Videogamedunkey
Jason Gastrow, known online as videogamedunkey, is an American YouTube creator whose blend of sharp comedy and incisive video game criticism has made him one of the platform's most influential cultural commentators. With over seven million subscribers and four billion views, his work has shaped internet humor and consumer advocacy in gaming. Beyond content creation, he co-founded the indie game publishing company Bigmode.
| Born | January 30, 1991 |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Known as | videogamedunkey, dunkey |
| YouTube channel | videogamedunkey (founded 2010) |
| Subscribers | Over 7 million (as of January 2026) |
| Total views | Over 4 billion |
| Spouse | Leah Bee (married September 2019) |
| Company | Bigmode (co-founded September 2022) |
| Notable publishing | Animal Well, Star of Providence |
Early Career and Channel Origins
Jason Gastrow's journey in online content began long before his YouTube fame. Starting in 2003, he created and uploaded Flash animations to Newgrounds under the username MeatwadSprite, with early works including Great Yoshi Migration. His aspiration at the time was to become an animator.
He founded his primary YouTube channel, videogamedunkey, in 2010. His inaugural upload was a speedrun of the 1991 game Battletoads. The unusual channel name originated from a playful moment in Left 4 Dead, involving a friend and the phrase go go magic dunk. The channel's profile picture was designed by fellow Newgrounds animator Chris O'Neill. By 2015, the channel had grown to 1.8 million subscribers, a figure that has since multiplied to over seven million.
Content Evolution and Major Shifts
Gastrow's channel initially gained significant traction through his coverage of League of Legends. He was celebrated within that community for producing consistently funny and high quality material. However, in September 2015, he ceased making League of Legends videos after being banned from the game for toxic behavior, which included repeatedly insulting teammates in chat.
His content style is versatile, encompassing reviews, playthroughs, montages, and video essays on games, with occasional forays into film reviews like The Shining. He is also credited with popularizing internet wide jokes about the PlayStation 4 games Knack and Knack II, turning them into perennial punchlines. A notable shift occurred in December 2020 when he announced he would stop making good videos in favor of a daily schedule. The subsequent videos were short, satirical clips with clickbait titles, a move his wife Leah explained was born from frustration with YouTube's algorithm favoring trends over curated content. This experimental phase saw increased viewership.
Business Ventures and Industry Conflicts
Gastrow's early career involved partnerships with multi channel networks. He first signed with Machinima, then moved to Maker Studios, both of which he said took large portions of his ad revenue. A notable conflict arose with Microsoft during a promotional deal for Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade. After Gastrow lambasted the game in his video, Microsoft removed it, canceled the deal, and did not pay him, despite initially assuring him he could do whatever he wanted.
He later praised his work with Curse LLC. His success is substantial, with reports suggesting he earns up to 1.7 million dollars annually, potentially making him the highest earning cultural commentator connected to Madison, Wisconsin.
In September 2022, Gastrow and his wife Leah launched Bigmode, an indie game publishing company. Their stated mission is to help good games succeed and build a catalogue of high quality titles. The company's first published game, Animal Well, released in 2024 to critical acclaim. Their second title, the bullet hell roguelike Star of Providence, a rebranded and expanded version of Monolith, followed in February 2025.
Creative Style and Critical Philosophy
Gastrow's production process varies. He sometimes writes scripts and records voice overs in post production, while for other videos, like his League of Legends and Overwatch montages, he records live gameplay and edits to highlight the funniest moments. His most viewed video is Ultimate Skyrim, which features him breaking The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim with an array of mods.
His comedic and editorial style draws inspiration from people he knows, Adult Swim programming like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and fellow YouTubers ProJared and Gaming Historian. Critics describe his approach as a form of new games criticism, akin to New Journalism. He is recognized as a fierce consumer advocate, deeply skeptical of corporate marketing. This is evident in his critiques of Nintendo for demonetizing his Super Mario Odyssey review and his condemnation of major game criticism websites for poor writing and ethically fuzzy relationships with the industry they cover.
Cultural Impact and Reputation
Gastrow's influence extends far beyond subscriber counts. He has been described as one of YouTube's most influential critics, inspiring a wave of imitators and compared to the rock critic Lester Bangs for his outsider status and modern vernacular. His ability to blend humor with insightful analysis is frequently highlighted, appealing even to non gamers.
His actions have occasionally sparked wider internet phenomena. A joke during a 2021 livestream about Kanye West sampling a specific clip from an obscure animated film seemingly predicted the actual sample used on West's album Donda. In 2022, his critical video on Sonic Frontiers was followed by a review bombing campaign on Metacritic, which Gastrow stated he did not intend and accused Sonic fans of orchestrating to make his own followers look bad.
His League of Legends ban divided his audience, with some defending him and others surprised he found insulting other players acceptable. A long-running gag on his channel plays on the common misconception that he is Black, which his wife attributes to his voice and his rarity of showing his face on camera.
Personal Life
Jason Gastrow was born on January 30, 1991. He has lived in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. His mother is a second grade teacher. In September 2019, he married fellow YouTuber Leah Bee. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in July 2023, and their daughter was born in October of that year. Together, they run the online merchandise store Dunkey's Castle.
FAQ
Why is he called videogamedunkey?
The name originated during a game of Left 4 Dead with a friend. Gastrow told his friend to pet a donkey or something, and after trapping him in the game, said he would release him if he said go go magic dunk. This playful incident led to the channel name.
Why did dunkey stop making League of Legends videos?
He stopped in September 2015 after being permanently banned from League of Legends for toxic behavior, which included repeatedly insulting other players in his team's chat. This marked the end of his primary coverage of the game.
What is Bigmode?
Bigmode is an independent video game publishing company co-founded by Jason Gastrow and his wife Leah in September 2022. Its goal is to help good indie games succeed. Its first published title was Animal Well in 2024, followed by Star of Providence in 2025.
Is dunkey actually Black?
No, this is a common misconception and a running gag on his channel. His wife, Leah, attributes the misconception to the sound of his voice and the fact that he rarely shows his face in his videos.
What is dunkey's most viewed video?
His most viewed video is Ultimate Skyrim, which features him playing The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim with a multitude of user created modifications that ultimately break the game.
Source: English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), rewritten by the Redington Cybersport desk.
