For those less acquainted with the channel and myself, I wanted to share a post touching on Shmuptopia, what it's about, where things are going, and some of the things I'm currently working on behind the scenes.
When I first discovered the Shmup genre in 2018, I had no idea how much it would impact my life. What started as an interest in the games very quickly became an all-consuming passion that ultimately changed my life in many ways.
I created Shmuptopia because I wanted a place to share my passion and enthusiasm with others. At the time, my previous Nintendo Switch variety channel was rapidly becoming Shmup-dominated - so giving these games the dedicated space they deserved made the most sense.
While Shmuptopia was an excellent outlet for the first few years, my approach to running the channel was casual, lacked focus and greater purpose, and my videos didn't provide much quality (or value) during that time. It was more or less a boatload of first-look style videos with a sprinkling of other things.
At one point, I was even on the verge of discontinuing the channel because I had no clear direction in mind and wasn't even really sure who I was serving.
Then, one day, I thought to myself, the channel has grown to around 300 subscribers, and that happened without ever really applying myself. What could I accomplish and contribute if I'm in this 100 percent?
That's when I had a turnaround. I decided to zero in on a few primary things I felt most drawn to.
One of these things was a gaping hole in the community that I immediately recognized when I first got into the genre: the complete and utter lack of focus on and exploration of mindset and openly sharing inner experience. While I didn't buckle down on producing this sort of material right away, it was often in my mind with this newfound sense of purpose.
However, what I did start right away was an in-depth look at Vasara, and when all was said and done, the analysis video was nearly 30 minutes and covered virtually every detail you can imagine. I did this because I love going deep. When you immerse yourself to such a degree, you experience the true nature of something.
Another thing I noticed about the community was the extreme focus on gameplay uploads and little else. Commentaries felt almost non-existent. I recognized the value of sharing run-related information and experience and eventually began commentating my clears.
The viewer feedback was overwhelmingly positive and confirmed what I had known was sorely lacking in the arcade shooting game sphere. The guide videos I started making were also a big hit among supporters.
That's a taste of how things started. And here we are today.
Over the last few years, things have undergone various evolutionary phases I never could have imagined in those early days, and I'm thankful that I chose to keep going.
We've built up a small community that doesn't just focus on the games but the players and the journey itself. Some of what we explore are the experiences we go through, the mindset needed to understand and overcome interior or exterior challenges, and how we can align ourselves with a path that nurtures growth.
Through guides, commentaries, Meet the Player interviews, Coffee & Shmups topics, and a dip into controllers, I strive to inspire and help empower others to explore the Shmup experience more deeply and tap into their true potential.
That brings me to this moment. I want to take things further and provide something extra for those who want to go beyond the channel's typical operations and begin integrating with Shmuptopia as it continues to grow and evolve.
I've put together a simple 2-piece tier system for those who want to support Shmuptopia financially while getting something in return.
For $3/month, you become a Casual member. This means your name will be included in all relevant videos because I want you to be recognized for your contribution.
For $5/month, you become a Plugged In member and gain access to an exclusive video each month.
These exclusives will cover a wide range of things, including Coffee & Shmups - Dark Roast Edition episodes, gameplay analyses of other players' clears, Meet the Player Bonus Segments, other arcade games, and more.
There's a ton on the go right now!
I'm still working on my book while also putting together an advanced tutorial series called "Beyond the 1CC", and I have more developer Q&As to share, to name a few of the projects.
These things require considerable time and energy to create, but with numerous people expressing how much they value what we've built, I want to continue nurturing this space where people feel right at home.
Bit by bit, your continued support will allow me to serve you more fully. I'll be able to set aside more time to keep doing what I'm most passionate about and continue growing the channel so that you can enjoy everything from in-depth resources and engaging interviews to inspirational chats and everything else.
So, if you want to infuse your days with more of what Shmuptopia has to offer, that's stellar; you have my utmost gratitude, and I cannot thank you enough for your support.
Thanks for reading, and we'll talk soon.