20 years ago AVGN launched his YouTube channel

[XenoGamezTV]

I have met the AVGN once in New Jersey while I was volunteering for a gaming convention. Dude was so awesome, gotta tell him how cool he was.

 

[Morgan Katarn]

Dang 20 years man im old. James was one of the first youtuber I followed.

 

[CheesyExplosive]

Good memories watching AVGN on ScrewAttack
View attachment 171704

and evil craig

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

He uploaded a ''Lost'' episode that featured Miracle Piano for the NES before he covered in the nintendo accessories episode

I can totally see why James did not release that back in the day — he's half-heartedly trying to give a negative review to something he actually enjoys (or at least finds decent). It's kind of painfully obvious... But props to him for knowing better even at the time.

 

[YoshifreakZX]

I remember watching AVGN before I was even a teenager and my dad telling me to turn the video off because of the cursing, lmao.

 

[Birdneest Birdneest]

20 years....makes me feel so old...I remember watching episodes of AVGN with my wife when we were kids and laughing our butts off. I didn't know he was still kickin'

 

[DanCalibur]

That explains the hairline

 

[medisinn]

The GOAT. I still have a signed "Rated F for Fuckballs" shirt he signed at PAX Prime, 2013 I think. Pretty much everything before he made the movie is gold, and the quality varies wildly post-starting to work with Screenwave. A couple friends and I gather round each time there is a new episode to watch, even if it's not the same as before. The anger of the character feels a little too forced. James is a pretty quiet guy, the character is based on Mike, who has been scarcely involved for years. I think he should lean more into the less angry reviews at this point and do more stuff like the reviews for Majora's Mask, FF6, and Earthbound. That just seems to work better. He'll always be AVGN but there's nothing wrong with changing and evolving, those old episodes will always be around to provide entertainment.

Board James was pretty good too, at least at first.

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

So cool!
His videos are so funny and it introduced me into the retro gaming
So happy anniversary James
My idol

 

[Lady Aldia Lady Aldia]

I wish I knew English when I first started using Youtube, because I'd have loved this guy. The first time I watched a video of his was during the last December.

---

I did watch a brazilian youtuber who clearly took inspiration from him though (some would probably call it ripping-off, lol).

https://www.youtube.com/@ColoniaContraAtaca

He even interviewed him...

Post automatically merged: Apr 7, 2026

The first 10 years of Youtube had that whole game show thing that you just can't find anymore these days.

 

[TechBlisSTer]

One of them is still angry.

Post automatically merged: Apr 8, 2026

 

[Badseed Badseed]

Yes... 20 years of...........

 

[Mopeybloke]

I need to brace myself for the 20 years of Spoony eventually. That's how this type of content started for me. I also watched all of the old AVGN stuff, but part of me always felt like I'm really lucky I'm younger than him and didn't live in the NES heyday.

 

[TechBlisSTer]

It's their 20_ th anniversary!

Young boy, like a cruel angel's thesis,
Live up to be a legend...

Even though clear blue winds
Beat on the door of my heart,
You just smile, looking straight at me
Too involved in yearning for
Something to hold on
The innocent eyes still know nothing of fate yet.

But someday you will notice
On those shoulders of yours
There are strong wings
To guide you to the far future.

A cruel angel's thesis
Will someday fly high from the window
If memories are betrayed by
The overflowing, burning pathos.
Young boy, shine like a legend,
Holding the sky in your arms.

The cradle of love that sleeps within me
There will be a morning that
A servant of dreams will come for you.
The moonlight shines on your thinning hairline.
I'd stop time at 5:40 pm
And lock it away for myself, but...

If there is any meaning
In the fate that pulled us together,
Then I am, yes, the Bible
That teaches you of freedom.

A cruel angel's thesis
And then sorrow comes forth
When the shapes of the dreams you hold in your arms
Come to life within you.
Young boy, who shines brighter than anyone else,
Rise to become a legend.

People weave together love to create history
And so I live on,
Unable to become a goddess...

A cruel angel's thesis
Will someday fly high from the window
If memories are betrayed by
The overflowing, burning pathos.
Young boy, shine like a legend,
Holding the sky in your arms.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

You know what I absolutely love about James? His content is supposed to come from a place of anger, but he's such a great storyteller and has such a genuine passion for what he does that he always ends up being the most relaxing person you can listen to while working on something else.

I have legit been falling to sleep to his videos since my teens & have rewatched almost every episode more times than I can count.

Also, props for remaining drama-free for such a long time.

 

[TechBlisSTer]

20 Years is a long time.

 

[Bacon Eater64x]

Nothing will ever beat the decade-long punchline of reviewing Raid 2020 in 2020. Almost as good as the SF 2010 video.

 

[ichigoww]

From time to time I go back and watch the old Castlevania series review, good stuff

 

[Ikagura]

Good channel.

I'm glad this had 0 drama in two decades.

 

[sambair]

I love seeing his new videos, but the ones I rewatch over and over are the episodes from the era with the version of the theme song with Kyle singing and playing electric guitar (as opposed to the later episodes with the instrumental theme). The best stuff is definitely the episodes written with Mike, and I'm glad they're at least still friends and he occasionally shows up on the channel.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

This is not something I'd usually admit, but fuck it.

I used to watch the first five seasons on repeat while bawling my eyes out after something in my life broke. And it soothed me to the point of not wanting to drop dead anymore.

It helped me out of a very dark place. And for that, I'll always be thankful.

 

[FakeHaseo]

The Ninja Gaiden episode for me will always be legendary. Big part of my university life too

 

[atom15wave]

20 years!??!?
Wow, the AVGN series is older than I thought.

 

[Ne0Griever]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2041175487569932564

Yeahhh. AM retro!

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

No new episodes in a long while now.

I wonder what's in the oven...