The creator of Skibidi Toilet and the boss of the company now in charge of its YouTube channel have each issued statements presenting a united front amid recent concern over creative control of the web series.
Skibidi Toilet is a series of web shorts created by animator Alexey Gerasimov using Source Filmmaker, Valve’s 3D computer graphics software. Some assets used in the series are taken from video games such as Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source, which form the basis of the Garry's Mod physics sandbox.
Fans have for some time now worried about Gerasimov’s apparent lack of involvement with the ongoing production of videos on the DaFuq!?Boom! YouTube channel, which has 46.9 million subscribers. And in recent days those concerns were exacerbated when an X / Twitter account published online messages attributed to Gerasimov that, it was claimed, showed he had lost creative control over Skibidi Toilet and the YouTube channel to a company called Invisible Narratives. The initial tweet making those claims has had over 5 million views.
Invisible Narratives, the film and TV production studio that’s partnering with Transformers head honcho Michael Bay on a Skibidi Toilet film, currently produces new Skibidi Toilet videos published on the DaFuq!?Boom! YouTube channel — videos that some within the community have heavily criticized for poor quality animation and storytelling compared to the work Gerasimov had previously produced on his own.
It hit the headlines last year for all the wrong reasons when Garry's Mod creator Garry Newman said the “Skibidi Toilet guys” had hit him with a DMCA in a wild bit of litigious irony. But soon after, an account purporting to be Gerasimov insisted he wasn’t behind the claim, and Newman then told IGN that the matter had been “resolved.” The DMCA letter cited Skibidi Toilet characters Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, and Titan TV Man, saying they were "all registered copyrights that are unique and representative of our brand."
It’s fair to say Invisible Narratives has a mixed reputation within the core Skibidi Toilet community. Now, IGN has obtained statements from both parties, issued via a representative of both Alexey Gerasimov and Invisible Narratives, that attempt to calm that growing fan concern over the future of Skibidi Toilet and the DaFuq!?Boom! YouTube channel.
According to those statements, Gerasimov has stepped back from the day-to-day production of Skibidi Toilet videos, while remaining involved as a “creative partner.” Taking on what’s described as an executive producer role, Gerasimov is said to be working on something new, which Invisible Narratives has first refusal on in an “off YouTube” sense. This includes consumer products, television, film, and video games.
Here’s the note in full sent to IGN from Invisible Narratives:
After two successful and collaborative years working alongside DaFuq!?Boom!, Alexey Gerasimov approached Invisible Narratives about making a change. Alexey told the company he wanted to step back from the intense day-to-day production schedule and explore other creative interests, but he also wanted the world he built to continue growing.
As part of that conversation, Alexey offered to sell Invisible Narratives the channel while keeping an ongoing financial and creative stake in the franchise, suggesting he believed in its future and wanted to remain part of it. Invisible Narratives worked with Alexey to develop a structure that supported his shift while ensuring continuity for the Skibidi Toilet universe. He simply wanted the freedom to recharge and pursue new ideas without carrying the entire production burden on his own.
Alexey remains involved as a creative partner, shaping the next chapters in a way that reflects his original vision. In the new structure, Alexey is no longer leading the animation and is also stepping back from a public facing role on the channel to instead focus on a role more akin to that of an executive producer in the traditional studio model.
Beyond the new structure for YouTube, Boom! has entered into a first look arrangement with Invisible Narratives, giving the studio the opportunity to partner on whatever Alexey does next off YouTube. This includes consumer products, television, film, and even video games.
Included in the note to IGN is a quote attributed to Gerasimov himself, which outlines his position: “I know some fans are worried about what this expansion of the series means. I ask you to trust the process. In my new role as executive producer, I’m still guiding the stories, characters, and the energy that make Skibidi what it is, but now I’ll have a larger support structure helping me bring it all to life. I built this world without a team, and you guys have taken it to a new level. Now, I get to have the support and resources to deliver more episodes, more characters, and more consistency, without losing the core of what started it all.”
And there is also a quote from Adam Goodman, CEO and founder of Invisible Narratives (Michael Bay is his business partner): “YouTube is one of the best things that’s ever happened for creative people. Being able to make outrageously creative content without gatekeepers is exactly what Hollywood needs. That said, burnout is real. This type of series output is nearly inconceivable for any solo creator, and animation is exponentially more difficult. What Alexey has been doing for years is the work of a superhero. Crafting episode after episode, year after year, almost entirely on his own, is the kind of output most animation studios with full teams can’t match. Nobody can work that hard with so much public scrutiny and not take a break. Alexey deserves space — real space — to breathe, recharge, and rediscover what inspires him next. And whatever that next chapter is, in whatever direction he chooses to explore, people will show up for it. He’s earned that. We’d love to have the fans celebrate what he’s built. Let Alexey take a much-deserved break and come back swinging with what he continues to work on with us and his other projects.”
It remains to be seen whether Invisible Narratives’ clarification here will calm fan concern or fuel it. Core Skibidi Toilet fans were already convinced that Gerasimov had either walked away from the project or had been kicked out, and now it is confirmed that he has officially stepped away from the production of the series that made him one of the most high-profile creators on YouTube. Meanwhile, a new series set within the Skibidi Toilet universe called Skibidi Toilet: Emergence has just released, although that has also sparked quality concerns, with Skibidi Toilet Episode 80 in the works.
Invisible Narratives also wanted to clarify its working relationship with Michael Bay himself, saying that while Invisible Narratives and Michael Bay are working closely on a number of projects, including Skibidi Toilet, Invisible Narratives is not primarily owned or operated by Michael Bay. Michael Bay is described as a creative advisor. The Skibidi Toilet movie was revealed last year, although we haven’t heard anything more about it since. There’s also a TV series in the works.
Image credit: DaFuq!?Boom! / YouTube.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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