Popularity in gaming has its variety, all depending on the games these creators play and publish. There are storytellers, ranked players, strategy nerds, roleplayers, and creators with their channels structured like whole TV shows. So, let’s dive deep into 21 gaming creators worth following in 2026.
1. Markiplier
We’re starting with one of the pillars of the gaming community, who started their journey in May of 2012. Markiplier is an American gaming channel that currently holds over 38M subscribers. The stats approximated by VidIQ alone tell an interesting story:
Beyond YouTube and his gaming content, Mark is known for his philanthropic nature, often hosting charity live streams and fundraisers over the years. Notably, and most often, his charity efforts focus on cancer research in honor of his father. On January 30, 2026, he is also set to release a feature film adaptation of the indie horror game Iron Lung.
But what about his YouTube career? Simply put: it’s up and thriving. You can find a variety of gaming videos suited for any taste and target audience, although Markiplier does concentrate more of his efforts on horror and thriller games. His latest Silent Hill series gets over 6M views on average.
What about the Memberships? As a lot of gaming YouTubers have it, Markiplier has Memberships enabled, where he offers loads of tiered perks:
Since he runs several businesses and earns more than enough from his YouTube page, he doesn’t take brand deals often, which means there aren’t a lot of affiliates he has under his belt.
2. Mikecrack
Moving right onto the pride of the Spanish gaming community, Mikecrack, who started their journey in February of 2016 and now holds the title of the most subscribed YouTuber from Spain (and is in the top 100 most subscribed channels overall). This creator usually dedicates his attention to the most prominent and popular games, such as Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox. That reflects in his approximate stats:
Beyond being known for his gaming content, he also thrives in humor, creating skits and parodies of popular songs, such as Despacito.
His YouTube channel is entirely in Spanish, with some videos garnering millions of views and interest worldwide. His channel tries to make a break for the international community, which is why every single video has an auto-translation feature enabled for English speakers.
What about Memberships, affiliates, and brand deals? Well, the Membership feature is available and open with only one tier and perks as follows:
He often participates in brand deals with gamers in mind. He never promotes something he personally doesn’t use or dislikes, which is why his channel has high levels of trust among his audience.
3. DanTDM
Another ‘grandpa’ of YouTube is DanTDM, who started his journey back in 2012, long before Minecraft content became its own industry. Today, he sits comfortably among the most influential gaming creators, with around 29M subscribers. And the approximate numbers reflect his success:
Beyond his gaming videos and beyond his YouTube career, DanTDM is known for releasing one of the best-selling children’s books and launching several live shows.
What about Memberships? Well, this feature is enabled on his page, offering a simple, accessible tier structure with the following perks:
Dan doesn’t aggressively push affiliate links. You won’t find constant gear codes or storefronts in his descriptions. The same goes for his brand deals, because he is extremely selective about partnerships. When they appear, he makes sure they’re family-friendly and cleanly integrated into his content.
4. Jacksepticeye
Another highly recognizable face of the YouTube gaming community is Jacksepticeye, who launched his channel back in 2012. Now, over a decade later, he has 31M subscribers and a loyal fanbase that followed him through multiple personal and creative evolutions. It’s all in the numbers:
Jack’s real strength is in the relationship he’d built with his audience over the years. His content evolved and escalated from pure game-related videos to mental-health discussions, documentaries, interviews, and even some personal reflections. Beyond YouTube, Jack often participates in charities, raising millions for good causes, has businesses, and continues to be a positive influence in the creator world.
While still majorly rooted in gaming, Jack’s channel has it all for everyone. There are high-profile game releases, indie horror, story-driven titles, one-off experiments, and creative side projects.
Does he have Memberships enabled? The answer is yes! His Memberships (for a small price) offer fans custom badges, emotes, and community-based perks.
When it comes to affiliates and brand deals, he doesn’t aggressively push either on his gaming channel. When products are mentioned, they’re typically tied to his own brands or long-term partnerships. His sponsorships are selected carefully, given the type of popularity and influence he holds in the creator’s world.
5. LazarBeam
LazarBeam started his journey in 2014, initially uploading low-budget, deadpan gameplay videos that looked nothing like the hyper-produced gaming content dominating the platform at the time. Fast forward to today, and he’s sitting at 23M subscribers. Numbers don’t lie:
His brand is closely associated with a popular game Fortnight and it remains his main content path. However, his content isn’t merely gameplay; it’s also challenge videos, memes, and event-style uploads. His channel is considered so popular, in fact, that his joining FaZe Clan (e-sports pro team) in 2020 made headlines outside the gaming bubble. Even more than that, he appeared in Fortnite in-game events, and even has his own skin inside the game.
LazarBeam doesn’t aggressively promote his YouTube Memberships. They’re turned on, but they aren’t a core monetization pillar. However, he does offer these perks in his Memberships:
His affiliate marketing is minimal and usually Fortnite-related. You won’t find gear pushes or creator codes dominating his descriptions. He’s highly selective about the people he works with, and if he takes brand deals, he designs the integrations in a way to enhance the video.
6. Jess No Limit
A Southeast Asian (Indonesian) defining gaming channel success story - Jess No Limit, who started his channel in 2017. He grew rapidly in Indonesia and quickly became the country’s most influential gaming creator, with over 54M subscribers and a presence that goes far beyond YouTube. Now, let’s look at the numbers:
Jess No Limit built his foundation on a game that has enormous reach across Southeast Asia, but is often overlooked in Western creator circles - Mobile Legends. Early on, his content focused on skill-based gameplay, strategies, and clear tutorials, all of which earned him credibility. Nowadays, his channel includes tutorials, lifestyle content, vlogs, challenges, and collaborations.
Outside YouTube, he’s built a strong Instagram and TikTok presence, several business venues, and gathered partnerships across Indonesia. His wedding alone became a national internet moment.
But what about additional revenue streams? Jess No Limit has 4 tiers of YouTube Memberships enabled, each offering unique perks. The most popular one has:
Let’s talk about affiliates, which he promotes quite often. It usually includes mobile gaming things, gaming tech, and includes brands already trusted by his audience. Jess No Limit works with major regional and global brands and prefers long-term partnerships to one-offs. The ad campaigns are usually integrated into his lifestyle content.
7. Fernanfloo
Yet another Spanish-speaking creator among the ones who defined an entire era of YouTube. Fernanfloo started his channel back in 2011, long before the ‘creator economy’ was even a thing, only to build one of the most recognizable gaming brands in the world with almost 50M subscribers. Let’s look at the stats:
His content was never polished in the modern sense. He had always leaned into exaggerated humor and highly expressive reactions. His personality won people over. Many creators from the early 2010s faded because their content was too trend-dependent, while Fernanfloo avoided that trap by rooting everything in character.
It’s also important to note that Fernanfloo doesn’t have YouTube Memberships turned on. He’s considered to be an audience-respectful minimalist. Affiliate links are rare guests on his channel, since for him, monetization was never the core. At his peak popularity, Fernanfloo worked with major brands, but selectively.
8. Total Gaming
If there’s one channel that proved mobile gaming can rival traditional PC and console giants, it’s Total Gaming. Launched in 2018, the channel is run by Ajjubhai, an Indian creator, who had gathered one of the largest gaming audiences on YouTube and now sits at 45M subscribers. Here are the approximate numbers:
Total Gaming’s rise is inseparable from Free Fire, which is the mobile battle royale game that exploded in India, mostly due to its accessibility on lower-end devices. He makes his content algorithm-friendly, highly bingeable, and easy to consume for audiences all over the world. Instead of pivoting the main channel wildly, Ajjubhai expanded through TG Shorts (which also consisted of video highlights) and a secondary experimental channel.
Now, does his channel have Memberships? The short answer is yes, it’s a two-tier system that offers:
Affiliates are limited and usually gaming-related, so we’re talking devices, in-game partnerships, or tools that align with mobile gamers in India. Total Gaming works with major gaming and mobile brands, especially those targeting the Indian market.
9. SSundee
Launched back in 2009, SSundee’s channel predates most of today’s gaming giants. With 25M subscribers, Ian Stapleton has survived algorithm shifts, genre fatigue, and audience turnover. Now let’s look at the numbers:
While SSundee has touched dozens of games over the years, Minecraft is where the channel truly became popular. Back in the day, he was among the creators who reviewed mods, explained how to install them, showed OP items, and created challenges with self-imposed rules.
Does he have Memberships enabled on his channel? The short answer is no. Affiliate links are rare and usually tied to gaming gear, merch, and trusted creator tools. SSundee works with gaming-friendly sponsors and family-safe brands. Integrations are often baked into the video’s tone, which is crucial for younger audiences.
10. VanossGaming
Launched in 2011, Vanoss Gaming sits comfortably above 26M subscribers. That’s a lot, especially for a faceless channel. Most of his videos follow a simple structure, which brings in the numbers:
The extended Vanoss crew created a shared audience pool, and each video from any of their channels feels like dropping into an ongoing sitcom.
Vanoss has YouTube Memberships enabled, but they’re intentionally low-key. Perks usually include:
Just like with almost every gamer channel on the platform, the sponsorships are typically gaming-related, broad, and selective.
11. MiawAug
Launched in 2014, MiawAug has grown into one of Indonesia’s largest gaming creators, with 25M subscribers and a fanbase that spans teens, young adults, and even casual viewers who don’t game regularly. Let’s dive into stats:
MiawAug’s content doesn’t rely on elite gameplay or e-sports-level skill; he focuses on commentary and reactions instead. That makes his content approachable, even for non-gamers. And his Indonesian-language content focus seems more like a perk rather than a limitation, because MiawAug dominates one of the fastest-growing YouTube markets in the world.
Memberships? Of course! And they offer:
There are occasional gaming-related affiliate links that do appear on his channel, but it’s never pushed aggressively. He regularly collaborates with gaming publishers, mobile game developers, and local brands.
12. Aphmau
Where are the girls, you might ask? Here they are. Aphmau, which launched back in 2012 and now sitting at 24M subscribers. Let’s look at the stats:
Her content is mostly based on Minecraft-driven storytelling and roleplay. Her early success came from those series, with many recurring characters and lore. You have everything in here: romance, drama, conflict, cliffhangers. Series like Minecraft Diaries, MyStreet - all of it attracted attention. Her format evolved over the years, but it’s still very much entertaining to watch.
What about alternative monetization? Well, Aphmau has YouTube Memberships enabled, offering the following perks for a single tier:
Since her channel is extremely brand-safe, it unlocks long-term brand partnerships and merch publishing. She rarely does intrusive ads; most integrations are off-platform and product-based.
13. Ali-A
Launched in 2012, Ali-A’s channel has grown into a 20M-subscriber creator. His rise is inseparable from Fortnite, especially his guides (patch breakdowns, weapon and meta explanations, updates, etc.). When Fortnite exploded, Ali-A’s channel followed. Here’s what we see:
Ali-A’s channel is intentionally family-friendly, which is also advertiser-safe. Which means that he often uses brand deals and affiliates as boosters. His affiliate links are common and usually tied to gaming gear, merch, or similar things. He works with major game publishers and hardware brands most of the time.
What about Memberships? Well, they are enabled and offer the next perks:
14. Valkyrae
Launched on YouTube in 2014, Valkyrae now sits at 4M subscribers, but her influence reaches far beyond subscriber count. She’s one of the clearest examples of what happens when a creator stops thinking like a gamer and starts thinking like a media brand. Let’s see the real numbers:
One of Valkyrae’s most defining moves was doubling down on YouTube at a time when most creators chased Twitch. That decision paid off, and her channel became a whole hub. Another defining characteristic of her content is that she didn’t stay boxed into gaming. She expanded into lifestyle, reaction videos, and creative collabs.
What about additional revenue streams? Her YouTube Memberships are enabled with only one tier offering these perks:
Affiliate links tend to focus on gaming setups, special lifestyle products, and creator-specific tools. They’re rare, but since her audience trusts her, her conversion rates remain strong even with minimal promotion. That’s the true power of a fandom!
Similar to other gaming channels, she’s worked with major gaming publishers, beauty brands, and tech companies.
15. TheRadBrad
Launched in 2010, TheRadBrad now holds almost 14M subscribers, built almost entirely on long-form gameplay walkthroughs. There wasn’t a Facecam for most of his career, nor was there any over-editing. No exaggerated reactions, and yet millions of views per video, consistently, for more than a decade. Let’s see how:
On paper, TheRadBrad breaks the modern YouTube rules. There’s minimal editing, long runtimes, and low visual stimulation. However, he delivers what he promises to deliver, and that’s a top-notch walkthrough.
What about alternative monetization? Well, Memberships are enabled on his channel, offering:
Brand integrations are rare, and it’s usually something gaming related, like game publishers, consoles, or new platform launches.
16. The Game Theorists
The Game Theorists is THE channel for intellectual spectacle. The channel was launched back in 2011. As a part of the broader Theory network, the channel grew to almost 20M subscribers by turning games into arguments. And it worked!
The core format here is deceptively simple: theories. From Minecraft physics to FNAF lore, the channel speculates about everything. They are answering questions nobody would even consider asking, questions about math, physics, psychology, and narrative theories.
This is only one of the whole network of other Theory channels. Yup, it’s a whole ecosystem with each vertical reusing the same core principles. The channels don’t offer a Membership option, but all of them work with brands.
The Game Theorists channel usually cooperates with game publishers, education-friendly brands, and tech brands.
17. Grian
With almost 9M subscribers, Grian has gotten the attention and success he wanted from the very start. His channel was launched in 2014 and built on the foundation of Minecraft, which was a stepping stone for many back in the day. Let’s see the numbers:
The early success of this channel came from Minecraft building tutorials in particular, but the real turning point was the HermitCraft series.
Memberships are enabled and offer small community perks:
Now what about brand deals and affiliates? Both are selective and Minecraft-aligned. We’re talking things related to the gaming industry: energy drinks, tech stuff to play with, and so on.
18. TommyInnit
Starting in 2015, TommyInnit’s channel exploded through the very same branch: Minecraft SMP. Nowadays, his channel sits at 15M subscribers. Tommy’s videos usually feel unhinged, but they’re very tightly edited. It works as follows:
The selling point here is his personality. Over the years, his channel grew, evolved, and expanded into other formats. Nowadays, you can find more than just gamer content there. There are vlogs, travelling, commentary, and so much more.
The Memberships are enabled, and offer these perks:
Since Tommy had somewhat quit YouTube, the brand deals are very high-profile, rare, youth-aligned. Affiliates are even rarer for him these days.
19. SypherPK
Launching his channel in 2011, SypherPK built a 10M subscriber base by becoming the creator who explains the ‘why’. His content thrives on Fortnite, especially meta breakdowns, patch analysis, and tactical explanations. Let’s see the stats:
Even more than that, SypherPK successfully crossed into irl content and brand ownership.
Let’s review his monetization snapshot. Memberships? Check. But what about the perks it offers?
Affiliates are there, they’re strong and present, but mostly concerns Fortnite ecosystem, which also includes the gear. He participates in brand deals often, which usually include major publishers, tech brands, or long-term partners.
20. iHasCupquake
Long before Minecraft became an algorithm winner, iHasCupquake was already building a community. Starting in 2010, her channel now has 7M+ subscribers. And the numbers are impressive!
Her content leaned into let’s plays, indie games, minecraft mod shows. Over time, she expanded into lifestyle content, different creative projects, and animations. Family-safe formats were still at the forefront of her channel. Fun fact, this channel was the push needed to create one of the most popular animation YouTubers on the platform!
Memberships are enabled on this channel, and they offer simple one-tier perks:
Brand deals are there, and they usually connect to lifestyle and gaming. Affiliates - carefully integrated (and in video descriptions).
21. LDShadowLady
And the last one on the list - also a Minecraft channel. Launching in 2010, LDShadowLady built 7M+ subscribers through whimsy and wonder (fantasy-inspired Minecraft roleplay series). Lizzie’s content worked because it was instantly recognizable with its pastel palettes and fantasy themes. Let’s look at the numbers:
The membership feature is not enabled on her channel. Both brand deals and affiliates are minimal and highly selective.
The Creator Takeaway
This list reveals a lot of things that most creators miss. First of all, Memberships. Not every single popular channel has them, and if they do, they offer significant perks that can’t be missed. We had an interview with a Membership expert, so you can grab 5 core tips about this strategy here.
If you need help building something like that, we can help you! With over 3,000 channels behind our backs, we can provide you with all the support and needed materials for you to find success in YouTube Memberships.
Secondly, affiliates. Creator codes don’t need massive views; they need trust. When a gaming creator can sell a keyboard, headset, energy drink, or game-related product, it’s because their viewers trust and believe them.
Third, a misconception about ‘brands paying for views’ that many newbie creators believe in. It’s not exactly that in practice. Brands pay for consistent engagement and conversion.
With all of that in mind, you don’t need to be a top-tier gamer to monetize. All you need is an idea and an interesting perspective!
