Why the Try Guys Left BuzzFeed

Why the Try Guys Left BuzzFeed: A Verified Explanation

The Try Guys, a group of four American digital creators formerly employed by BuzzFeed, left the company in 2018 to regain full ownership of their content and audience. Their departure was driven by a combination of contract renewal terms, strategic shifts at BuzzFeed toward faster, lower-cost video, and a desire to build a sustainable, brand-safe creative business. This evergreen explainer outlines the verified facts, public statements, and business context behind their decision, and what changed (and did not change) for the creators afterward.

Who Are the Try Guys and Why Their Move Matters

The Try Guys are a comedy and lifestyle ensemble known for trying unusual products, challenges, and cultural experiments in a lighthearted, experiment-first format. Their value to BuzzFeed was strong early-stage video performance and a distinct on-camera brand that did not rely on shock or click speculation. Because their audience trusted them, their departure carried outsized weight for both creators and the publisher. Understanding why they left helps explain how large digital studios manage talent, IP ownership, and content economics over time.

Creative and Business Pressures at Scale

As BuzzFeed scaled video production, editorial priorities shifted toward formats that could be produced quickly and promoted across social platforms at low cost. This created tension with longer-form, experiment-driven productions like those featuring the Try Guys, which required more planning, crew, and budget. For many talent partnerships at large digital publishers, the balance between brand safety, creative freedom, and output cadence determines whether a relationship remains viable. When publisher strategies move toward standardized templates and rapid-turnaround clips, distinct creator series can be at risk of deprioritization.

Contract Renewal and IP Ownership Terms

Public reports and the creators’ own statements indicated that contract renewal discussions focused on how IP rights and revenue would be handled moving forward. Many multi-creator deals at digital publishers include clauses around ownership of footage, rights to repurpose content, and revenue splits across platforms. The Try Guys chose to leave rather than accept terms that would limit their ability to own and monetize their experiments directly. This mirrors patterns seen across digital media, where creators trade production support for long-term ownership as they mature.

How They Left and Where They Went

In March 2018, BuzzFeed executives announced that the Try Guys would be leaving the company to launch their own venture, supported by a one-off digital special and a business built outside the publisher’s standard revenue and production model. They framed the move as returning to being 'four guys with a camera,' with direct audience support through memberships and sponsorships. Their subsequent Patreon launch and continued YouTube presence show a shift from salaried creative roles to entrepreneurial production, where they fund experiments while managing licensing, brand deals, and audience products independently.

Immediate Outcomes and Long-Term Trajectory

After leaving BuzzFeed, the Try Guys maintained their core format while widening their portfolio to include more personal storytelling, lifestyle experiments, and behind-the-scenes production content. They retained ad revenue and sponsorship control, reduced dependence on a single publisher’s commissioning cadence, and kept editorial freedom over what they tried and how they presented results. This path resembles other creator-led brands that began inside large studios but matured into standalone media businesses supported by diversified revenue.

Verified Timeline and Context

Comparative Context: In-House Creators Who Left Major Publishers

• Creative control: Leaving often increases freedom over format, length, and experimentation.
• Revenue ownership: Independent models enable direct monetization, but remove guaranteed salary and production budgets.
• Risk and scale: Independent growth can scale with audience support, but requires marketing, operations, and finance discipline.
• Brand safety and alignment: Independent channels allow stricter control over brand partners and content tone.

Common Misconceptions and Clarifications

Some assume the Try Guys left because of a single incident or public controversy. In reality, their departure was a business and creative decision reflecting long-term trends in how digital video studios manage talent and IP. BuzzFeed continued producing experiment-style content with other creators, while the Try Guys demonstrated that audience trust can persist when creators retain ownership. Their journey underscores that moving away from a large publisher can be an evolution, not an exit from influence.

Implications for Creators and Publishers

For creators, the Try Guys’ path highlights the value of building owned audiences, diversifying revenue, and negotiating clear IP terms early. For digital publishers, it illustrates the challenge of balancing standardized production efficiency with the distinctiveness that makes certain series stand out. Understanding these dynamics helps both sides design partnerships that accommodate growth, experimentation, and sustainable business models over time.

Key Takeaways

• The Try Guys left BuzzFeed in 2018 to reclaim ownership of their content and audience.
• Contract and business strategy differences, especially around IP and revenue, were central to the decision.
• They transitioned to independent funding via Patreon and YouTube while maintaining their experiment-first format.
• Their experience reflects broader patterns in digital media where creators mature into independent brands.
• Lessons include the value of diversified revenue, clear rights in contracts, and audience trust as a durable asset.