The ideas expressed in this article are the express opinion of the author(s), and do not necessarily express the opinion of the Kingdom Hearts Database, its staff, or its contributors collectively.
This could be a step, a first step, towards a bigger and greater community. A chance to make everyone happy.
A few months ago, I read and shared a tweet by someone who in 2019 asked why donât have competent Kingdom Hearts video essayists. In quoting the tweet, I suggested that while there definitely are improvements since that time with several brilliant and competent creators, I still wish there were more.[1] Most video content on the series falls in one of two camps: they either are videos of the games themselves, such as playthroughs; or they are news and theory videos. These are great and helpful, and often very fun, especially when it comes to live game streams. But they are often all produced by a handful of already well-known content creators. Unfortunately, they overshadow other kinds of video content from the Kingdom Hearts community, videos that many times are not seen. This is by no means an attack on those well-known creators, many of whom Iâve long admired and who also are fun to watch and engage. However, there are many others who produce content thatâs equally enjoyable, informative, and often missed or unseen by the larger community. This happens not just in the realm of video content creation, but also in the worlds of art, merchandise, game modding, speedrunning, news reporting, wikis, and more.
When the event that eventually became March Caprice was being thought of, one of the things that was decided early on was that every participant would not only present their talents, but they would do so on their own platforms and channels. While itâs so much easier to view it all in one place, this decision would bring attention to the creatorsâ platforms, the home channels and websites and stores of every participant. Since the beginning, March Caprice has been about celebrating all creators in the community and showing them off, including those who may not be as well-known or prominent, and bringing the community to them and their virtual home. Itâs about supporting so many talented creators, many so often unknown, and bringing them to a bigger stage for all to see and follow.
If we want our community to grow, we need March Caprice. If we want to meet new creators, we need March Caprice. If we want to welcome new creators and expand the reach, impact, and joy that our beloved series has given us, we need March Caprice, and events like it. We need to, as a community, come together and lift each other up. The creator community is such a complicated and often difficult and stressful environment to break into; we can help make it easier. We can make it possible to lower the barriers of entry and welcome even more people in.
March Caprice isnât the only way to do this, but it can be a stepâmaybe the first stepâtowards that goal. The Kingdom Hearts series has long carried the message of friendship and working together. On this 20th Anniversary of this beloved series, we can honor that message through events and collaborations like March Caprice. It can be a chance to welcome in new players of our one of our favorite video game franchises, lift and support new creators, and shine a spotlight on existing creators who may not already be seen. Itâs an opportunity to come together over a series we all know and love, to get to know each other and engage, and build friendships. Itâs an opportunity to foster communities and meet new creators. Itâs a chance to make everyone happy.
To those thinking about signing up, we hope you will. It wonât matter your current followers, your perceived skill, or your time in the community. If you have something to share, we want to see it. To those who already have large and well-known followings, those who have been creating for the community for some time, we hope youâll join us, too. Your presence, your support, your participation will mean the world to so many of us who have long looked up to you. To those who maybe donât think you have anything to share this time around, come anyways and support the incredible creators who will be there. Come meet new people and new friends. Come help build our community and make it greater than it already is. Weâre excited to see you all on March 26.
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- â @KeySpyMaster on Twitter: "I'd argue that this has improved significantly since 2019 with creators like @DavidRussell323, @TheSubparPatsby, @AbsolutelyAeba, @KinodeVGM, and @Bio_Roxas, among others. That said, is it wrong to wish there were even more like these?"