10. Yammy (4.15M Subscribers)
Yasmin Uddin started as a Minecraft creator, playing with other Minecraft creators who were similar in style. She then grew in popularity after playing the 100 baby challenge in The Sims 4, which set the stage for the content she would continue to create over the next 10 years.
Yasmin posts content for casual and story/sim gamers, including The Sims, dating games, Roblox, and Gacha Life. A lot of the content is reacting to the storylines of these games, and this appeals greatly to young female audiences in particular. In the 90s we had soap operas and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the internet age, it’s Gacha Life. Fantasy, role-play, drama and romance are the ingredients in this melting pot of bingeable content, and it has worked really well for Yasmin.
Though viewership has dropped in recent times, Yasmin is dedicated to the story-based content, and clearly genuinely enjoys it. She also capitalises on her popularity on other platforms such as TikTok, where she posts real life and fun, short videos.
9. The Yogscast (7.08M Subscribers)
Beginning life as Lewis Brindley and Simon Lane’s YouTube channel, The Yogscast is now a family of streamers and content creators working together on various projects, including the channel that started over 15 years ago as a way of showcasing Simon’s sense of humour. The channel now hosts content featuring various members together in games such as GTA V, Gary’s Mod TTT, and other online multiplayers. Viewership has dropped dramatically as the evolution of content and audiences has changed so much, but the longevity of the business is down to passionate creators and the need for a platform where they can work together and support one another.
The highlights of the channel’s history are in its Minecraft map playthroughs and tutorials on Minecraft mods. These videos have reached multiple millions of views, and paved the way for the business to grow, run out of a big office, create merchandise, and even organise its own convention. The reason to still watch lies in the cast members and their rapport with each other. Gone are the role-playing characters, and in are the genuine reactions and funny back and forth.
8. Daz Games (8.54M Subscribers)
Daz started as a Vine star, and quickly capitalised on his popularity by creating a gaming channel, doing let’s play videos of various popular games. However, as the years have gone on, the content has adapted to reaction videos, including gaming content, and various indie horror games - much like Markiplier in the US.
These days, Daz is well-known and followed for his controversial, adult content, including reactions to politically incorrect memes and videos, and violent and scary video games. He also vlogs occasionally, and has recently started visiting supposedly haunted locations. His content is popular for very different reasons than the other channels on this list, but the content appeals to various audiences looking for shock factor and escapism. Daz is certainly not the only creator of this type, but for being UK based, he is certainly the most popular here.
Daz hits a target audience of older viewers, as well as younger ones curious about the clickbait titles. It’s the best way to continue growing the channel, and Daz agrees that children should be protected from content such as his, and actively campaigns for this.
7. TommyInnit (14.8M Subscribers)
Tommy hit fame and fortune on YouTube and Twitch over the pandemic years, and though it may seem as though he was an overnight sensation, it took years of content creation and finding his unique selling point to get there. Despite being only 19 years old, Tommy has had YouTube accounts since he was 10, and has learned the craft.
Tommy grew in popularity thanks to the Hypixel Skyblock gamemode on Minecraft, where he took his audience through finding and crafting special items, and played pranks on his friends who were there with him. Associating with other Minecraft content creators helped Tommy gain more of a following, and the fans clearly love his delivery and editing style.
Tommy is unapologetically himself, and often trolls during streams and playthroughs. This means his content is not for everyone, but it certainly has an appeal for young Gen Zs and Gen Alphas who seek fast-paced and slapstick content.
6. Syndicate (9.62M Subscribers)
Tom Cassell started as a gaming video creator, doing let’s play videos of shooter games like CoD and Halo. Building a steady following more and more over the years, Tom moved away from gaming content recently and has been travelling the world with his partner and child, filming vlogs for his other channel.
Tom has faced controversy and cancellation by fans in recent years, due to the famous CSGO Lotto scam, as well as some other allegations, but there are many more fans and followers who look past these and see Tom as a kind and open creator, who has always put himself in front of his fans - both on camera and at events. Tom will often attend conventions as if he is a punter, and never listens to security or liaison. I know this firsthand, having worked at his signing table at the Insomnia Festival many years ago. It’s this interaction and enthusiasm that has helped and pushed him as a well-loved creator.
Though Tom doesn’t post as much gaming content, his videos are still viewed by a dedicated audience, and it’s clear that games will always be a part of his life. The next gaming video is never too far away.
5. LDShadowLady (7.15M Subscribers)
31-year-old Lizzie is better known as LDShadowLady, and has been on YouTube making gaming videos for over 12 years. She posts videos in regular batches, depending on what she’s been able to capture, and mostly focuses on Minecraft, though she has played many other titles such as The Sims, Roblox, and many one off plays of cute and funny titles.
Cleverly, she first captured the attention of audiences and fans by making short clips and playthrough videos that were visually appealing. Lizzie made good use of branding and thumbnail design to market what she was doing, and this has carried through to this day. Whilst the uploads are not as regular, Lizzie still has a massive appeal thanks to her kind and excitable personality, as well as plenty of RP mixed with glimpses of her real life.
In a male-dominated industry, Lizzie appeals to the casual gamer, and those who want some feminine energy. She is clever and funny, and can easily handle harder games, but chooses to focus on the more relaxed and wholesome side of video games, which means she has kept her audiences hooked for over a decade.
4. Vikkstar123 (7.61M Subscribers)
Vikram is well-known across multiple disciplines, so much so that his personal YouTube channel has tons of followers by itself. Most well-known as a founding member of Sidemen, Vikram has capitalised on the popularity of Esports, pranks, branding, gaming, challenges, and music to create a platform he can use as he wants to, whilst also being part of many other ventures.
Vikram’s channel posts a mix of content mostly based on video games with friends, but also content related to Sidemen (trying products, or behind the scenes), and also personal updates including his new house and recent marriage. Most recently, Vikram has posted music content, clearly hoping to push this passion. He has DJ’d sets at Ministry of Sound - one of the UK’s biggest electronic music platforms.
The mix of interesting content means that Vikkstar’s fans are always getting something new, and the production values are some of the best possible from a YouTube channel. Vikram has clearly invested well into his ventures and it’s great to keep up to date with all of these.
3. Grian (8.49M Subscribers)
Charles Batchelor uses the Irish name for Sun for his YouTube channel. He has been creating Minecraft content almost exclusively for nearly 10 years, including builds, tutorials, and maps. He also has several long plays using various modpacks, and plays with others as well as solo.
Charlie’s warm and mild speaking voice means that his content is perfect for relaxing with and playing along to. New video content is uploaded very regularly and can be easily binged, meaning that Charlie has a steady viewer count, much higher than a lot of other creators on this list. Charlie has a great, friendly nature, and talks openly about some aspects of his personal life which are relatable and realistic. This keeps the interest of his target audience. Charlie is like a comforting mug of tea, and fans do not want him to change.
Charlie is clearly an expert Minecraft builder and creator. Even when he started the channel, it was to showcase these skills, and it quickly expanded his viewership. Collaborating with other Minecraft players that are also popular has meant that the community is broad and full of companionship. It’s very appealing, and long may it continue.
2. Ali-A (18.9M Subscribers)
Alastair, or Ali, has been creating Fortnite content for over 5 years, though he was also making popular gaming content before focusing on the battle royale giant. He was even given a Guiness World Record for having the most popular CoD channel. Known for his breakdowns of new features and mods in gaming - both hardware and software - Ali made his mark on the YouTube gaming community by jumping on trends and creating buzz.
Clickbait and brash content is what people see when they visit Ali’s channel, but his delivery isn’t overtly obnoxious like some other channels. It’s very quick in pace, and Ali speaks fast over the videos. This appeals well to the younger audiences, and those that are interested in challenges on Fortnite. However, he explains things clearly, and never oversteps into arrogance. His content is genuinely helpful, but it’s clearly not for everyone.
Ali has done a great job of using trends and branding to get as big as he is, though the viewing figures have fallen over recent years. With his other YouTube ventures into more family-friendly content and merchandise, it’s not such a problem. Ali has other channels for more specialised content, including with his young family, Minecraft, and a specific CoD channel, which seems like he knows who his various target audiences are. This means longevity.
1. DanTDM (28.6M Subscribers)
It’s well-known that Dan is virtually unrivalled as the most popular UK YouTuber due to his subscriber count and consistent content. He started out making review and playthrough videos of Minecraft content, declaring that the game was full of new updates daily, and it made for a really exciting stream of ideas. Though he doesn’t make so much Minecraft content these days, Dan still maintains a strong following, including many fans who have grown up watching his content over the last 12 years.
Despite more of a mix of gameplay and other uploads, Dan still maintains his TDM moniker - an acronym for The Diamond Minecart - which is a clear reference to his roots. However, Minecraft seems to have been overtaken in popularity on his channel by other games that younger audiences really enjoy, such as FNAF, Roblox, and Fortnite. By keeping the content trendy, Dan’s popularity continues to thrive, and new, young fans are drawn in via his reputation. Dan is highly marketable as a wholesome, fun, and safe YouTube star for young audiences to look up to, and whilst it’s hard to maintain an image like that, Dan chooses to do so, which is a very rare thing for YouTube.
Dan has accolades and earnings worthy of his status as one of the most popular YouTube stars in the world - not just from the UK - and though he has spoken recently about his future away from the public eye, his legacy will endure through his other talents in music creation, voice acting, and writing.
