Actualol

Play against me on Board Game Arena

To celebrate the new Collection Starters video - let’s play four of the games together on Board Game Arena. 

Please only join one game below, so there’s room for others. And if there’s no space in the game you wanted, leave a comment and I’ll create a new table and update this post with the new link.

Play Heat: Pedal to the Metal for free with me: https://bga.li/t/555176891

10 Board Games You Need To Start A Collection

Happy video day patrons!

Here’s a topic I’ve wanted to tackle for a while. The best games for starting a collection. With a focus on having games that cover all player counts (unless you have a silly amount of friends).

Please leave your questions below for the after-show video.

Actually yours,

Jon

The Few (10) Expansions I Actually Like (Exclusive)

Patrons! It's time for your monthly dose of exclusivity. Thanks to the Voter LOLs patrons, I'm talking about the few expansions I actually like. It's not the most positive video I've ever made!

Expect the main channel video early this week (tomorrow, hopefully!).

Actually yours,

Jon

Actualol Newsletter- July 2024

Hello hello!

It’s hot, hot, hot in London - so let’s cool down with a newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the Ultimate Couples Guide video, 10 Useful Games I Can’t Get Rid Of, and studio tour this month.

Today, I’ve got three...

The Ultimate Couples Board Games Guide

Today I've created the ultimate couples board games guide. 40 Games split into categories, to help gamers find something to enjoy with their partner.

I hope you find it useful!

Actually yours,

Jon

10 Useful Games I Can't Get Rid Of

Monthly exclusive video time! I'm talking about 10 games in my collection that are so useful, I can't get rid of them.

Thanks to the Voter LOLs peeps for voting for this topic! See you soon for the next poll.

Actually yours,

Jon 

Actualol Newsletter - June 2024

Well met travellers,

It’s been quite the month for Actualol - thank you to everyone for supporting the channel. Thanks to you, we are back on track.

And it’s been quite the month for me. I turned 40 years old on the 17th June. How’s that for a patron exclusive! 

Since the last newsletter we’ve had the Sho...

Actualol Studio Tour (Patron Exclusive)

Hello patrons!

Here's a little behind the scenes video showing you around my studio.

Enjoy!

Jon

Thank you!!!

What a response. This has been the most dramatic few days in Actualol history. Thank you so much to everyone for stepping up the support to save the channel.

Thank you to all the new patrons who pledged. All the former patrons who came back. And all the existing patrons who continue to give, or moved up a tier.

This has been game-changing. With the added support, I will be able to pay the bills and keep making videos. I won't have to worriedly check the YouTube ad revenue numbers...

Livestream Starting Now!

Come join in the fun!

The uncertain future of Actualol

Hi patrons,

Today I've posted a video on the channel about the uncertain future of the channel. Simply put, I'm not making enough money from YouTube to pay the bills. This is down to a drop off in views for most of this year, and a gradual decline in Patrons.

I love this job, and I think I have a lot to offer the world of board game media. So I am asking my YouTube viewers to join the patron gang and pledge their support.

I have also opened up YouTube memberships in the hope...

After Show Video - Shoe Box Collection

Hello patrons!

Today we're trying a new patron-only video. This is the After Show for the shoe box collection video. Basically, it's a chilled chat with me, with a behind the scenes look at the latest video. How it came about, which games didn't make the cut etc. And I answer some questions from the comments.

Please click the like button if you'd like to see more videos like this, so I know for the future.

Thanks,

Jon

What do you want from the Actualol Patreon? (Poll)

I could use your help in reshaping the Patreon rewards. Below is a poll to determine what current and potential rewards are important to you. Please vote on which things would impact your happiness in being a patron. I know that you may say that you're only a patron to support the channel, but if a certain perk would make you happy, then that's useful information.

I'm not retaining or recruiting enough patrons to make Actualol financially viable - so I'll be running a pledge drive, and ...

Shoebox Collection Alternatives - Patron Exclusive

To accompany my new shoebox collection video - here are 30+ suggestions of other games you could put in your shoe box collection.

I hope you enjoy this video exclusively for patrons.

Thanks so much for your support!

Jon 

20 Small Games for a Shoe Box Collection

Board games are too big nowadays! What if you could create an entire board game collection that fits in a shoe box?? Well you can!

Here are 20 small games that make up a complete collection.

Enjoy!

Actually yours,

Jon

Channel Update - Sponsored Video

Hi patrons,

I wanted to let you know that the next video will include a sponsored segment for the language app Babbel. I’ve managed to avoid sponsorship on the channel for 9 years, but I haven’t been making enough money on YouTube or Patreon to pay the bills lately. I have no intention of accepting board game related sponsorship.

Unfortunately it means that the next video will be slightly delayed. It was already an ambitious video - recommending 20 games, one that I’m real...

Actualol Newsletter - May 2024

Hello patrons,

I hope you enjoyed my descent into madness in my box ranking video. I've just filmed my next normal Actualol video (and Patron bonus video!) - it should be ready next week. Expect small games, lots of them!

In this newsletter, I'm running down all of the 28 games I played at Lobstercon. But first, a sad story with a good ending.

Actual Life

Las...

Ranking Board Game Boxes

As a continuation of the disgruntled board gamer character I played in my collection video - here I am ranking NOT board games, but the boxes that board games come in.

I hope you enjoy this change of style for one video. I've got an epic small box game video coming in the pipeline!

Actually yours,

Jon

Actualol Newsletter April 2024

Good day to you, fine patrons!

I hope you enjoyed my collection video and the patron extended cut! I've got more exclusive videos on the way too.

Yesterday, I filmed the next video which is currently being edited by my new editor. I had lots of great responses to the editor search and it's a relief to hand it off to someone else so I can fo...

Patron Exclusive - My Collection Extended Cut

This is the patron exclusive video to accompany my new collection video. The extended cut where I talk about the rest of the 225 games on my shelves.

Make sure to watch the main channel video first so it makes more sense!

I hope you enjoy this bonus content.

Actually yours,

Jon

My Perfectly Curated Board Game Collection

It's been three years since I last gave you a tour of my whole collection - and this time I've organised them by genre, with each shelf given a name.

This is the main video for YouTube, but coming along shortly for Patrons will be an extra 2 hour video, talking through every game on every shelf.

Thanks so much for your support!

Actually yours,

Jon

Actualol Newsletter - March 2024

Hello patrons!

I hope you enjoyed my Top 10 Games of 2023 video and if it inspired any purchases that they bring you lots of fun!

In this newsletter, I've got three good games to tell you about (for once!) - Marabunta, Mind Up! and Rafter Five.

Next up on the channel will be a video about my collection. And an extra patron exclusive video to go with ...

Actualol Meetup - Postponed Indefinitely

Just an update on the idea of an Actualol Meetup. I've decided it's not practical at the moment. I had originally wanted to host an event to celebrate hitting 100K subscribers but in every other way it feels like bad timing.

I'm currently averaging a few hours of sleep a night with the baby, and I think it's better to save my time and energy for new videos that all the patrons can enjoy. Organising an event feels like an over stretch. For example, I'm turning 40 this summer and I haven...

Top 10 Board Games of 2023

It's here! My Top 10 Board Games of 2023 video. I hope you enjoy it :)

Actually yours,

Jon

Top 20-11 Board Games of 2023 (Exclusive Video)

Before my Top 10 Games of 2023, I wanted to make a special Patron-only video talking about my Top 20-11 games of last year. In the style of my Top 100 videos from last year, but this time a little better because I've laid the games out on the table.

These are the games that almost made my Top 10, and I'll explain why they're not quite in the final list, but what I like about them over the other games from 2023. 

Let me know if you'd like to see more exclusive videos like this...

Actualol Newsletter - February 2024

Allo allo actualollers!

I’m taking a break from my big Top 10 Games of 2023 video to bring you a newsletter. This month, I’m providing the antidote to that upcoming video by giving you my NOT 20 - twenty games from last year which I wouldn’t recommend.

I’ve also got an exclusive video coming very soon - my Top 20-11 games video will be a patron exclusive release, much like my Top 100 video series last year.

I apologi...

Patron Newsletter - January 2024

Hello patrons!

Welcome back to the newsletter. And thank you to the new patrons for coming aboard! I’m so grateful for your support.

I hope you enjoyed my Collection Culling video. I’ve now added the links to older videos to the description that I’d promised. In this newsletter I’ll be sharing the truth behind the culling video - and other games I culled which didn’t...

100 Games Left My Collection. Here's Why.

New video!

In today's bumper length video - I go through the 100 games that left my collection recently - explaining why I got rid of them, and which games I'd rather play instead. Enjoy!

I decided to delay the newsletter to get the video finished first - so that will be with you next week.

Actually yours,

Jon

11 Chapters That Made Me | 100K Subscriber Special

Hello!

To celebrate reaching 100K Subscribers I wanted to do something a little different. So here are some stories from my life, some board game related, some not, hopefully interesting and amusing and illuminating!

I don't feel like I share that much personal stuff on the channel itself - and I thought it was a good point to do that. I hope you find it interesting. 

Back to the board games in the next video!

Actually yours,

Jon 

Actualol Newsletter - December 2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful festive season, and are ringing in the new year with some games this evening! I will be cursing all the fireworks this year, and sleeping through midnight for the first time to catch up on my dad sleep.

I filmed my next video - a 100K subscriber special - two days ago, and will have it with you in the coming week. I was hoping YouTube would send me my 100K silver plaque in time to film it, but I couldn’t wait a...