invite his friend Meekah to join him for the second phase of the partnership, a Cat in the Hat video that will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. The videos can be found on both the Blippi and Dr. Seuss YouTube channels.
Kinigra Deon has the need for Speed. The creator-turned-independent-showrunner has thrived on Tubi, and her work with the AVOD platform is just beginning. In tandem with Spotter, Deon is bringing Speed to Tubi. The new original series will tell the story of rival street-racing crews in a gritty city setting.
Platform headlines
Vimeo’s “Best of the Year” class is as arty as you’d expect. In a year defined by an ownership change, Vimeo is taking time to celebrate its continued commitment to independent artists. With its Staff Picks, it has traditionally served as an arbiter of digital-age taste, and it carried on that role with its Best of the Year selections for 2025.
TikTok makes its app more accessible. Users who are sensitive to light and sound now have more control over their TikTok experience. Options to turn off High Dynamic Range and reduce motion effects will come in handy for those who suffer from migraines.
Snapchat’s Quick Cut turns your memories into a shareable montage. The app’s new video editing option is powered by Lens and turns existing libraries into a newer, snappier (pardon the pun) format. Quick Cut even syncs its creations with the beat of the background music — can CapCut do that?
The biz
Caleb Hearon inks podcast with Wave. The comedian with a big TikTok following is teaming up with digital entertainment company Wave, which will handle distribution, marketing, and ad sales for Hearon’s podcast So True. The first So True episode under the Wave umbrella premiered on December 18.
TikTok found time during the holiday season to restructure its ecommerce unit. The Black Friday weekend brought massive sales figures to TikTok Shop. To capitalize on those gains, the app is reorganizing its ecommerce and data science teams. One stated reason for the change is to encourage AI-related collaboration between teams.
PrestonPlayz hands over ad sales duties to Studio71. The experienced digital media company will get to work selling ads across the channels in Preston’s The Best Never Rest portfolio. That network reaches 90 million social media followers, including 17 million subscribers on Preston’s namesake YouTube hub.
The internet is a strange place
How did an unaffiliated streamer end up on the White House website? Financial expert Matt Farley says he has no idea why his stream appeared on a section of the website typically reserved for live broadcasts of the President’s addresses. Occam’s razor would suggest that someone in the administration is a fan of Farleys who pushed a button that wasn’t meant to be pushed.
Do we really want to call hockey rinks “boy aquariums”? That’s the nickname used in a TikTok trend that has divided sports fans. Is the meme a tip of the hat to good-looking skaters or a step back for women in sports? And should it be “aquariums” or “aquaria” anyway?
Neal Mohan limits the amount of time his kids spend on social media. The YouTube CEO is one of several tech leaders who understand the mental health risks of excessive social media consumption. It would be great if platforms could limit kids’ access to that sort of material, and we’re all trying to find the people who can do that.
