These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
The Big Brother of the Internet
How did it all start? In 2010, Gronkh began producing videos for YouTube. Initially, game reviews in video form were planned, but he stumbled upon an emerging trend from the USA: Let’s Plays.
He initially wanted to pursue this only as a hobby, to game alongside his work as a programmer. Unlike structured game reviews, the videos followed no script; it was simply a free-flowing conversation.
Thus, the success was all the more surprising for Gronkh: Who would rather watch such a video than play themselves? Gronkh explained to Der Spiegel in 2012 that it was a bit like back in the day when you watched your big brother play (via spiegel.de).
What characterized the Let’s Plays? For the viewers, it was less about seeing great gameplay; they wanted to experience the games together with Gronkh and hear what he had to say. If everything didn’t go perfectly, the fun was even greater.
Gronkh was diligent and produced tons of content: On average, he released 2 episodes of Let’s Plays per day for games like Dragon Age: Origins, Monkey Island, or F.E.A.R.
The major success came with the blocky game Minecraft. Over more than 3 years, 1,278 episodes of Let’s Play were released, totaling over 21,000 gameplay minutes. Viewers loved the funny quotes and the sometimes somewhat ditzy demeanor of the YouTuber.
Quickly, the videos reached thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of views. Episode 001 of Let’s Play Minecraft now has over 17 million views (as of January 27, 2023).
The right mix of excitement and humor has characterized Gronkh’s Let’s Plays then and now. He is never at a loss for a witty remark – like the pun we have embedded here:
Video Games, Travel, and a Touch of Social Critique
How did his content develop? Gronkh did not stop at just uploading commented gameplay videos on YouTube, although that remains an essential part of his online presence to this day. Together with Sarazar, he also ran the channel Superhomies.
There, they documented their private and professional travels or showed themselves trying local dishes and snacks. Gronkh now says that it was actually a total “cheap idea.” How it became so popular remains a mystery to him to this day.
Furthermore, the two of them hosted a web show called Let’s Play Together on the former German YouTube competitor MyVideo. They left the show in 2014, which meant Gronkh was no longer exclusively tied to MyVideo.
Since 2014, he has been regularly featured on Twitch. There, he essentially does the same with his “Live Let’s Plays” as on YouTube, but live and with direct interaction with viewers.
Besides the enduring favorite Minecraft, Gronkh showcases various current games on Twitch, ranging from horror to point-and-click to The Sims. He also chats with his viewers in Just Chatting and has now started doing reactions.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Erik Range was born in 1977 in Braunschweig and has become one of the largest German YouTubers and Twitch streamers as Gronkh. We provide you with an overview of the career of the first major German Let’s Player and show you where he stands in 2023.
Note: This article originally appeared on January 28, 2023. We revised it on January 31 and added some supplementary information.
It was mentioned in the original version that PlayMassive GmbH still operates several websites today. However, it is now active in the fields of film production and marketing under the name White Mandala GmbH.
Additionally, Gronkh pointed out in a stream on January 29 that he was not the first German Let’s Player. However, he contributed to making the genre “acceptable”. Content creators like “PunkRoyal” were already there before him (via gronkh.tv).
Original announcement:
Today, Gronkh is hardly absent from the German content creator scene. But the road to get there hasn’t always been easy: before his online career, Gronkh worked as an entrepreneur, web designer, and programmer.
In 2007, Gronkh founded PlayMassive GmbH together with his then-friend Valentin “Sarazar” Rahmel, which operated several websites. There, there were news and reviews of various games, especially in the MMORPG sector.
But there was a problem: fewer and fewer people wanted to read long game reviews, a new medium had to come.
The Big Brother of the Internet
How did it all start? In 2010, Gronkh began producing videos for YouTube. Initially, game reviews in video form were planned, but he stumbled upon an emerging trend from the USA: Let’s Plays.
He initially wanted to pursue this only as a hobby, to game alongside his work as a programmer. Unlike structured game reviews, the videos followed no script; it was simply a free-flowing conversation.
Thus, the success was all the more surprising for Gronkh: Who would rather watch such a video than play themselves? Gronkh explained to Der Spiegel in 2012 that it was a bit like back in the day when you watched your big brother play (via spiegel.de).
What characterized the Let’s Plays? For the viewers, it was less about seeing great gameplay; they wanted to experience the games together with Gronkh and hear what he had to say. If everything didn’t go perfectly, the fun was even greater.
Gronkh was diligent and produced tons of content: On average, he released 2 episodes of Let’s Plays per day for games like Dragon Age: Origins, Monkey Island, or F.E.A.R.
The major success came with the blocky game Minecraft. Over more than 3 years, 1,278 episodes of Let’s Play were released, totaling over 21,000 gameplay minutes. Viewers loved the funny quotes and the sometimes somewhat ditzy demeanor of the YouTuber.
Quickly, the videos reached thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of views. Episode 001 of Let’s Play Minecraft now has over 17 million views (as of January 27, 2023).
The right mix of excitement and humor has characterized Gronkh’s Let’s Plays then and now. He is never at a loss for a witty remark – like the pun we have embedded here:
Video Games, Travel, and a Touch of Social Critique
How did his content develop? Gronkh did not stop at just uploading commented gameplay videos on YouTube, although that remains an essential part of his online presence to this day. Together with Sarazar, he also ran the channel Superhomies.
There, they documented their private and professional travels or showed themselves trying local dishes and snacks. Gronkh now says that it was actually a total “cheap idea.” How it became so popular remains a mystery to him to this day.
Furthermore, the two of them hosted a web show called Let’s Play Together on the former German YouTube competitor MyVideo. They left the show in 2014, which meant Gronkh was no longer exclusively tied to MyVideo.
Since 2014, he has been regularly featured on Twitch. There, he essentially does the same with his “Live Let’s Plays” as on YouTube, but live and with direct interaction with viewers.
Besides the enduring favorite Minecraft, Gronkh showcases various current games on Twitch, ranging from horror to point-and-click to The Sims. He also chats with his viewers in Just Chatting and has now started doing reactions.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Erik Range was born in 1977 in Braunschweig and has become one of the largest German YouTubers and Twitch streamers as Gronkh. We provide you with an overview of the career of the first major German Let’s Player and show you where he stands in 2023.
Note: This article originally appeared on January 28, 2023. We revised it on January 31 and added some supplementary information.
It was mentioned in the original version that PlayMassive GmbH still operates several websites today. However, it is now active in the fields of film production and marketing under the name White Mandala GmbH.
Additionally, Gronkh pointed out in a stream on January 29 that he was not the first German Let’s Player. However, he contributed to making the genre “acceptable”. Content creators like “PunkRoyal” were already there before him (via gronkh.tv).
Original announcement:
Today, Gronkh is hardly absent from the German content creator scene. But the road to get there hasn’t always been easy: before his online career, Gronkh worked as an entrepreneur, web designer, and programmer.
In 2007, Gronkh founded PlayMassive GmbH together with his then-friend Valentin “Sarazar” Rahmel, which operated several websites. There, there were news and reviews of various games, especially in the MMORPG sector.
But there was a problem: fewer and fewer people wanted to read long game reviews, a new medium had to come.
The Big Brother of the Internet
How did it all start? In 2010, Gronkh began producing videos for YouTube. Initially, game reviews in video form were planned, but he stumbled upon an emerging trend from the USA: Let’s Plays.
He initially wanted to pursue this only as a hobby, to game alongside his work as a programmer. Unlike structured game reviews, the videos followed no script; it was simply a free-flowing conversation.
Thus, the success was all the more surprising for Gronkh: Who would rather watch such a video than play themselves? Gronkh explained to Der Spiegel in 2012 that it was a bit like back in the day when you watched your big brother play (via spiegel.de).
What characterized the Let’s Plays? For the viewers, it was less about seeing great gameplay; they wanted to experience the games together with Gronkh and hear what he had to say. If everything didn’t go perfectly, the fun was even greater.
Gronkh was diligent and produced tons of content: On average, he released 2 episodes of Let’s Plays per day for games like Dragon Age: Origins, Monkey Island, or F.E.A.R.
The major success came with the blocky game Minecraft. Over more than 3 years, 1,278 episodes of Let’s Play were released, totaling over 21,000 gameplay minutes. Viewers loved the funny quotes and the sometimes somewhat ditzy demeanor of the YouTuber.
Quickly, the videos reached thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of views. Episode 001 of Let’s Play Minecraft now has over 17 million views (as of January 27, 2023).
The right mix of excitement and humor has characterized Gronkh’s Let’s Plays then and now. He is never at a loss for a witty remark – like the pun we have embedded here:
Video Games, Travel, and a Touch of Social Critique
How did his content develop? Gronkh did not stop at just uploading commented gameplay videos on YouTube, although that remains an essential part of his online presence to this day. Together with Sarazar, he also ran the channel Superhomies.
There, they documented their private and professional travels or showed themselves trying local dishes and snacks. Gronkh now says that it was actually a total “cheap idea.” How it became so popular remains a mystery to him to this day.
Furthermore, the two of them hosted a web show called Let’s Play Together on the former German YouTube competitor MyVideo. They left the show in 2014, which meant Gronkh was no longer exclusively tied to MyVideo.
Since 2014, he has been regularly featured on Twitch. There, he essentially does the same with his “Live Let’s Plays” as on YouTube, but live and with direct interaction with viewers.
Besides the enduring favorite Minecraft, Gronkh showcases various current games on Twitch, ranging from horror to point-and-click to The Sims. He also chats with his viewers in Just Chatting and has now started doing reactions.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Erik Range was born in 1977 in Braunschweig and has become one of the largest German YouTubers and Twitch streamers as Gronkh. We provide you with an overview of the career of the first major German Let’s Player and show you where he stands in 2023.
Note: This article originally appeared on January 28, 2023. We revised it on January 31 and added some supplementary information.
It was mentioned in the original version that PlayMassive GmbH still operates several websites today. However, it is now active in the fields of film production and marketing under the name White Mandala GmbH.
Additionally, Gronkh pointed out in a stream on January 29 that he was not the first German Let’s Player. However, he contributed to making the genre “acceptable”. Content creators like “PunkRoyal” were already there before him (via gronkh.tv).
Original announcement:
Today, Gronkh is hardly absent from the German content creator scene. But the road to get there hasn’t always been easy: before his online career, Gronkh worked as an entrepreneur, web designer, and programmer.
In 2007, Gronkh founded PlayMassive GmbH together with his then-friend Valentin “Sarazar” Rahmel, which operated several websites. There, there were news and reviews of various games, especially in the MMORPG sector.
But there was a problem: fewer and fewer people wanted to read long game reviews, a new medium had to come.
The Big Brother of the Internet
How did it all start? In 2010, Gronkh began producing videos for YouTube. Initially, game reviews in video form were planned, but he stumbled upon an emerging trend from the USA: Let’s Plays.
He initially wanted to pursue this only as a hobby, to game alongside his work as a programmer. Unlike structured game reviews, the videos followed no script; it was simply a free-flowing conversation.
Thus, the success was all the more surprising for Gronkh: Who would rather watch such a video than play themselves? Gronkh explained to Der Spiegel in 2012 that it was a bit like back in the day when you watched your big brother play (via spiegel.de).
What characterized the Let’s Plays? For the viewers, it was less about seeing great gameplay; they wanted to experience the games together with Gronkh and hear what he had to say. If everything didn’t go perfectly, the fun was even greater.
Gronkh was diligent and produced tons of content: On average, he released 2 episodes of Let’s Plays per day for games like Dragon Age: Origins, Monkey Island, or F.E.A.R.
The major success came with the blocky game Minecraft. Over more than 3 years, 1,278 episodes of Let’s Play were released, totaling over 21,000 gameplay minutes. Viewers loved the funny quotes and the sometimes somewhat ditzy demeanor of the YouTuber.
Quickly, the videos reached thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of views. Episode 001 of Let’s Play Minecraft now has over 17 million views (as of January 27, 2023).
The right mix of excitement and humor has characterized Gronkh’s Let’s Plays then and now. He is never at a loss for a witty remark – like the pun we have embedded here:
Video Games, Travel, and a Touch of Social Critique
How did his content develop? Gronkh did not stop at just uploading commented gameplay videos on YouTube, although that remains an essential part of his online presence to this day. Together with Sarazar, he also ran the channel Superhomies.
There, they documented their private and professional travels or showed themselves trying local dishes and snacks. Gronkh now says that it was actually a total “cheap idea.” How it became so popular remains a mystery to him to this day.
Furthermore, the two of them hosted a web show called Let’s Play Together on the former German YouTube competitor MyVideo. They left the show in 2014, which meant Gronkh was no longer exclusively tied to MyVideo.
Since 2014, he has been regularly featured on Twitch. There, he essentially does the same with his “Live Let’s Plays” as on YouTube, but live and with direct interaction with viewers.
Besides the enduring favorite Minecraft, Gronkh showcases various current games on Twitch, ranging from horror to point-and-click to The Sims. He also chats with his viewers in Just Chatting and has now started doing reactions.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
Erik Range was born in 1977 in Braunschweig and has become one of the largest German YouTubers and Twitch streamers as Gronkh. We provide you with an overview of the career of the first major German Let’s Player and show you where he stands in 2023.
Note: This article originally appeared on January 28, 2023. We revised it on January 31 and added some supplementary information.
It was mentioned in the original version that PlayMassive GmbH still operates several websites today. However, it is now active in the fields of film production and marketing under the name White Mandala GmbH.
Additionally, Gronkh pointed out in a stream on January 29 that he was not the first German Let’s Player. However, he contributed to making the genre “acceptable”. Content creators like “PunkRoyal” were already there before him (via gronkh.tv).
Original announcement:
Today, Gronkh is hardly absent from the German content creator scene. But the road to get there hasn’t always been easy: before his online career, Gronkh worked as an entrepreneur, web designer, and programmer.
In 2007, Gronkh founded PlayMassive GmbH together with his then-friend Valentin “Sarazar” Rahmel, which operated several websites. There, there were news and reviews of various games, especially in the MMORPG sector.
But there was a problem: fewer and fewer people wanted to read long game reviews, a new medium had to come.
The Big Brother of the Internet
How did it all start? In 2010, Gronkh began producing videos for YouTube. Initially, game reviews in video form were planned, but he stumbled upon an emerging trend from the USA: Let’s Plays.
He initially wanted to pursue this only as a hobby, to game alongside his work as a programmer. Unlike structured game reviews, the videos followed no script; it was simply a free-flowing conversation.
Thus, the success was all the more surprising for Gronkh: Who would rather watch such a video than play themselves? Gronkh explained to Der Spiegel in 2012 that it was a bit like back in the day when you watched your big brother play (via spiegel.de).
What characterized the Let’s Plays? For the viewers, it was less about seeing great gameplay; they wanted to experience the games together with Gronkh and hear what he had to say. If everything didn’t go perfectly, the fun was even greater.
Gronkh was diligent and produced tons of content: On average, he released 2 episodes of Let’s Plays per day for games like Dragon Age: Origins, Monkey Island, or F.E.A.R.
The major success came with the blocky game Minecraft. Over more than 3 years, 1,278 episodes of Let’s Play were released, totaling over 21,000 gameplay minutes. Viewers loved the funny quotes and the sometimes somewhat ditzy demeanor of the YouTuber.
Quickly, the videos reached thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of views. Episode 001 of Let’s Play Minecraft now has over 17 million views (as of January 27, 2023).
The right mix of excitement and humor has characterized Gronkh’s Let’s Plays then and now. He is never at a loss for a witty remark – like the pun we have embedded here:
Video Games, Travel, and a Touch of Social Critique
How did his content develop? Gronkh did not stop at just uploading commented gameplay videos on YouTube, although that remains an essential part of his online presence to this day. Together with Sarazar, he also ran the channel Superhomies.
There, they documented their private and professional travels or showed themselves trying local dishes and snacks. Gronkh now says that it was actually a total “cheap idea.” How it became so popular remains a mystery to him to this day.
Furthermore, the two of them hosted a web show called Let’s Play Together on the former German YouTube competitor MyVideo. They left the show in 2014, which meant Gronkh was no longer exclusively tied to MyVideo.
Since 2014, he has been regularly featured on Twitch. There, he essentially does the same with his “Live Let’s Plays” as on YouTube, but live and with direct interaction with viewers.
Besides the enduring favorite Minecraft, Gronkh showcases various current games on Twitch, ranging from horror to point-and-click to The Sims. He also chats with his viewers in Just Chatting and has now started doing reactions.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
A particular highlight is the annually held charity show Friendly Fire, which he organizes together with the gaming group PietSmiet. It alternates on the channels of Gronkh and PietSmiet.
These social aspects are very important to Gronkh: In an interview with Der Spiegel, he explained as early as 2016 that while his content serves entertainment, he still incorporates important topics and positive values.
I play games and talk about them. You don’t win an Oscar for that, and you rather occupy a niche program. I am aware that the “Let’s Play” format does not have the highest intellectual demands. But I want to entertain people well and take them emotionally along while playing. And I also occasionally weave social critique into my program, advocating for unity. This can only be superficial, but I would at least like to touch on the topic.
Gronkh via Spiegel
By the way, Gronkh is also active as a voice actor: for example, the YouTuber was heard in Just Cause 3, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: A New Universe, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
The Greatest Successes So Far
This is how successful Gronkh became: From one of the first German Let’s Players, Gronkh developed into the largest YouTuber in Germany. Between 2014 and 2016, Gronkh had the most subscribed YouTube channel in Germany.
For his work, Gronkh has already received several awards. He won three times at the German Web Video Award in 2012, received the Golden Play Button in 2013 for having more than one million subscribers on YouTube, and made it into the Hall of Fame of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin in 2014.
He can hardly fathom the latter even nearly 9 years later:
Being in the Computer Game Museum is still a great honor for me. It still sounds strange to me, but it really means a lot to me to be there. […] I just love gaming; it is a part of my childhood, it is a part of my entire life.
There were further awards at the German Web Video Award in 2014 and 2015, and in 2020, Gronkh was awarded “Best Streamer” at the Gamescom Awards.
In addition, there were television appearances, such as with Stefan Raab and Jan Böhmermann.
An rather unpleasant milestone for Gronkh came in 2018: After several large streamers came under the scrutiny of the state media authorities, he became the first German content creator to apply for and receive a broadcasting license – albeit under protest.
Also Successful as a Voice Actor
What else does Gronkh do apart from gaming? Gronkh’s voice not only sounds good in streams or Let’s Plays. As a voice actor, the 47-year-old has also achieved some success.
Initially, he only voiced small roles in indie games like “Harvey’s New Eyes” or “Chaos on Deponia.” He then received a somewhat larger role as Chief of Police Heat in the game “Just Cause 3”.
He quickly made the transition from video games to films: in 2017, in the feature film “Resident Evil 6: The Final Chapter,” the Joker in “The LEGO Batman Movie,” or as Fisk in the animated film “Spider-Man: A New Universe.”
Where Does Gronkh Stand Today?
Unlike other early stars of the German YouTube scene, Gronkh remains active to this day and has stayed true to himself. He still regularly uploads 1-2 Let’s Plays per day on YouTube and streams on Twitch.
The concept still works: His main channel remains one of the most subscribed German YouTube channels with 4.9 million subscribers.
In December 2022, he ranked 6th among German-language channels, but now has to concede defeat to Julien Bam. Gronkh, however, sees this as justified: JulienBam is the Netflix among German YouTubers; one simply has to respect what he is creating.
These types of success were never especially important to the content creator: he didn’t want to be in the spotlight; he preferred to be on eye level with his viewers. Today, he seems to focus mainly on what makes him happy: creating Let’s Plays and having a good time with his viewers.
On Twitch, Gronkh regularly makes it to the top 5 biggest German streamers. On average, between 15,000 and 20,000 people watch him live when he is streaming – when he participates as Bronko the Brachiale at the Pen’n’Paper event H.O.R.D.E, it is even more (via sullygnome).
In a YouTube video from June 20, 2024, Gronkh mentioned that he is currently enjoying streaming more than recording Let’s Plays. In the future, we will likely see more streams and have to wait for the familiar Let’s Plays.
While playing Forspoken, the AAA disaster from Square Enix, Gronkh even ranked as the most-viewed streamer ahead of English-speaking giants like Asmongold (via sullygnome).
In February, Gronkh was once again the biggest streamer in Germany with the survival favorite Sons of the Forest. For fans, this evoked many fond memories of how the streamer played the first part in 2018.
