Google announces the end of YouTube Originals

If we roll back the time to 2016, we will witness one of Google’s many initiatives—to create a new service that would one day stand toe to toe and compete with the likes of Netflix. Well, here we are, in 2022, and it seems this endeavor proved too ambitious even for Google.

Of course, we are talking about YouTube Originals—a program that was created to provide, as the name suggests, original content in a longer-video format. Alas, YouTube’s Chief Business Officer, Robert Kyncl, shared that the program will be coming to a close. He also announced that Susanne Daniels, YouTube’s global head of original content, will be leaving Google on March 1, 2022.

YouTube Originals started with a logical first step. It gathered well-known creators that had made a name for themselves on the platform and invited them to take part in said new form factor.

Later on, however, other content with more budget behind its production started to pop up, such as the now-popular Cobra Kai show. Unfortunately for Google, though, after ending the second season, the show was then taken by none other than Netflix itself, the main competitor of YouTube Originals.

Thankfully, Kyncl shared that Google will respect the commitments it has already made to certain fund programs, like YouTube Kids Funds and Black Voices. He also mentioned that they will honor already contracted shows that are in progress, as well as the creators associated with them. Kyncl also assured said creators that they will be contacted directly soon.

Google has a long track record of starting things and then deciding to abandon them out of the blue. With that said, this is not the case with YouTube Originals. The program lasted for about seven years, and the search giant gave it a try. Also, despite rumored new upcoming shows, there were obvious signs that it was all coming to a close.