Matthias. If you grew up on YouTube in the mid-2010s, that name probably conjures up memories of a guy in a bright office laughing at weird products from Amazon or unboxing tech that probably didn't work. But then things got weird. Really weird. Suddenly, the channel wasn't about "10 Products You Need" anymore; it was about hidden keys in walls, mysterious liquids burning through floors, and a shadowy figure named Nelson Syphus.
People were hooked. Then, they were confused.
If you’re wondering what happened to Matthias on YouTube, you’re likely looking for two different answers: the story inside the camera and the reality of the business behind it. Both are equally fascinating. Matthias didn’t just disappear; he transformed his entire digital footprint into something the platform had never seen before, only to eventually pivot back to his roots when the weight of a massive fictional universe became too much to carry.
The Project 863 Era: When Reality Blurred
For a long time, the biggest question wasn't "where is he?" but "is this real?"
In 2018, Matthias and his team at Hi5 Studios (now Spellbound Inc.) found a key hidden in a ceiling tile. That one event triggered a multi-year "unscripted" thriller series known as Project 863. It was a massive undertaking. We saw the crew find a hidden room behind a wall, an old Mountaineer car covered in cryptic symbols, and a series of VHS tapes that suggested the studio was built on the site of a corrupt biotech company called Syntec.
The engagement was insane. Millions of people tuned in every week.
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Matthias played a version of himself—a frustrated CEO trying to protect his employees from a stalker. It was "Alternate Reality Gaming" (ARG) at a scale YouTube rarely sees. However, the line between fiction and reality became so thin that the community started getting worried. People were calling local police departments about the "break-ins" shown in the videos.
Eventually, Matthias had to come clean. In a post on the r/MatthiasSubreddit, he admitted that while the emotions and the chemistry were real, the overarching story was a planned narrative—an "unscripted" drama. This was a turning point. Some fans felt betrayed, while others were relieved they didn't have to worry about their favorite creator getting kidnapped by a man in a gas mask.
Why the Hi5 Studios Empire Changed
While the story was peaking, the business was struggling. Running a massive studio complex in Southern California is expensive. Like, "draining your life savings" expensive.
Matthias—real name Matthew Fredrick—wasn't just a YouTuber; he was a boss. At its height, Hi5 Studios housed multiple channels: Get Good Gaming, Team Edge (run by his brother Joey and cousin Bryan), REKT, Woods, and Dope or Nope. Managing dozens of employees and multiple massive warehouses in Santa Clarita became a logistical nightmare.
The "what happened" part of this story is largely about the death of the "MCN" (Multi-Channel Network) model within a single company. Matthias realized that keeping five or six different channels running with full production crews wasn't sustainable in the long-term YouTube economy. Ad rates fluctuate. Trends die.
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He rebranded Hi5 Studios to Spellbound Inc. This wasn't just a name change. It was a shift in philosophy. He wanted to focus on storytelling and intellectual property rather than just "content." He launched a dedicated app called Shenelle to host the Project 863 experience, trying to move his most loyal fans off YouTube and onto a platform he controlled.
It was a bold move. It was also incredibly risky.
The Pivot Back to Dope or Nope
If you check the "Matthias" channel today, you’ll notice something. It’s not called Matthias anymore. It’s Dope or Nope.
The transition back to the "product review" format felt jarring for those who stayed for the mystery, but it was a survival tactic. Project 863 was a beast that ate time and money. By 2022, the 863 narrative moved from video to a written format (Substack/automated newsletters) because the cost of filming high-production chases and laboratory sets was simply too high.
Matthias basically went back to basics.
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He realized that the "vlog style" creator he used to be was more sustainable than the "studio head" he tried to become. He started appearing more on the Dope or Nope channel again, leaning into the chemistry with Tanner and Woods. Honestly, it's what he's best at. The banter, the low-stakes comedy, and the genuine friendship.
Where is he now?
He’s still there. He hasn't retired. But the "Matthias" you might be looking for—the one entangled in a global conspiracy—has largely evolved.
The Project 863 story "ended" its video phase with a massive finale that wrapped up the Syntec arc. Since then, Matt has been more transparent about his faith, his struggles with burnout, and the reality of being a "legacy" YouTuber. It's hard to stay relevant for over a decade. Most people flame out after three years.
He’s also leaned heavily into his family life. You'll see him pop up on his wife Amanda's socials or in occasional life updates. He’s less about the "grind" now and more about the quality of life.
The Key Takeaways of the Matthias Journey
- The Narrative Shift: Project 863 was a fictional story presented as reality, which revolutionized YouTube storytelling but created massive liability and burnout.
- The Business Reality: Maintaining multiple warehouses and dozens of staff members led to the downsizing and rebranding of Hi5 Studios to Spellbound Inc.
- The Content Loop: He eventually returned to the "Dope or Nope" brand because it was the most consistent and well-loved part of his portfolio.
- The Legacy: He remains one of the few creators from the 2012-2015 era who successfully managed to pivot their brand multiple times without losing their core audience entirely.
Honestly, the "Matthias" story is a cautionary tale for any creator who wants to build a giant studio. It’s hard. It’s expensive. And sometimes, people just want to see you laugh at a weird gadget you bought for five dollars.
If you want to dive back in, start by watching the "Dope or Nope" videos from the last six months. The energy is different—more relaxed, less "I'm being hunted by a mad scientist"—and it feels a lot more like the early days of the platform. If you're looking for the 863 lore, the fan-run wikis are still incredibly active and cover every single detail of the "863" universe that you might have missed during the transition to written novels.
Next Steps for Fans:
To get the full picture of the current state of things, check out the Spellbound website to see how they've transitioned their stories into the literary world. If you're strictly a video fan, head over to the Dope or Nope channel and sort by "Newest" to see the trio's latest chemistry. The mystery era is over, but the creator is still very much active.