Hello, everyone.
This isn’t going to be an easy letter for me to write, but it’s been weighing on me for a long time.
Since 2010, as some of you may already know, the channel originally started as a plush toy channel, just my 10-year-old self vlogging my adventures with Mario, inspired by the Cute Mario Bros. Five years later, everything changed when I got my hands on Source Filmmaker. For the first time, I thought I finally had a chance to truly bring my creative ideas and adventures with Mario and Sonic characters to life.
But ever since then, I’ve always run into the same roadblock that prevented those ideas from becoming reality: finances.
Let me just be clear. My family didn’t grow up around movie culture or anything like that. My family understood labor, food industries, and hard work. I was one of the few in my family who even dared to dream of bringing movies, music, and entertainment to life as a career. And understandably, they thought I was out of my mind. They didn’t think it was going to work.
And honestly? Looking at where I’m at now, they weren’t so far from the truth.
In response, I made a small push with my Patreon back in 2016, but had no success. I didn’t even try very hard. At the time, YouTube was still just a hobby to me.
Then in 2023, everything changed. I was awarded the Silver Play Button from YouTube after one of my Mario videos went viral following The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Since that day, my channel skyrocketed to over 700,000 subscribers and for the record, I also hit that same number on TikTok.
By all accounts, I should’ve made it.
But I didn’t.
Financially, things looked promising at first, but that success didn’t last. By the time my content was finally gaining real traction, YouTube had already evolved its algorithm to prioritize watch time and trending topics, not short films or timeless creative content. And what happened then?
The money disappeared. Quickly.
And let me say this upfront: I’ve always seen myself as a filmmaker and music artist first. Not a YouTuber.
I’ve always wanted to take the time I need to craft something meaningful. To provide the best quality work possible to my fans. And I still stand by that to this day.
But YouTube? It’s made it clear that it doesn’t stand by that same ideology.
My animations take way too long to produce on a weekly basis, and even if I somehow could do it, I’d run headfirst into severe burnout every time. And for what?
So I could spend all the YouTube money on one thing: bills.
Then came the final nail in the coffin: the “Made for Kids” situation.
My last-ditch effort to save the channel was a full-on push to promote my Patreon page. I wanted to give my audience one final chance to help turn things around. That campaign started in October 2024 and to make matters worse, I got hacked by malware during the process. The official Patreon announcement came in December 2024.
Now it’s June 2025. I’ve gone from $10/month to nearly $70/month on Patreon.
Seven months.
Meanwhile, my YouTube ad revenue? Still falling. Lower and lower.
I don’t know how else I can paint the picture. How bad all of this has been for me.
I know some of you out there truly tried your best to help me keep the channel alive. And I’m so grateful for that.
But unfortunately, this has become something that’s no longer in my hands.
With how much I’ve been suffering, the only sensible path forward, the only way I can begin to truly move on with my life, is by doing the one thing I strongly feel will benefit both myself and my loved ones:
I will be shutting down production of the channel for good.
…but not yet.
There are still three major projects left to release:
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Started From The Bottom
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Luigi Meets a Combine Soldier (Remake)
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Headstrong 3
Started From The Bottom is already near completion, which leads me to the next two. Once all of these have been released, it will be time for me to give the channel a proper conclusion.
That being said, my channel and Patreon will remain up, even after production ends.
Even if Mariotravel209 Animations comes to a close, I want to give my followers the chance to revive it someday, if that’s what the future brings. And if that day ever comes, I’ll reconsider picking up where I left off.
But as of now…
This is my farewell to you all.
—
Please stay tuned for upcoming updates regarding my three final projects.
Even now, with my financial situation at its rockiest, there’s a chance that not all three projects will make it into production, despite my promises.
I want to deeply apologize to everyone.
I had tons of ideas for new films, cool animations, and even tutorials, as many of you already know. But I have to prioritize survival over passion, because no amount of entertainment is worth sacrificing the well-being of anyone. Including myself.
To everyone who’s been a part of my 15-year journey, thank you.
I truly wish things had turned out differently. But sometimes, God has a different plan for all of us.
Whatever that plan is for me… I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
This channel was more than just videos.
It was my life.
Thank you for being a part of it.
—Adrian Lopez Valle, Mariotravel209
June 5, 2025
