Games

6 YouTube rising stars you should be watching in 2018

These gaming channels deserve to gain a big following over the next 12 months.

Written by Jack Yarwood

4 min readPublished on 10.01.2018 · 11:54 UTC

From funny videos to entertaining let's plays and informative documentaries, we enjoyed great gaming content on YouTube last year from some popular creators, including JarradHD, KittyKatGaming and NoClip.

However, there are more amazing let’s players and creators who deserve to be seen by a wider audience in 2018. If you're looking for something fresh to watch, check out our list of YouTube Gaming’s rising stars. It showcases the brilliant work being done by smaller creators on the platform, and highlights those YouTubers on the brink of much bigger success.

1. Rich Leigh

Rich Leigh has been active on YouTube for a while, but he’s been producing some of his finest videos of late. On his channel, he covers games like FIFA 18 and PES 2018, examining some of the myths around the two titles and experimenting with different formations and tactics.

Like our Red Bull Gaming Youtuber of 2017, JarradHD, Leigh demonstrates how versatile you can be while making videos in the sports simulation category. He doesn’t follow trends and tries out new ideas rather than copying what’s working elsewhere on YouTube.

Of course, if you’re simply looking to watch some career mode videos, he has you covered there too. Go check out his channel - you won’t regret it.

YouTube channel: Rich Leigh

2. Liam Robertson

Liam Robertson is a YouTuber and games journalist. He first came to our attention through his work as a researcher for Unseen64, but has since gained popularity on his own channel for his independent reports on unreleased games and his tremendous access to insider info.

One of his most notable feats was reporting on Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle way ahead of its announcement by Ubisoft and Nintendo, but he’s also explored topics like Mass Effect Andromeda’s controversial animations and Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite’s strange character models.

His channel is always extremely informative, so why not subscribe so you don’t miss out on any of his scoops?

YouTube channel: Liam Robertson - Game History Guy

3. Cobanermani456

If you’re a fan of Sonic and Mario, then you should definitely be paying attention to Cobanermani456. He’s built up quite a loyal community over on the platform by covering new releases from both Sega and Nintendo. He also occasionally checks out cool mods and fan games based on the two separate franchises.

His videos are always of the highest quality and really benefit from his warm personality and his energetic commentary style.

Last year was a fantastic one for his channel. We’re excited to see how he raises the bar again in 2018.

YouTube channel: Cobanermani456

4. Bear vs. Grenade

Without a doubt the smallest channel on this list, Bear vs. Grenade is a project that was started by husband and wife Andrew and Elle Osili-Wood.

They make a range of videos, including news round-ups, interviews, and features. This is in addition to great coverage of events like Gamescom, EGX, and PlayExpo.

Reasons to subscribe include their marvellous hosting skills and the incredible production value they’ve achieved in such a small space of time. We really can’t wait to see what they come up with in 2018. They’re one of the platform’s hidden gems.

YouTube Channel: Bear vs. Grenade

5. Mischa Crossing

Another smaller channel, Mischa Crossing is creating a following for her coverage of lifestyle games, such as The Sims 4, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and Stardew Valley. Her commentary style is laidback and casual, making her videos perfect for putting on at the end of the day and relaxing to.

She’s also constantly engaging with her audience, letting them suggest games that she might be interested in and submit towns for her to visit in her Animal Crossing save.

That’s not all. If you’re looking for more mature coverage, she streams over on Twitch, too. Here, the videos are targeted at more grown-up viewers, showcasing a wider range of games.

Last year, she started to focus full-time on making video content online, and it really shows. Her channel has grown magnificently over the last year and is bound to attract even more attention in the year ahead.

YouTube channel: Mischa Crossing

6. Angory Tom

Angory Tom is best known for being one of the editors over at the Yogscast, but he’s also recently started his own channel. Here he covers indie games, commentating over them with his dry wit.

He’s also occasionally joined by Simon Lane, the co-founder of the Yogscast. These collaboration videos usually result in hilarious off-topic conversations and amusing anecdotes.

His channel is relatively small, but it’s as deserving of your time as any of the other Yogscast members. His delivery is always funny, and his content is extremely varied. Go and subscribe!