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Since the advent of social media, content creation has been a huge part of the video game industry, thanks largely to names such as Minecraft. Over the years, the sandbox game series has set the trend for many other franchises to play an active role in content creation.
GEVids is one of the top content creators for Mojang's hit game. In the last six years – three of which have been spent regularly making content – the Asian content creator based in California has grown a following of over five million subscribers on YouTube.
In an exclusive conversation with Sportskeeda's Zachary Roberts, GEVids discussed his content, of which the most popular is likely his "realistic Minecraft" series, the future of the game, and other details.
GEVids and Minecraft: A perfect match
Here are some excerpts from the conversation:
Q: How long have you been playing Minecraft and what got you into it?
Ans: I’ve been playing Minecraft for around 9 years now, and it’s been a huge part of my life. Ever since one of my friends introduced me to the Pocket Edition version of the game, I’ve always been pretty interested due to the sheer amount of things you can do in it.
Q: What made you start creating content?
Ans: The idea of making videos has always been very appealing to me, as I have watched people like DanTDM and PopularMMOs growing up. I created my channel in 2016, but never really started taking it seriously until 2019, which is when TikTok started to grow in popularity.
I downloaded TikTok as a joke, but eventually realized the potential the platform had and gave it a chance, which I’m really thankful for.
Q: What drew you to making real-life Minecraft videos?
Ans: I discovered a realistic Minecraft idea after scrolling through my TikTok feed. The clips were really cool - but were mostly stolen from other YouTube channels.
I knew there had to be a way to make these videos originally, so after a lot of research coupled with finding the right people, we finally managed to pull it off!
Q: Can you describe how you go about making them: From decision-making to execution to finalization?
Ans: After coming up with ideas for each clip, I create a world and start a recording with the Replay Mod. The process is interesting because any realistic elements of the video, (blocks, liquids, or mobs) can’t be placed in the game, but have to be created in a 3D software like Blender.
After recording, I send the footage to my friend David Petratos and he adds realistic elements to the video using Blender, as well as any necessary blocks or mobs.
Depending on the type of simulation, this process can either be really quick or very tedious. In one of the animations we’ve created (Lava vs Warden), we actually had to reanimate the warden from scratch, which took 16 camera angles and a lot of work!
The results definitely paid off, however, and we’re glad that people are enjoying the videos!
Q: What drives you to continue making content, whether in a series such as realistic Minecraft or in general?
Ans: I’m driven to keep creating content because I’m always looking for ways to innovate and improve. Now that I’ve been creating content for a few years, I’ve learned some of the ins and outs of how to come up with an engaging video. I’m definitely way better than when I first started, and I’m always looking to learn more every day!
GEVids and the community he makes content for
Q: What do you like most about the community?
Ans: One thing that I love about Minecraft is how casual the community is compared to those of other games. With esports and competitive gaming being really popular nowadays, it’s refreshing to be a part of a more calm and casual circle.
Q: What is it with the game that excites you the most for the future?
Ans: As of now, I’m super stoked about the new 1.20 update! I love it whenever Minecraft adds new mobs or features because it leads to new things you can do in the game.
Q: Which aspect of the game do you wish hadn’t changed?
Ans: One thing I wish Minecraft didn’t change was the combat system. Although the new combat is fun, I still think the old versions are much better.
Content creation has been a big part of the game's growth and is one of the major reasons it remains popular even today. It was the first game on YouTube, one of GEVid's top platforms, to reach one trillion views.
Content creators like GEVids have certainly played a major role in the success of the largely popular sandbox video game.
