videogamedunkey

Jason Gastrow, born on January 30, 1991, is an American online content creator and commentator widely recognized under his internet alias videogamedunkey, or simply dunkey. He is best known for his comedic skits, gameplay reviews, video essays on video games, and film reviews. Over his career, his YouTube channel has garnered more than seven million subscribers and accumulated over four billion total views.

Gastrow spent his early life in Wisconsin, residing in Milwaukee and Madison, where his mother worked as a second-grade teacher. Aspiring to become an animator during his youth, he began publishing digital media online in 2003 under the username MeatwadSprite on the website Newgrounds. His early work consisted of Flash animations, including his debut video Great Yoshi Migration and a song parody titled F.U.C.K.

In 2010, Gastrow established his current YouTube channel, videogamedunkey, debuting with a speedrun video of Battletoads. The channel's name originated from a humorous remark made while playing Left 4 Dead, and its profile picture was designed by animator Chris O'Neill. In his early years on the platform, Gastrow gained significant recognition for his coverage of League of Legends, though he stopped producing videos for the game in September 2015 following a ban for toxic chat behavior. By that time, his channel had reached 1.8 million subscribers.

Throughout his career, Gastrow has produced widely viewed videos such as Ultimate Skyrim, alongside popular running jokes surrounding titles like Knack and Knack II. His commentary style combines humor with consumer advocacy, frequently critiquing corporate marketing, video game journalism outlets, and platform monetization policies. He has worked with networks including Machinima, Maker Studios, and Curse LLC. In late 2020, Gastrow parodied YouTube algorithmic trends by briefly releasing daily satirical videos. Later, a 2022 video he uploaded regarding Sonic Frontiers coincided with review bombing on Metacritic, an action he disavowed.

Beyond video creation, Gastrow and his wife, fellow online personality Leah Bee, run the merchandise shop Dunkey's Castle. In September 2022, the couple founded Bigmode, an independent video game publishing company intended to support high-quality games. Bigmode published its first title, Animal Well, to critical acclaim in 2024 across multiple gaming consoles and PC, followed by the expanded release of the roguelike Star of Providence in February 2025.

In his personal life, Gastrow married Leah in September 2019, and the couple welcomed a daughter in October 2023. Outside of YouTube, he maintains a presence on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit while continuing his commentary and publishing work.