Content creators and YouTube “Stars” have been around ever since the inception of the platform in 2005, but times have changed, and so has the community. Introducing: Karnage Clan

There was a simpler time, one where commentary’s over a five to ten minute standard definition recording of gameplay from Call of Duty, or the flavour of the month, would be met with thousands upon thousands of views and ratings. Alas, everything has an expiration date. The community became stale, and creators fought to maintain their viewership with more creative and inspired content. The answer lied with some of the more talented gamers of the generation, and thus .. montages were born.

It wouldn’t be long however before even the flashy editing and hard rock music would become once again redundant. Sure, people still loved to see skilled players do insane “trickshots” with a sniper rifle and a throwing knife, but the community yearned for more. There was an itch, one that wasn’t being scratched. A community of hundreds of thousands, and yet.. content creators still felt isolated from the real world.

Along come content creation teams. A space in which multiple creatives and aspiring YouTuber’s can share the love of entertainment. These teams would forge the path for not only already established creators, but also those who seek “family” feeling provided by a group of people who share the same enthusiasm for a craft that they do. It began with teams such as FaZe Clan and OpTic but there focus was on the eSports side of Call of Duty.

Today, instead, we look at a team that prides itself on the feeling of “family” and community that it brings to the space. It’s not just about the views, the followers and the fame, but about the people it brings together. Whether that be new team members, or those who follow them. Through community events such as “Recruitment Challenges” – in which users are encouraged to submit their most creative and entertaining work, in order to be considered for joining the team, and partnering with brands such as; Scuf; Respawn; KontrolFreek and GFUEL, this extraordinary group of creators is taking the medium by storm.

Their name is KARNAGE Clan, and we were lucky enough to sit down with a few of their longest running and most influential members in order to understand more about them, and why content creation teams really are the future of entertainment. We wanted to know more about why KARNAGE is different to the already established teams mentioned above and how teams help creators find a footing in an already saturated and done-to-death space like YouTube.

In order to find out more about the latter, we spoke to Call of Duty YouTuber eColiEspresso, a member of KARNAGE Clan, to find out his thoughts.

” As a creator, KARNAGE Clan has in the past done a tremendous amount for me. From giving me my first larger scale audience to broadcast myself to back in the early days to opening avenues for business relationships that even to this day have proven to be some of my most valuable takeaways from my entire time on social media platforms, there’s no shortage of what the organization, people like Apollo and all those involved have done for me. Now as a co-owner of the organization, I think that it’s my responsibility to keep growing the organization, networking with industry professionals so that I can in turn give those same opportunities to those who are in the position that I was years ago. I ideally strive to see everyone succeed. “

There’s no shortage of what the organization has done for me

In Espresso’s words, KARNAGE has given him the ability to open new business relationships early on, and providing invaluable advice and assistance when building a personal brand. From humble beginnings, Espresso has proved himself worthy of passing on that knowledge to those who follow in his footsteps. There is no doubt that without KARNAGE, Espresso’s journey may have been very different. But the question still remains – where do these organisations fit into the world of entertainment, and how does that benefit the community as a whole, rather than just individual creators. Luckily, we have the answer.

” I see organizations like KARNAGE fitting into the content creation space much more in the future. I think that organizations of likeminded individuals are always important but in a space where digital content creation is often a new frontier, pioneers of that space can be better suited in numbers for a few reasons. One being that people can rally around a sense of community. It’s relatable, it’s raw and it’s believable to see groups of friends simply having fun doing what they love to do, together. It’s not scripted, it’s not fabricated, it’s just real and I think that resonates with viewers. As well, that sense of community helps all those involved. A friend of mine always says it and I think it’s a great analogy, that a rising tide rises all ships. If KARNAGE, or any other organization has rising stars, that in turn rises all those around them. It’s a communal effort to grow and expand *together*. Even from a business aspect, the lesser seen, financial side of content creation, what can make a hobby into a career, there is power in numbers. Brands seek organizations for the collective, they recognize that a package deal in a lot of cases can be beneficial to all parties involved, even down to the individual creators. From all aspects, the genuine nature of the content to the proper business outlooks, I think organizations will only continue to rise and prove to be a staple in the future of digital content creation “

It’s not scripted, it’s not fabricated, it’s just real

The main takeaway from this is that content created between a group of real friends having fun in a space that they all love and exude passion for is real, and that’s what viewers crave. All too often the internet is spilling with content that seems, at it’s core, fake and scripted and ultimately unrelatable. So when you are able to really connect with the people you are watching on your mobile/computer screens, you are entirely more invested in what they have to say.

It does not stop there. We’ve learned a little bit about why KARNAGE is good for the community, and how it can help propel smaller creators to new heights, while bringing people together as a family, and providing relatable content. But how exactly does KARNAGE run as a business, and how does it change the world of influencers and online marketing. And just as importantly, how is running an online business such as this one any different to a business in the real world?

We asked KRNG Thump (Director of Operations) to find out more about how KARNAGE runs as a business.

” There are many differences and similarities. I would have to say the biggest difference is “reach and impact”. As a leader of an org the decisions we make and direction we lead impact it’s members, staff, community and customers. In my other businesses this is limited to the local population and surrounding areas. With an online organization like KARNAGE the reach is truly global and the potential is phenomenal. We have a collective monthly reach that allows us to be a top level producer for all of our partner companies. The numbers just keep getting bigger each month and with them so does our potential impact. The biggest difference between KRNG and my other businesses is KRNG has much more potential and it’s just getting started. “

the reach is truly global and the potential is phenomenal

Thump is a businessman through and through, who has built and managed his own successful ventures out in the real world. So what exactly drew him to undertake such a task and bring his skills to the online world?

” I originally got into gaming by playing in solo tournaments and joining GB teams. Eventually this resulted in me getting heavy into Competitive Call of Duty. I joined IPlayCoD because they had great tournaments and a wonderful community that shared my passion for gaming. I fell in love with the IPC brand and the Call of Duty community. I discovered KARNAGE because of their heavy involvement in the CoD community and recognized they shared the constructive attitude that I believe is incredibly important to the development of the community and helping it impact the future of gaming. I joined KARNAGE because I truly believe there is no other organization better positioned to make a positive impact in gaming while being incredibly profitable for itself, it’s members and it’s strategic partners. “

There is no other organization better positioned to make a positive impact in gaming

The main potential of any online business or brand is reach. Millions of users browse Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube every single day and in the world of marketing it’s all about how many eyes you can get on your particular brand. The important thing to note here is that KARNAGE is not one entity, each member of KARNAGE has their own following, forever expanding their online influence and reach with each new addition to the team.

But there’s still one thing missing. There is one value that, as we mentioned, KARNAGE really prides itself upon – family and positive change in the community. So exactly how do they go about this?

We asked KRNG Dexb0t (social media manager) to find out how KARNAGE uses it’s influence to push positive change within the community, either via it’s end-users or the actual developers themselves.

” Overall we are all extremely passionate about growing our brand, as well as the community that supports us. We provide content to the community regarding news/information around the games we play, tips and tricks for said games, and for entertainment purposes. We also use feedback from our viewers, and the community to provide feedback and tips to gaming developers. The majority of our mindset when it comes to using feedback to be constructive. Offering to help with solutions, to solve the problem, or to assist people in understanding why some things, may be the way they are. In life, there will always be topics of discussion that people won’t see eye-to-eye on, but sometimes with a little bit of conversation, we can sometimes understand a reason for something’s existence. Constructive criticism will always take you further than being negative. “

Constructive criticism will always take you further than being negative.

In summary, KARNAGE Clan is a positive force for change in the online community. Working with viewers and developers alike in order to create a space that everyone can feel involved, respected, and valued. Social media can be toxic, but with a community like the one KARNAGE has managed to build, you’ll always have people you can turn to. A real online family.

We’d like to thank; KARNAGE Clan; Dexb0t; THUMP3R; Apollo; Espresso and all KARNAGE members for their support in writing this article, and taking time to answer our burning questions. On the behalf of everybody at IPlayCOD, thank you for what you do. We wish you the absolute best.

If you’d like to know more about KARNAGE Clan, you can find their channels in the links above. And if you’re a fan of GFUEL it may be worth noting that as of TODAY, the new KRNG x GFUEL shaker cup is available in limited quantities, get yours now: KARNAGE Shaker Cup – Use code “KARNAGE” for 30% off your order while the stocks last!

While you’re still here, make sure to check out the IPlayCOD social media channels listed at the bottom of the page, and drop me a follow over on twitter @Laezur.