During the 2010s, YouTube arguably hit its peak as not only content creators but companies and media outlets turned to it for self-promotion and the opportunity to branch out into video coverage. I myself, being a huge fan of video games, discovered the beauty of Let’s Plays, where internet personalities and games journalists could take viewers through games both new and familiar to them. Whether I wanted to get a glimpse at a game I wasn’t sure about getting, or I just had the urge to re-experience one close to my heart through the eyes of another, I couldn’t get enough. But there is one particular trio that stands tall above the rest. In 2016, I came across a series called Prepare To Try, uploaded by IGN, an entertainment media website specialising in all things pop culture. With only two episodes uploaded at the time, there wasn’t a whole lot to go through, but I had apparently missed the first episode when it went up and it was clearly shaping up to be a full-blown series. What was more, it was covering one of my-and the games industry’s-most beloved games; Dark Souls.
I dove in with nothing to lose, unaware how significant it was going to become for me. I was immediately on the floor with laughter, entertained by the chemistry between the three guys on camera as well as the gameplay. Suffice it to say, I was hooked. For those unfamiliar, Prepare To Try saw Rory Powers, Daniel Krupa, and Gavin Murphy(R, K, and G-I’ll get to that later) undertake the task of getting Rory-who had never played a Dark Souls or FromSoft game before in his life-to finish the game before the release of Dark Souls 3. It’s unclear exactly when filming began, but the first episode of the show went up on March 14th, a mere ten days before the third game in the series would launch. Nevertheless, they did it, and Prepare To Try went down as a hilarious, informative, and incredibly uplifting show. One I’m not ashamed to say I still binge to this day. With several more projects under their belt years later, their success was so prevalent that they decided to leave their positions at IGN and form their own company that would allow them to focus more passionately on these video projects so beloved by fans. RKG Video have something really special going for them. Let me explain why.
My Experience
Since the conclusion of Prepare To Try’s first season, many viewers like myself wondered if these three mischievous friends would be given the go ahead to tackle Dark Souls 3 and see if Rory’s skills might transfer over. Spoiler alert; they didn’t. When Season 2 went live, it was like learning a new language for the poor Irishman. But this was all part of the fun. While I can’t speak for others, I never expected anything more to come of Prepare To Try after finishing that final episode of Season 1 and had made my peace with the fact that it would remain this singular, wonderful anomaly. But I was overjoyed to be proven wrong and given even more material to spend hours watching. Rory had a reputation for not being the best at these notoriously difficult games, as I’m sure we all did at some point. I myself would have put him to shame when I took my first steps into Lordran back in 2011. Fast forward to the show’s third season, however, and he has more than proven his skill, mastering not only the Dark Souls games, but also the faster-paced combat of Bloodborne as well
Something that often happens with Let’s Plays for me is they become tired and unexciting as time goes on. Either the person behind the camera starts to get on my nerves or the gameplay no longer interests me. It’s possibly a result of this crushing emphasis on consistency for modern YouTubers, who upload two and three times a day for fear of becoming irrelevant or unpopular. Thankfully, this was never an issue with RKG, no matter how often I watched their stuff. If anything, I hungered for more. That’s when FinchyFest came around. Humorously named after their in-game character(who is himself named after Chris Finch from The Office), FinchyFest was a meet-up for all the world, where viewers such as myself could get together in celebration of the series and the wonderful community that had taken shape around it. Having missed the first ‘Fest in 2016, it was 2017’s festivities that I first went to, to celebrate the final episode of their season based around Bloodborne. There was something so surreal about gathering together with like-minded individuals to enjoy this lovely little YouTube show, after which the three boys mingled with the crowd and made sure to chat to everyone. I’d never experienced anything like that before. Most big YouTubers and internet personalities have their own communities, sure, but this was more intimate, personal. It didn’t feel like going to an event for somebody whose work I was a fan of, it felt like going on holiday with the lads for a piss-up.
I distinctly remember(despite having had a few beers at this point) approaching the crowd surrounding Daniel Krupa, afraid to join in on the conversation. I resigned myself to listening in, happy just to be there and listen to the other PTT viewers express their fondness for the show. Then, unexpectedly, Daniel caught my eye and reached out his hand. He had recognised me as a fan of the show, presumably from the Facebook group where the community would often interact with one another, as well as the three boys on occasion. Like I said, surreal. He was nothing short of lovely and was more than happy to speak with me, even though I’m sure I came across starstruck and at a loss for words. Several beers and hours later, and I had managed to make my way around the whole bar, meeting the other two boys and getting to know the people that made up the rest of the community. If it wasn’t already obvious, R and G were just as lovely as K, and they were delighted to let me get a few pictures with them. What also struck me was just how friendly everyone else was. At several points in the night, different people would approach me and strike up a conversation. Back then, I was quite a bit more shy and introverted than I am now, and initiating these conversations myself was not always easy, so this was greatly appreciated. But nobody ever forced these conversations on me, either, only offering me the chance to speak with them if I was comfortable doing so. Of course, the booze also helped.
Advice, Support, And Fortitude
A recurring joke throughout Prepare To Try has always been the fact that Rory struggles against the innate difficulty of the games he plays, but there is also a message there that mastering FromSoft games is far from impossible. While PTT begins with the proverbial baptism of fire, by the time RKG have gotten into the swing of things Rory plays like a new man. The difficulty FromSoft have a reputation for no longer poses that big of a problem anymore. For many, this might reinforce the idea that attempting to overcome the challenges of these games is a fruitless task, as Rory does this for a living now and spends large chunks of his time with FromSoft games, chunks of time many people might not have to spare. However, the real message to take from his success should be that anyone can finish a game like Dark Souls.
With the right patience and resilience, even the most insurmountable of odds can be beaten, giving way to a plethora of new games to experience that players might have been afraid to sink their teeth into for fear of failure. Prepare To Try is, in essence, a success story, of someone presented with a daunting challenge who then overcomes it by persevering and listening to the feedback given to him by his two friends. It reaffirms how games can be rewarding, while also giving viewers a glimpse into what the journey from noob to pro looks like. Rory has earned that title several times over, and so can everyone else, if they are willing to put their heads to the grindstone.
Bringing People Together
Between FinchyFest and the only other live event of RKG’s I’ve been to, the aptly named Summer Fuck About, both have been incredible and the people there have been delightful to meet. But my experience would have been a tad less wonderful if I hadn’t already known some of my fellow Slugs, as the community have been absurdly dubbed(I ain’t complaining, though). At FinchyFest, I planned to meet with my friend Natalie after getting to know her through the Facebook group. Without her, I likely wouldn’t have nabbed any of those photos. She did most of the talking for me, much to my embarrassment, but it was greatly appreciated, given that she ended up opening a door for me to chat to the three boys. When the Summer Fuck About came around, I finally met the incredible Dale, one of my oldest friends that I made through this community. I was beyond happy to share a few drinks with him as we enjoyed the show RKG had planned for us. Though he had to leave early, he exemplified why this community is so wonderful. He’s a dear and treasured friend, one I never would have known if not for RKG and their Prepare To Try series.
After that, I found myself alone at the bar ordering a drink as I considered how to begin mingling again. As I said, I wasn’t great at inserting myself into conversations and I didn’t want to interrupt anyone. That was when Sophie approached me and we began talking. She then introduced me to her partner, Adin, and the three of us basically stuck together for the rest of the night. As it happened, we were staying at the same hotel and decided to walk back together once the event had wrapped up. They were both lovely, genuine people, but I had come to expect nothing less from RKG fans by this point. There are many others I've met both online and at these events that I haven't mentioned, but rest assured they are just as amazing as the others. The thing is, I still keep in touch with most of the people I’ve met through this community to this day, with plans to eventually meet up with them even if it is not at an RKG-centric event. It speaks to the positive side of social media and the internet, how those who may often find themselves lonely or unhappy, or even just alone in what they watch on YouTube, can make friends all around the world and discover new and exciting companionships. While I’ve been lucky enough just to make some dear friends through RKG, there are others who have genuinely found love by meeting others who share their fondness for the three boys. Isn’t that just a little bit heartwarming?
A Light In The Darkness
Anyone like me who spends a significant amount of time on YouTube will know that there are some less than genuine people making names for themselves on there. As someone who often turns to YouTube in his downtime to relax, I found this to be quite disheartening when it initially became clear. There is an undeniable toxicity to the culture around internet personalities, a toxicity many of them would rather wallow in than try to fix. Fame goes to people’s heads at an alarming rate. Most come out the other side changed, and usually for the worse. That might sound cynical as all hell. Maybe it is, and I just have an overly negative outlook on it all. But the point I’m trying to make is that RKG Video have proven to be the opposite of this culture. Despite the success they have found, success that afforded them to leave their previous jobs and strike out on their own, they don’t appear to have changed one bit. The chemistry remains the same, as does the formula of their spiritual successor series to Prepare To Try; Retry. And though their fanbase has grown considerably since I found that happy little Facebook group back in the day, everyone I have interacted with since has been so pleasant to speak to.
It's A Slug’s Life For Me
To this day, it amazes me how something that started so small has grown so large, with an even larger community around it. And it’s crazy to think that the people I’ve met through watching PTT and Retry are still some of my closest friends to this day. But I’m incredibly grateful for this fact. It’s not every day one comes across something so unique and special on the internet, further proven by how lovely Rory, Dan, and Gav are. RKG always make time for their viewers, regardless of their busy schedule. They deserve all of the success they get. Their popularity has been steadily rising since they founded RKG Video, and I can’t wait to see what kind of impression they make on YouTube in the coming years. They’ve certainly made an impression on me.
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