Vietnam’s own PewDiePie? How Cris Devil Gamer became a popular YouTuber by playing video games

With 10.8 million followers, Vietnamese gamer Cris Phan is widely considered one of the most popular YouTube creators in Vietnam. As Cris Devil Gamer, he is known for videos that often feature him playing popular games like PUBG: Battlegrounds, Grand Theft Auto V and Minecraft. He also creates content around popular topics such as food and travel to broaden his audience reach.

What most of his followers do not know is that it took Phan a decade of consistent hard work to get to where he is today. His earliest aim in creating YouTube videos was merely to have a platform to compete with his friends. “Everyone was creating their own channels for entertainment and uploading videos just for fun,” the 30-year-old recalled.

Interestingly, his initial foray into content creation was not guided by the pursuit of fame or recognition but rather a genuine curiosity sparked by a YouTube video. “I stumbled upon a YouTube video where someone was playing a game and I was curious about how someone could play a game, comment on it and still be so engaging,” shared Phan, who’s based in Ho Chi Minh City.

“It was a completely new industry, so I wanted to experience it for myself. I started to wonder about how to shoot videos and how to capture my face and expressions.”

GROWING THE PIE

In those days, his viewership could be best described as modest. “Initially, there were only about 10 views, mostly from friends. Afterward, friends shared my videos with others in the university, saying, ‘Hey, this guy makes fun videos. Check him out. Even though he plays games, he's really funny.’”

His viewership grew slowly but organically as the videos started garnering more shares and were sometimes posted on websites sharing memes. It took about six months to get up to a thousand views and another one to two years to reach 10,000 views.

These numbers may seem inconsequential to those in the big leagues today but this metric was a lot less daunting in the early days. “Back then, having 1,000 to 2,000 views was not that bad. It was not considered slow because fewer people watched YouTube then so 1,000 to 2,000 views were considered quite good,” said Phan.

“There were days when viewership would reach 13,000 to 14,000, which was fantastic but now, if a video does not get a million views, it feels quite disappointing and sad.”

Phan also had to overcome financial challenges, which continues to be a hurdle for content creators. He said candidly: “I worked for about one-and-a-half to two years before I earned my first 2 million VND (SG$110). At that time, it was quite challenging because I chose to enter the gaming industry and buying copyrights for games (to create YouTube videos) was quite expensive.”

But Phan was not deterred and decided to stay the course. In time, his initial investment in gaming copyrights proved to be a savvy move when other sources of income began to materialise.

“After three to four years, other income streams like external advertisements or getting sponsored with free games emerged, which made it a bit easier,” he reflected.

The turning point in his content creation journey arrived with a strategic shift. “I wanted to play horror games differently by ‘transforming’ myself into the characters so that viewers could immerse themselves in the video more deeply. This allows the viewer to have a different experience over merely watching someone play games,” said Phan, who cited gaming personality PewDiePie as one of his inspirations.

“PewDiePie used to play horror games and I followed that style of playing scary games while making it humorous. For others, horror games are just all about fear and creepy elements, but my fans often comment that I am very strange because I play horror games but am humorous, making it interesting for them.”

On a more personal level, he had to overcome his innate introverted personality to present a confident persona on screen. “Being natural when speaking in front of the camera is really a big challenge for me. But when my videos were more well received and loved, it made me motivated to overcome my limitations.”

Over time, Phan has also grown his team from a one-person show where he handled every aspect of content creation to having a group of collaborators. “Initially, I had to do everything from A to Z such as scripting, shooting, post-production and media. Now we have a team, including a manager, editor and two scriptwriters. But while they assist with certain aspects, the main content creation is still done by me,” he said.

In order to ensure his vision is executed the way he envisions it, he works with just one editor who has a strong understanding of his approach to content creation. “This person is also a fan of mine, so that is very helpful in allowing the editor to understand my style,” observed Phan.

A MULTIFACETED PERSONA

Not satisfied with being confined to the stereotype of a gamer who merely plays and comments on video games, his creative pursuits extend into acting, filmmaking and other facets of entertainment. “I became a YouTube content creator because I wanted to combine my two biggest passions: Gaming and acting. YouTube is where I realised my ideas and fulfilled my dreams of becoming an actor as well as a top content creator,” he said.

In fact, before he became a YouTuber, he studied directing and acting at RMIT University Vietnam, which has equipped him with the skills as well as industry connections to branch out into different aspects of entertainment.

Thus far, his proudest career milestone has been an autobiographical documentary about his life, which has served to offer a personal insight into his life while debunking common assumptions people have about him. It has helped him foster a deeper connection with his audience.

“People learned about my background and how I grew up. They used to assume that I was probably very wealthy in the past, but it was entirely the opposite.”

Phan revealed that the planning phase for the documentary spanned nine months, as he wanted to take time to create a compelling storyline that would capture his audience’s attention. “Because it was a documentary-style video that required narration, the storytelling had to be good. I chose a friend of mine who specialises in narrating football players' lives as the commentator and shortened the documentary to keep it from being too long, so I can potentially have a part two.”

This strategic mindset likely stems from his business management studies in university. He said: “Everything needs a proper introduction, body and conclusion. It cannot be that I create a parody that my fans do not understand as this might result in low views.”

Besides being constantly on the lookout for gaming ideas, especially Vietnamese games that incorporate local culture as they are more relatable for his followers, he is constantly on the lookout for ways to explore uncharted waters in entertainment.

“I want to create more polished mini-shows that are more entertaining and refined. These shows should also come with videos that contribute more to society,” he said.

“My dream is to travel around the world, experiencing different foods in a unique Cris Devil Gamer style. For example, in Korea, I might eat live octopus or various types of live seafood to make it more intriguing because if I just eat regular dishes, it could be too ordinary,” he said.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

At the end of the day, there is more to being a content creator than having a glamorous pr quirky image, he observed. “Honestly, there aren't many people who can make it on YouTube because it is tough,” said Phan, urging prospective content creators to learn some essential skills first.

“Making YouTube videos is not easy and being a content creator is not easy. Some basic skills required include knowing how to plan, how to script, how to set up lights and camera angles and editing a video. If you just jump in and press record, you will not necessarily have the skillset to speak in front of the camera and such videos will surely lack quality.”

Besides, the earnings from YouTube in Vietnam are not as substantial as in other countries, he added. It is important to evaluate the feasibility and potential returns on investing in breaking into the digital landscape before taking the plunge. “Ask yourself if it is worth the investment because everything we do is to earn a good income, right?”

Ever candid, Phan offered a personal assessment of his career thus far: “I do not feel entirely successful yet because there are still goals to strive for, especially making money to support the family and a child in the future.”

Beyond aspiring to earn enough money to travel around the world with his wife, he hopes to create vlogs that can double up as a diary of memories for his future child.

Ultimately, his goal is simple. “I think my biggest motivation is to ensure security for my family and to be happier every day. Because what I aim for is happiness, no matter how much money or success I accumulate, it all comes down to happiness.”