Launched in 2016, YouTube Originals was intended to allow creators to distribute higher quality content to YouTube Premium subscribers. After several years of neglect, Google is about to let it die.
With YouTube Originals, Google hoped to get involved in the production of original films and series. Included in the YouTube Premium subscription (formerly YouTube Red), the service was initially intended to provide access to fiction, documentaries or exclusive content from the most famous creators. Google had signed partnerships with popular personalities on the service in order to produce content more in line with what is found on competing platforms (Netflix, Prime Video, etc.).
Ambitious at the start, Google then made Google. Some orders were cancelled, Originals content became free (you can watch them without a subscription, with advertising)… Gradually, YouTube Originals moved away from its initial proposal, until January 18, 2022 arrived: on Twitter, the boss of YouTube announced a drastic reduction in the ambitions of his company.
Very limited original content
In a rather strange press release, Robert Kyncl first seems to welcome the success of YouTube Originals. In particular, he praises a service to “billion views”, to“awarded programs” and the very important role in “the growth of the YouTube creator economy”. One would think that everything is going for the best.
However, a few lines later, the chief business officer YouTube announces the departure of Susanne Daniels, the platform’s head of original programming. YouTube announces that it is about to change strategy. YouTube Originals will continue to fund its “Black Voices” programs (dedicated to African Americans) and will still offer content for children. The rest stops. YouTube will no longer order any new releases, but still promises that it will honor orders already made. Then YouTube Originals will end.
Google’s graveyard grows
The death of YouTube Originals unfortunately echoes those of many other Google products. The company has the unfortunate reputation of letting its services die a little too quickly, without ever giving them the slightest chance of bouncing back. We are thinking in particular of YouTube Gaming or YouTube Messages on the video platform, but also of Google+, Inbox, Hangouts or Google Play Music. We can also wonder who will be next, praying very hard that Stadia does not end too prematurely in the Google cemetery.