WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Five, long, Dil Howlter-less years ago, Daniel Howell and Phil Lester put their widely loved and deeply iconic gaming channel DanAndPhilGAMES to an indefinite hiatus. Twelve days ago now, Dan and Phil dropped the final nail in the coffin with the funeral video for the channel, and we bid goodbye…
…Or so we thought.
The first half of the video indeed had us all fooled, an emotional goodbye to a channel that formed an important part of many of our gaming nerd teen years. But all of a sudden, the coffin shakes and splutters, and out climbs a larger than life version of everyone’s deeply loved Sim protagonist, Dil Howlter. In response, everyone hears what they’ve been waiting a very long time for… Phil swearing on the gaming channel!! (the blooper reel of Phil Lester saying what the fuck 27 time lives in my head rent free) This established the revival of the gaming channel with its poster boy being revived!
The video was so creative, and it definitely kept everyone on their toes and excited! There’s such a buzz in the comments about the return of the channel and it felt like 2018 all over again.
However, the reality of the situation is that it definitely isn’t, and much has changed since the hiatus. Which is why I wanted to write this article, because as much as I am excited for this new era, theres a lot that needs to be addressed about everything that has gone on behind the scenes and why having this channel now is so important.
The year after the hiatus, and a significant gap from posting on his own channel, Dan posted the 45 minute coming out video that utterly broke the internet for a few days. It told important stories of Dan’s life as a gay man, being bullied at school, living closeted, being accused of queer baiting on the internet etc. It was a video that opened many people’s eyes to the injustices faced by Dan and Phil by their own viewers due to the shipping culture so prevalent on the internet. This shed more light on the hiatus. This made room for Phil’s much shorter, and much more lighthearted coming video, where he established his struggles, yes, but that mostly he’d been able to live as an out queer man with the exception of his audience. These two videos coming at the top and tail end of 2019 pride month was quite a moment for the queers! Phil then continued with his usual lighthearted content, while Dan took a thoughtful break away from uploading, rightfully so.
Dan’s very next upload was his almost 90 minute “Why I Quit YouTube” video in May of last year – almost three years later. This video reflected on the struggles he’d faced with the YouTube corporation and feeling snubbed and under appreciated, despite being so loyal for so long. This opened the door for more conversation, but it allowed for a considered and slow return of Dan to YouTube, and fans have been able to enjoy content since.
To me, this is why the gaming channel return is so important. It marks a new era for both men, not only in their new home, but as out men, men confident in their careers, and comfortable with their platforms. It shows that they are much better than before because they get to be themselves, do what they want and provide this added layer of authenticity that was already so prevalent beforehand.
And how brilliant has the content been! Already they’ve played a gay version of a very iconic game from pre-hiatus, uploaded halloween content, and of COURSE, revived Dil and family from their hiatus. They’ve aged the parents down, made alien hybrid Dalien an emo punk teenager, and checked up on Dab and Evan in their new new home, with the episode ending on the intention to move the whole family elsewhere!
All in all, this is such an exciting new/old thing, and it just feels so nice to know its all on their terms and with their most honest selves at the forefront
So excited to see what’s to come!!
