Jason Gastrow, born on January 30, 1991, is an American YouTuber who is also known online as videogamedunkey or simply dunkey. He creates YouTube videos that include skits and video essays, which combine humor and video game criticism. As of January 2026, his YouTube channel has more than seven million subscribers, and his videos have been viewed more than four billion times.
Internet career
Gastrow began sharing videos online in 2003. At first, he made Flash animations and posted them on the website Newgrounds using the username "MeatwadSprite." His early work included a video called "Great Yoshi Migration," which was his first creation, and a parody of the Village People song "Y.M.C.A." named "F.U.C.K." In an interview on the H3 Podcast, Gastrow said he dreamed of becoming an animator as a child.
In 2010, Gastrow started his YouTube channel, "videogamedunkey," with a video showing him completing a speedrun of the 1991 game Battletoads. He explained that the channel’s name came from a moment when he was playing Left 4 Dead with a friend. After trapping his friend in the game, he told him to say "go go magic dunk" to be released. In a 2015 Reddit post, Gastrow noted that the channel’s profile picture was designed by Newgrounds animator and YouTuber Chris O'Neill. By September 2015, the channel had 1.8 million subscribers. His videos have been viewed more than four billion times. Outside of YouTube, Gastrow is active on Twitter and has accounts on Facebook and Reddit. He and his wife, Leah, also manage Dunkey's Castle, an online store for merchandise.
Gastrow’s channel mainly focuses on video games. He posts reviews, playthroughs, video essays, and highlights. He has also reviewed films, such as The Shining. In the early years of his channel, he was known for covering the 2009 game League of Legends. According to Yannick LeJacq of Kotaku, Gastrow was well-known in the League of Legends community for creating some of the funniest content. However, he stopped making League of Legends videos in September 2015 after being banned for "toxic" behavior, such as insulting teammates in the game’s chat. He is also known for making jokes about the PlayStation 4 games Knack (2013) and Knack II (2017), which became popular internet jokes.
Gastrow signed a contract with Machinima, Inc., an internet entertainment platform, but he said the company took a large share of his ad revenue. In 2013, he moved to Maker Studios, which he said took even more revenue. Microsoft offered to pay him if he made four videos for Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade. After Gastrow uploaded a video in which he criticized the game he was playing, Microsoft removed the video, canceled the deal, and did not pay him, despite earlier saying he could make any content he wanted. Gastrow later worked with Curse LLC, which he praised. He reportedly earns up to US$1.7 million a year and is "likely the highest-earning cultural commentator with connections to Madison."
In December 2020, Gastrow released a video in which he said he would stop making "good videos" and instead post shorter, daily content. He began sharing videos that mocked his own plans and used attention-grabbing titles. For example, one video claimed to be about Minecraft but showed him playing as the default character, Steve, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. His wife explained that the change was because he was frustrated with YouTube’s current trends and worried about the future of content creation. Polygon reported that the new videos performed better than his previous work and suggested Gastrow was highlighting issues with YouTube’s platform.
In August 2021, Gastrow joked during a live stream that Kanye West’s upcoming album Donda would sample a clip from the animated short film Strawinsky and the Mysterious House (2012). When the album was released, the track "Remote Control" included the exact clip, leading fans to believe West’s team had watched Gastrow’s stream.
In November 2022, Gastrow uploaded a video criticizing Sonic Frontiers, which caused the game to be flooded with negative reviews on Metacritic. He said he did not intend for the video to lead to this and accused Sonic fans of leaving bad reviews to make his fans look bad.
Video game publishing
In September 2022, Gastrow and his wife Leah started Bigmode, a company that focuses on publishing games made by independent developers. Gastrow said in a video introducing the company, "I think we're going to bring a lot of value to the table, and the main goal is to help good games succeed and continue to do so in the future." Leah explained that their long-term goal was to "create a collection of unique, high-quality games that people can enjoy for many years." Some journalists and indie developers had different opinions about the announcement. In January 2023, Bigmode announced its first game, Animal Well, which was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows in May 2024. It was also released for Xbox Series X/S in October 2024 and received praise from critics.
In February 2025, Bigmode released its second game, Star of Providence, a type of game known as a bullet hell roguelike. The game was originally released in 2017 on Steam under the name Monolith. It was later updated and released for Nintendo Switch. The game was renamed to avoid confusion with the video game studio called Monolith.
Views and style
Gastrow sometimes writes a script for a video and records voice-overs after the main recording is done. Other times, he records himself while playing the game. His videos about League of Legends and Overwatch (2016) are examples of this second method. He mentioned in an interview that he tries to include the funniest moments in these videos. His most-watched video, "Ultimate Skyrim," shows him playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) with many custom changes made by other players, which caused the game to stop working. Gastrow has said that people he knows, as well as Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and Tim & Eric programs, have influenced his work. He also enjoys watching videos by YouTubers ProJared and Gaming Historian.
According to Reid Kurkerewicz of Tone Madison, Gastrow represents "new games criticism," a style of reviewing inspired by New Journalism. He is known as a strong advocate for consumers and is highly skeptical of large company marketing efforts. For example, he criticized Nintendo for removing ads from his review of Super Mario Odyssey (2017) due to copyright issues, and Microsoft for its business practices, such as ending the Summer of Arcade deal. In his 2017 video "Game Critics," Gastrow pointed out problems with websites like IGN, including inconsistent opinions, poor writing, unclear ethical standards when working with companies they cover, and the growing gap between critics and players.
Reputation
Gene Park of The Washington Post described Gastrow as one of the most influential critics on YouTube, stating that he has inspired many others to follow his style. Park compared him to Lester Bangs, a famous music critic, noting that both are outsiders in their fields, have shaped modern language, and support consumers. Patrick Klepek, who writes for Vice, said Gastrow is one of the few YouTubers he subscribes to. Klepek called Gastrow an expert in video editing, explaining that he helps viewers laugh and understand why a game is interesting at the same time. Klepek also mentioned that even his wife, who rarely plays games, enjoys Gastrow’s videos, such as his work on "Dunkey." Gastrow’s temporary ban from League of Legends for using harsh language caused mixed reactions among his fans. Some defended him, while others were surprised he thought it was acceptable to insult other players.
Personal life
Gastrow was born on January 30, 1991. He has lived in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. His mother works as a second grade teacher. In September 2019, Gastrow married another YouTube creator named Leah Bee. In July 2023, Gastrow and Leah announced they were expecting their first child, a girl. The baby was born in October.
A common misunderstanding and a joke that repeats often on the channel is that Gastrow is Black. Leah says this belief comes from his voice and the fact that he rarely shows his face in videos.
Date
Jason Gastrow, born on January 30, 1991, is an American YouTuber who is also known online as videogamedunkey or simply dunkey. He creates YouTube videos that include skits and video essays, which combine humor and video game criticism. As of January 2026, his YouTube channel has more than seven million subscribers, and his videos have been viewed more than four billion times.
Internet career
Gastrow began sharing videos online in 2003. At first, he made Flash animations and posted them on the website Newgrounds using the username "MeatwadSprite." His early work included a video called "Great Yoshi Migration," which was his first creation, and a parody of the Village People song "Y.M.C.A." named "F.U.C.K." In an interview on the H3 Podcast, Gastrow said he dreamed of becoming an animator as a child.
In 2010, Gastrow started his YouTube channel, "videogamedunkey," with a video showing him completing a speedrun of the 1991 game Battletoads. He explained that the channel’s name came from a moment when he was playing Left 4 Dead with a friend. After trapping his friend in the game, he told him to say "go go magic dunk" to be released. In a 2015 Reddit post, Gastrow noted that the channel’s profile picture was designed by Newgrounds animator and YouTuber Chris O'Neill. By September 2015, the channel had 1.8 million subscribers. His videos have been viewed more than four billion times. Outside of YouTube, Gastrow is active on Twitter and has accounts on Facebook and Reddit. He and his wife, Leah, also manage Dunkey's Castle, an online store for merchandise.
Gastrow’s channel mainly focuses on video games. He posts reviews, playthroughs, video essays, and highlights. He has also reviewed films, such as The Shining. In the early years of his channel, he was known for covering the 2009 game League of Legends. According to Yannick LeJacq of Kotaku, Gastrow was well-known in the League of Legends community for creating some of the funniest content. However, he stopped making League of Legends videos in September 2015 after being banned for "toxic" behavior, such as insulting teammates in the game’s chat. He is also known for making jokes about the PlayStation 4 games Knack (2013) and Knack II (2017), which became popular internet jokes.
Gastrow signed a contract with Machinima, Inc., an internet entertainment platform, but he said the company took a large share of his ad revenue. In 2013, he moved to Maker Studios, which he said took even more revenue. Microsoft offered to pay him if he made four videos for Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade. After Gastrow uploaded a video in which he criticized the game he was playing, Microsoft removed the video, canceled the deal, and did not pay him, despite earlier saying he could make any content he wanted. Gastrow later worked with Curse LLC, which he praised. He reportedly earns up to US$1.7 million a year and is "likely the highest-earning cultural commentator with connections to Madison."
In December 2020, Gastrow released a video in which he said he would stop making "good videos" and instead post shorter, daily content. He began sharing videos that mocked his own plans and used attention-grabbing titles. For example, one video claimed to be about Minecraft but showed him playing as the default character, Steve, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. His wife explained that the change was because he was frustrated with YouTube’s current trends and worried about the future of content creation. Polygon reported that the new videos performed better than his previous work and suggested Gastrow was highlighting issues with YouTube’s platform.
In August 2021, Gastrow joked during a live stream that Kanye West’s upcoming album Donda would sample a clip from the animated short film Strawinsky and the Mysterious House (2012). When the album was released, the track "Remote Control" included the exact clip, leading fans to believe West’s team had watched Gastrow’s stream.
In November 2022, Gastrow uploaded a video criticizing Sonic Frontiers, which caused the game to be flooded with negative reviews on Metacritic. He said he did not intend for the video to lead to this and accused Sonic fans of leaving bad reviews to make his fans look bad.
Video game publishing
In September 2022, Gastrow and his wife Leah started Bigmode, a company that focuses on publishing games made by independent developers. Gastrow said in a video introducing the company, "I think we're going to bring a lot of value to the table, and the main goal is to help good games succeed and continue to do so in the future." Leah explained that their long-term goal was to "create a collection of unique, high-quality games that people can enjoy for many years." Some journalists and indie developers had different opinions about the announcement. In January 2023, Bigmode announced its first game, Animal Well, which was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows in May 2024. It was also released for Xbox Series X/S in October 2024 and received praise from critics.
In February 2025, Bigmode released its second game, Star of Providence, a type of game known as a bullet hell roguelike. The game was originally released in 2017 on Steam under the name Monolith. It was later updated and released for Nintendo Switch. The game was renamed to avoid confusion with the video game studio called Monolith.
Views and style
Gastrow sometimes writes a script for a video and records voice-overs after the main recording is done. Other times, he records himself while playing the game. His videos about League of Legends and Overwatch (2016) are examples of this second method. He mentioned in an interview that he tries to include the funniest moments in these videos. His most-watched video, "Ultimate Skyrim," shows him playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) with many custom changes made by other players, which caused the game to stop working. Gastrow has said that people he knows, as well as Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and Tim & Eric programs, have influenced his work. He also enjoys watching videos by YouTubers ProJared and Gaming Historian.
According to Reid Kurkerewicz of Tone Madison, Gastrow represents "new games criticism," a style of reviewing inspired by New Journalism. He is known as a strong advocate for consumers and is highly skeptical of large company marketing efforts. For example, he criticized Nintendo for removing ads from his review of Super Mario Odyssey (2017) due to copyright issues, and Microsoft for its business practices, such as ending the Summer of Arcade deal. In his 2017 video "Game Critics," Gastrow pointed out problems with websites like IGN, including inconsistent opinions, poor writing, unclear ethical standards when working with companies they cover, and the growing gap between critics and players.
Reputation
Gene Park of The Washington Post described Gastrow as one of the most influential critics on YouTube, stating that he has inspired many others to follow his style. Park compared him to Lester Bangs, a famous music critic, noting that both are outsiders in their fields, have shaped modern language, and support consumers. Patrick Klepek, who writes for Vice, said Gastrow is one of the few YouTubers he subscribes to. Klepek called Gastrow an expert in video editing, explaining that he helps viewers laugh and understand why a game is interesting at the same time. Klepek also mentioned that even his wife, who rarely plays games, enjoys Gastrow’s videos, such as his work on "Dunkey." Gastrow’s temporary ban from League of Legends for using harsh language caused mixed reactions among his fans. Some defended him, while others were surprised he thought it was acceptable to insult other players.
Personal life
Gastrow was born on January 30, 1991. He has lived in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. His mother works as a second grade teacher. In September 2019, Gastrow married another YouTube creator named Leah Bee. In July 2023, Gastrow and Leah announced they were expecting their first child, a girl. The baby was born in October.
A common misunderstanding and a joke that repeats often on the channel is that Gastrow is Black. Leah says this belief comes from his voice and the fact that he rarely shows his face in videos.
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