Dead Meat Summons a Gaming Channel: Will Our Kill Counts Ever Be the Same?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
The legendary Dead Meat YouTube channel is expanding its empire of gore-counting into the digital realm with "Dead Meat Games," a new platform dedicated to all things horror gaming, promising bespoke "Kill Count Games" episodes, podcasts, and news, all while celebrating games' unique scare factor and cultural impact.
Alright, gather 'round, you lovely lot of digital adventurers! Jeff's here, and I've just stumbled across something in the ever-shifting scrolls of the internet that's got my curiosity sensors buzzing like a spell gone slightly awry. We’re talking about Dead Meat, the undisputed kings of cinematic carnage tallies, deciding to delve headfirst into the glorious, bloody abyss of video games. Fair dinkum, mate, this is bigger than a zombie horde at a potluck!
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering exactly how many poor sods bit the dust in your favourite slasher flick – or even some obscure straight-to-DVD nightmare – then you’ve probably spent a good few hours with James A. Janisse and his legendary 'Kill Count' series on the Dead Meat YouTube channel. Since 2017, he’s been meticulously tracking every 'fatal fatality' with a blend of meticulous detail and hilarious commentary. And now? Nearly a decade later, they’re conjuring up 'Dead Meat Games' – a dedicated space for all things horror gaming, from the pixelated jump scares to the dice-rolling terror of tabletop. And spearheading the 'Kill Count Games' show on this new venture? None other than Dead Meat’s own channel co-writer, Zoran Gvojic, who'll be dissecting digital dismemberments much like his cinematic counterpart.
Now, you might be thinking, 'Hang on, haven't they dipped their toes in the digital blood pool before?' And you'd be right, you clever sod! James and Zoran had a bit of a 'weird era' back in 2023, what with Hollywood strikes putting a damper on their usual movie mayhem. So, they decided to count the bodies in games like Supermassive's 'Until Dawn' and Konami’s 'Silent Hill.' And, no surprises here, those episodes absolutely blew up – the 'Until Dawn' one snagged over a million views! So, naturally, the digital tea leaves were clear: gamers were hungry for more.
Beyond the sheer numbers, Gvojic makes a cracking point to Polygon (cheers to Aimee Hart for the original scoop, by the way!) that games just hit different. 'Horror movies don't scare me as much anymore, but games still get me,' he confessed. And honestly, can you blame him? When *you're* the one fumbling for the flashlight while something nasty breathes down your neck, it's a whole different ballgame. Janisse reckons it's a no-brainer too, calling video games 'the biggest media format in general.' A bold claim, perhaps, but certainly one worth considering in this wild digital age where every other movie seems to be an adaptation of a game. Why not go straight to the source, eh?
But here's where my inner wizard starts pondering the logistical spell-casting: how do you even *begin* to count kills in a video game? It's not like a film, where the narrative path is, well, *filmed*. Games have choices, mate! Your decisions can mean the difference between a character surviving or ending up as monster chow. Imagine trying to tally up all the possible deaths in a choose-your-own-adventure horror story!
Well, bless their morbid little hearts, Gvojic and Janisse devised a cunning plan: the 'canon playthrough.' They both dive into the game, comparing notes to figure out the most and fewest kills possible. And yes, that includes background bodies – though Gvojic draws the line at headless corpses. (Severed body parts don't count, apparently. A man's got to have his standards, even when tallying dismemberment, I suppose. It’s like trying to count spell components after a particularly explosive failed incantation – gotta have the main bit!) They've even brought over the classic Golden Chainsaw for the coolest kill and the Dull Machete for the lamest, with Gvojic adding bespoke awards like the 'Royal Reload' for memorable player deaths and the 'Butchered Butterfly' for branching-path games. That's some proper dedication to the craft, if you ask me.
So, what's first up on this new horror gaming smorgasbord? Gvojic revealed to Polygon that they're kicking things off with 'Fear of the Spotlight,' an indie darling recently snapped up by Blumhouse Games. Sounds like a cracking start for a channel that promises continued coverage of bigger names like 'Resident Evil.'
And it's not just 'Kill Count Games' on the menu, oh no. They're serving up 'What We Play In The Shadows,' a podcast featuring Gvojic and tabletop RPG legend Gina DeVivo, tackling reviews and game-to-movie comparisons. Plus, for those who love their news fresh, there's the live-streamed 'DMG Report,' with Gvojic and Ben Bellevue. Basically, Gvojic wants this channel to be a 'place for all forms of horror gaming to be able to be celebrated,' and honestly, who am I to argue with a digital wizard expanding his arcane knowledge base? It's launching May 15th at 9 am EST, so mark your calendars, you ghoulish gamers!
It’s a truly exciting move that speaks volumes about where interactive media is headed. As content creation platforms continue to evolve and communities carve out their own spaces, watching established names like Dead Meat embrace the boundless potential of gaming is just... chef's kiss. Or, perhaps, 'guts' kiss in this context! Here's to more digital scares, mates!
Tags: Horror Gaming, YouTube, Content Creation, Gaming Culture, Interactive Media
Original article: Polygon