YouTube Star Jacksepticeye on Thankmas 2024, His New Video Game, Breaking Into TV and Film and What ‘Retiring’ Would Even Look Like

As a seasoned content creator myself, I can truly appreciate the journey that Jacksepticeye has been on. His 12-year tenure on YouTube is no small feat, and it’s fascinating to see how his perspective has evolved over time. From the burnt-out creator yearning for retirement, to the rejuvenated artist eager to explore new creative horizons – Jack’s journey mirrors the ever-changing landscape of the digital content world.

It’s great news: On Friday, popular gaming personality and YouTube creator Sean William McLoughlin, famously known as Jacksepticeye, launched the newest version of his yearly charity event called Thankmas.

With numerous online celebrities participating, the fundraising drive surpassed $280,333.54 towards Crisis Text Line, reaching more than half of McLoughlin’s $1 million target for the 2024 show within an hour and a half of the live broadcast.

Prior to embarking on his most significant venture of the year, McLoughlin held a discussion with EbMaster regarding his aspirations for his YouTube channel’s future, additional endeavors he envisions for his Jacksepticeye brand, and whether he is still pondering retirement within the next couple years.

What are your goals for Thankmas this year?

We’re following a similar structure to last year’s event, but this time we’ll be broadcasting live simultaneously. The success of the previous format encouraged us to continue with it. However, we encountered some timing issues and were still finding our feet during the first attempt. Now, we have a clear plan for what the show will entail, focusing on games, guest appearances, and anything else that promises fun for our viewers. Our goal isn’t to continually expand the event each year; instead, we aim to ensure its stability and the ability to raise significant funds. As long as there are no major mishaps that hinder us, I’m content with how things turn out.

What can you say about your first video game, “The Overnight Watch,” that you are working on right now?

The project is set within a self-created universe, infused with an “Observation Duty”-like element. Its structure and format resemble “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” yet it focuses more on atmosphere, emotions, and world building rather than solely on game mechanics and narrative. Our aim is to expand this universe and offer insights into its backstory.

Do you have a launch date set?

Not yet. I was just glad that we were able to get the teaser up on Halloween. It’s very hard to make video games now. I completely understand why nobody says when their game is coming out, or they say it’s coming out, but it’s in two years, because it just takes a really long time. Even to make a small game.

What content do you want to do outside of your own videos and now gaming? Would you like to try TV or film?

I’m keen on exploring various forms of media and I’m particularly drawn to creating an audio story where the narrative is conveyed solely through sound. There are many examples of this today, especially with the growth of audiobooks. I find myself intrigued by the concept of storytelling without visual aids and think it’s a fascinating idea. While I’d also like to work on a TV show or movie at some point, those seem difficult to break into due to their high costs and barriers to entry. However, with the right idea, I could be convinced to dive into these projects. We have several ideas that we might develop, but only time will tell.

What genres would appeal to you most for projects?

I think horror and sci-fi. Fantasy is also something that I’m really into, but that’s more in the novel and game space. But I would love to do something horror/sci-fi, kind of crossover tand blend that genre. I mean, there’s a ton of them already. Being a fan of “Dark” and “Lost,” I feel like TV shows like that are exactly the type of stuff that I would like to make. It would probably end up being a lot worse, because those are geniuses at the top of the craft, but it’s just a cool thing. I miss when TV shows were kind of like that, because “Lost” came out, and I was such a theorizer, and I’d go online and go to forums, and I remember the water-cooler moments of every week. And these days, you kind of just get everything thrown at you at once, and then everyone’s rushing to watch it, because no one wants to be left behind. And I miss that sort of old-school format.

What are your plans for the upcoming years, and will you continue producing the type of content you currently upload on YouTube?

Earlier this year, I made a video because many YouTubers were retiring, and I thought I might have only two years left. However, I was also feeling burnt out with everything I was doing. But since then, declaring my intentions helped me go easier on myself, and viewers understanding that my channel has an expiration date made a difference. Initially, the thought of a timer seemed frivolous, but now I’m enjoying it more than before. I want to focus on the core aspects and things I’m genuinely passionate about, rather than taking on too much and producing subpar content. However, I still enjoy creating videos, playing games, interacting with people, and experiencing their reactions. So I plan to continue doing this for a while since it’s an incredible job that allows me to play video games all day. I don’t want to undervalue or lose this opportunity any time soon.

What do you think retirement would look like for a creator?

It seems like you’re pondering over the term ‘creator’ and its connotations, viewing it as a process of making things rather than just uploading content consistently. When people retire from this line of work, they often wish to engage in different activities. However, instead of retiring entirely, you seem to be transitioning your focus.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2024-12-07 00:20