24 channels · 7 games

YouTube creators
to learn from.

Real channels, sorted by game. For each one: how the thumbnails look, which videos beat the channel's usual views, and what you can borrow for your own videos.

Audit your own channel, free

Small channels, big videos

One video that outgrew the channel

Channels under 35K subscribers with one upload that reached many times their audience. What the thumbnail and title did differently, and what you can copy.

ChunkNine
11K subscribers
My Perfect Start to Minecraft Hardcore
Views
698K
vs subscribers
×63
vs usual video
×8.5
An 11K-subscriber Minecraft channel with only 5 videos, whose first Hardcore episode, 'My Perfect Start to Minecraft Hardcore', reached 698K views. ChunkNine makes long Hardcore survival build videos, and the thumbnails show one big finished build in shader lighting, a numbered hardcore heart in the top-left corner and a pickaxe in the bottom-right, with no text.
Read how it happened
dalty walty
31.2K subscribers
Accidentally Winning a $2.5 Million Dollar Fortnite Tournament
Views
718K
vs subscribers
×23
vs usual video
×49.5
A 31.2K-subscriber channel whose 'Accidentally Winning a $2.5 Million Dollar Fortnite Tournament' reached about 718,000 views. dalty walty makes 13 to 47 minute Fortnite videos about tournaments and competitive challenges; most thumbnails show a recurring blue-beanie skin over bright gameplay with short lowercase captions and red arrows, but the breakout used one red 3D word on plain white.
Read how it happened
Garter
11.1K subscribers
How Long Does It Take to Walk Across EVERY Zelda Map?
Views
737K
vs subscribers
×66
vs usual video
×32
An 11.1K-subscriber Zelda channel whose 'How Long Does It Take to Walk Across EVERY Zelda Map?' reached 737K views, about 66 times its subscriber count. Garter times and ranks Legend of Zelda games and dungeons, and the thumbnails usually split the frame into three dungeon panels with coloured labels and a big gold serif caption, while the breakout uses a single map, a red route and two giant words.
Read how it happened
TRENCHCOAT
14.9K subscribers
How Death March Changed My Opinion on The Witcher 3
Views
654K
vs subscribers
×44
vs usual video
×9.4
A 14.9K-subscriber channel whose 'How Death March Changed My Opinion on The Witcher 3' reached about 654,000 views, and that video is about The Witcher 3, not GTA. TRENCHCOAT makes 8 to 49 minute essays and retrospectives on story-driven games, and every thumbnail uses one recipe: a single giant white word over a cinematic game scene, with the character standing in front of the letters.
Read how it happened

3 creators

Call of Duty

Call of Duty thumbnail ideas

klaw
@klawYT · 164K subscribers
Call of Duty: Warzone meta loadouts and high-kill games
klaw posts long Call of Duty: Warzone videos almost every day, built around meta loadouts and high-kill games. Every thumbnail is the same shot: first-person blue-gloved hands showing off one gun in bright pink or purple camo against a pale, sunny sky.
Usual video
18K views
Best video
×13.8
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Metaphor
@Metaphor · 456K subscribers
Warzone sniper and solo gameplay
Metaphor posts near-daily Call of Duty: Warzone videos built around sniping and solo play. Almost every thumbnail follows one recipe: a first-person view of one brightly skinned weapon over a sunny map, one huge white word across the top, and a small charm or badge hanging from the gun.
Usual video
23K views
Best video
×4.2
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Stract
@Stracts · 422K subscribers
Warzone loadout challenges and comparisons
Stract makes long Warzone challenge and loadout-comparison videos, many over an hour. The thumbnails rotate between three layouts: split panels that compare weapons under bold labels, a face next to one gun with a short lowercase comment, and grey tier cards with four weapons.
Usual video
18.5K views
Best video
×5.1
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

3 creators

Fortnite

Fortnite thumbnail ideas

Falco
@FalcoFPS · 118K subscribers
Competitive Fortnite story videos (FNCS, duos, gear)
Falco tells competitive Fortnite stories: FNCS runs, finding a duo, 100-day progressions and buying gear. Every thumbnail stars the same red holiday-sweater skin in a bright, posed scene, usually with a short lowercase caption like 'it worked.' or 'we won..'.
Usual video
250.5K views
Best video
×3.2
Analysed
26 videos
Read the analysis
Flow
@FlowsTide · 67.5K subscribers
Fortnite improvement guides and Project Retrac (older seasons)
Flow makes Fortnite improvement videos (practice routines, editing, settings, game sense) and, lately, videos about playing older seasons through Project Retrac. The thumbnails never show a face: a skin mid-build, heavily saturated purple and blue, under one short gold headline.
Usual video
13K views
Best video
×14.2
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Setty
@setty2k · 408K subscribers
Polish competitive Fortnite: tournaments, ranked and challenges
Setty runs a Polish-language Fortnite channel about tournaments, ranked grinds and viewer challenges. His thumbnails are built around his own face, big and calm, next to one bright object (a rank emblem, a trophy, a cheque) and a few Polish words.
Usual video
105.5K views
Best video
×3.2
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

3 creators

Gorilla Tag

elli0t
@elliotdasecond · 176K subscribers
Gorilla Tag personal stories and community moments
elli0t is a Gorilla Tag player with a very small catalogue: only 15 videos in total, mostly personal stories about the game and its community. Nearly every thumbnail shows his grey gorilla in a pink heart-pattern beanie, usually with no text. With so few videos, every pattern on this page rests on a small sample.
Usual video
196K views
Best video
×9.7
Analysed
15 videos
Read the analysis
maxo
@kpmaxo · 457K subscribers
Gorilla Tag updates, mods and custom maps
maxo makes Gorilla Tag videos about updates, mods, custom maps and crossovers. His thumbnails are clean 3D renders of a bright green gorilla with a red, white and blue headband, usually with no text and one small scene to read.
Usual video
143.2K views
Best video
×6.8
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
SuperCatCrazeGT
@SuperCatCrazeGT · 108K subscribers
Gorilla Tag custom maps, crossovers and experiments
SuperCatCrazeGT builds custom Gorilla Tag maps that bring in characters and ideas from other games, plus tutorials and experiments with AI. Most thumbnails show his blue gorilla in a white pot hat next to the added character, with one short word and a red arrow; his most-viewed recent videos drop that template for one strange, photo-like image.
Usual video
13.5K views
Best video
×81.5
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

3 creators

Minecraft

Minecraft thumbnail ideas

halvetone
@halvetone · 614K subscribers
Minecraft mob remakes and Hardcore survival challenges
halvetone makes long Minecraft videos: first a run of 'I remade every mob into...' transformation videos, now Hardcore survival challenges and a 1000-day movie. The thumbnails are almost wordless: a before-and-after pair of creatures joined by a big red arrow, or a finished build shown from above with two or three outlined words.
Usual video
193.5K views
Best video
×27.4
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
TheAetherGamer
@TheAetherGamer · 146K subscribers
Minecraft survival guides, tips and update explainers
TheAetherGamer makes Minecraft guides and tips for Bedrock and Java players: enchanting, mining, villager trades, update recaps. Each thumbnail is a two-to-three word topic label in big white or yellow text above Minecraft items shown large on a dark, glowing background.
Usual video
79K views
Best video
×13.9
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Tootsie
@Tootsie22 · 834K subscribers
Minecraft Hardcore 100-day movies about animals and builds
Tootsie makes long Minecraft Hardcore videos, mostly '100 days' movies and Let's Play episodes about animals, zoos, farms and themed worlds. The thumbnails are bright, detailed build shots, often split 'DAY 1' to 'DAY 100', with the channel's orange-haired player skin in front and a Minecraft Hardcore logo on top.
Usual video
737.5K views
Best video
×4.7
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

3 creators

Roblox

Roblox thumbnail ideas

Foltyn Universe
@FoltynsUniverse · 367K subscribers
Roblox comedy, horror and challenge games in long daily videos
Foltyn Universe posts Roblox videos about twice a day, mostly comedy, horror and 'escape' games, and each one runs around two hours. The thumbnails pair a cut-out photo of the creator reacting, usually wide-eyed or open-mouthed, with a colourful Roblox scene and often a white hooded avatar with glowing red eyes.
Usual video
60K views
Best video
×6.8
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
OTTER ON ROBLOX
@OtterOnRoblox · 762K subscribers
Daily Roblox simulators, tycoons and challenge games
OTTER ON ROBLOX posts a new Roblox video almost every day, playing tycoons, simulators, obbies and one-joke challenge games. Every thumbnail stars the same avatar, a white head with purple sunglasses and a wide-open red mouth, next to one huge object, often with a short caption in a comic-style font.
Usual video
114K views
Best video
×4.6
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Quacks
@QuacksBlox · 420K subscribers
Roblox simulators and tycoons, noob-to-max progression
Quacks plays a different Roblox simulator or tycoon game almost every day. Every thumbnail uses the same recipe: his yellow duck-headed avatar on a bright sky-and-grass background, one oversized object, and a huge number.
Usual video
82.5K views
Best video
×5.3
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

3 creators

Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Zelda: Ocarina of Time thumbnail ideas

Commonwealth Realm
@commonwealthrealm · 321K subscribers
Zelda news, currently the Ocarina of Time remake
Commonwealth Realm is a Zelda news channel that, in this sample, covers almost nothing but the Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2. Its recent thumbnails are close to a fixed template: the gold Ocarina of Time logo, one gold word underneath, and a close-up of the remake's Link on a dark background.
Usual video
43.5K views
Best video
×2.8
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Kit & Krysta
@kitandkrysta · 114K subscribers
Nintendo news, Switch 2 impressions and a weekly podcast
Kit & Krysta is a Nintendo talk channel run by a duo: a weekly podcast, Switch 2 impressions, Nintendo Direct predictions and reactions, and the odd vlog. Most thumbnails show both hosts as cutouts, a game or console on the right, a short white question across the top and a red Switch 2 badge in the corner.
Usual video
35.5K views
Best video
×2.7
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
PlayerEssence
@Playeressence · 140K subscribers
Daily Nintendo Switch 2 news and commentary
PlayerEssence posts daily Nintendo Switch 2 news and opinion, lately dominated by the Ocarina of Time remake and Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave. Thumbnails are built from two game characters, usually inside a Switch 2 screen, a red Switch 2 badge in the corner and one huge tilted word in red or yellow with a thick black outline.
Usual video
23K views
Best video
×3.4
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis

2 creators

GTA 6

GTA 6 thumbnail ideas

Hazard
@HazardousHDTV · 711K subscribers
GTA 6 news and GTA Online updates and money guides
Hazard posts about two videos a day on GTA 6 news and GTA Online updates and money guides. Each series has its own look: cinematic GTA 6 scenes under a two-colour headline bar, a red poster panel for weekly GTA Online updates, and a smiling character on piles of cash for money guides.
Usual video
65.5K views
Best video
×5.7
Analysed
30 videos
Read the analysis
Trofees
@Trofees · 156K subscribers
GTA Online money challenges, GTA 6 analysis and RDR2
Trofees makes GTA Online money challenges (heists, billion-dollar goals, spending sprees) plus GTA 6 analysis and Red Dead Redemption 2 hunts. GTA Online thumbnails star the same blond character in a black blazer under a huge bright-green dollar amount; RDR2 ones show Arthur in a dramatic scene with a red arrow.
Usual video
159K views
Best video
×3.1
Analysed
20 videos
Read the analysis