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Karl Jobst
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Karl David Jobst (born 7 February 1986)[1] is an Australian YouTuber, speedrunner and investigative journalist,[2] whose work has primarily focused on exposing cheating and fraud in the gaming community, as well as his speedruns of GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. He also covers other speedrunning and challenge-related feats, including world record histories.

Key Information

Personal life

[edit]

Jobst began playing video games at age two and a half; his first gaming experience was with the PC game Ultima V, and his first console was a Nintendo 64 he received in 1997. He briefly studied IT and psychology at university and spent time working at a chicken factory, a mobile phone shop, and a call centre.[3]

Speedrunning career

[edit]

Jobst began speedrunning in 1999 when competing for fast times in GoldenEye 007 with a friend before moving on to Perfect Dark.[3][4]

He is ranked fifth by number of GoldenEye 007 world records by the game's speedrunning authority.[5] Jobst was recognised as the "Perfect Dark Champion" (meaning he was statistically deemed the number-one player in the world at the game, according to the community's rankings) from 10 November 2002 – 24 December 2003; 26 July 2016 – 30 July 2016; 31 July 2016 – 19 March 2020; and 21 March 2020 – 25 March 2020 (tied).[6] As of 11 March 2022, Jobst had set 199 individual level world records throughout his career, of which 9 remain.[7]

Jobst set the world record for the first level of GoldenEye 007 on 2 December 2017, completing the run in 52 seconds on the Agent difficulty, beating a 53-second record set by former Perfect Dark world champion Bryan Bosshardt on 27 September 2002. This feat was described by Owen S. Good of gaming magazine Polygon as "akin to the sub-four[-]minute mile, multiplied by breaking the sound barrier."[8]

In late 2021, Jobst started a speedrunning podcast called The Legends Podcast. In September 2021, Legends co-host Tomatoanus announced the cancellation of future episodes and the taking down of previous episodes after Jobst was accused of racism. In a video, Jobst denied the allegations, stating that messages had been taken out of context.[9]

Investigative work

[edit]

Badabun

[edit]

In December 2017, Mexican media network Badabun uploaded a video purportedly showing network member Tavo Betancourt speedrunning Super Mario Bros.; in January 2020, Jobst uploaded a video revealing that the Badabun video had been faked, showing various inconsistencies and irregularities found within the alleged speedrun footage and demonstrating that the footage was spliced from videos by several actual world record holders in the game, as well as from a tool-assisted speedrun.[10]

Dream

[edit]

In late 2020, Jobst covered an incident of cheating by popular Minecraft speedrunner Dream.[11]

Heritage Auctions and Wata Games

[edit]

On 23 August 2021, Jobst released a YouTube documentary alleging fraud and conflict of interest between Heritage Auctions, a company selling retro video games for record-breaking prices (including a copy of Super Mario Bros. for over US$2 million); Wata Games, an agency that grades rare games; and video game collectors who intend to manufacture a bubble of retro games.[12] Jobst alleged that Wata CEO Deniz Kahn and Heritage Auctions co-founder Jim Halperin manipulated the market through press releases and television appearances on Pawn Stars while limiting the availability of information by purchasing and shutting down retro gaming site NintendoAge.[4][13] Wata Games denied the claims immediately after Jobst published the video.[4] In a statement made to Video Games Chronicle, Heritage Auctions responded to Jobst's video by saying they had not engaged in any illegal activity.[13]

Billy Mitchell

[edit]

American gamer Billy Mitchell was accused by Jobst of cheating to obtain his records in the arcade games Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, allegations that had already been made for years.[9][14] Jobst's allegations against Mitchell also included claims that Mitchell's lawsuit against YouTuber Apollo Legend (real name Benjamin Smith) contributed to his poor mental health and suicide.[14] Mitchell sued Jobst for defamation, seeking damages of $450,000, having also previously sued Smith and speedrunning site Twin Galaxies for similar grievances.[9][14]

In January 2023, Jobst made a video that showcased evidence in the form of an old photograph that purportedly demonstrated that Mitchell did not play his claimed world record runs on original hardware despite claiming so for many years, including a photograph that he claimed showed that an arcade cabinet Mitchell played on had an eight-direction joystick (as opposed to the original four-direction joystick), which would have made the game much easier to play.[15]

On 1 April 2025, Jobst was found liable for defaming Mitchell, in particular for the imputation that Mitchell had contributed to Smith's suicide, and was ordered to pay A$350,000, with the judge saying that Jobst had "caused substantial additional damage to Mitchell's reputation and caused him distress".[16] Jobst could not cover the judgement debt, leading to him filing for voluntary bankruptcy on 9 May 2025.[17]

The Completionist

[edit]

In November 2023, Jobst uploaded a video alongside YouTuber Mutahar "SomeOrdinaryGamers" Anas investigating the Open Hand Foundation, a charity which YouTuber Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil actively led alongside his family. Khalil hosted the IndieLand fundraiser under the organization, claiming that the proceeds went towards dementia research. However, Jobst and Anas discovered through public tax filings that the organization had not donated any of the money accumulated since its inception as a non-profit in 2014, which totalled $655,520.[18][19]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Karl Jobst

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Karl Jobst is an Australian and based in , , renowned for creating content that explores techniques, records, and scandals in video games. Born in 1986, Jobst began in 1999 and has since achieved notable world records, including being the first to complete the Dam level on Agent difficulty in Goldeneye 007 for in 52 seconds in 2017, breaking a 15-year-old mark. He also holds multiple personal bests in games such as , Goldeneye 007, Doom, and . Jobst launched his YouTube channel in 2010, gaining prominence around 2018 with investigative videos exposing cheating and fraud in the scene, such as manipulated records and scams, which have amassed over 244 million total views and more than 1.04 million subscribers as of late 2025. His content often delves into high-profile cases, including critiques of arcade champion Billy Mitchell's records and allegations against streamer Jirard Khalil () regarding charity fundraising. In April 2025, Jobst lost a filed by Mitchell in a court over a 2021 video that falsely implicated Mitchell in the suicide of speedrunner Apollo Legend; he was ordered to pay $350,000 in damages plus interest and costs. Despite such controversies, Jobst maintains an active presence on platforms like Twitch and , where he shares insights and supports his work through community donations.

Personal life

Early life and education

Karl Jobst was born on February 7, 1986, in . He grew up in , where he developed an early fascination with video games despite limited family support. At the age of two and a half, Jobst had his first gaming experience playing Ultima V on the family PC, marking the beginning of his lifelong engagement with interactive entertainment. During his childhood, Jobst's interest in video games deepened, particularly with titles after receiving a console in 1997 at age 11. He became obsessed with games such as GoldenEye 007 and , which he played extensively, often in secret to circumvent restrictions. His family played a complex role in shaping this passion; his parents showed little encouragement for gaming, and his stepfather enforced strict rules, including a ban on playing on Sundays, which created ongoing household friction. Jobst also explored PC titles like Wizardry V and during this period, honing his skills through unsupervised play. Jobst's formal education was brief and unfulfilling. In his early twenties, he enrolled in university courses in but dropped out after less than six months due to disinterest. He later attempted a program with similar results, lasting under six months before leaving. Instead, he pursued self-taught expertise in gaming and , developing proficiency through independent experimentation with video games and related mechanics up to early adulthood. This included transitioning to as a in his early teens, where he refined technical skills like precise timing and route optimization on his own.

Family and residence

Jobst is married and resides in , , , with his family. In response to financial pressures from a , Jobst transferred ownership of his properties to his wife to shield family assets; his wife subsequently purchased his share from the trustee. Jobst filed for in November 2025. This action highlights the personal challenges the controversy posed to his family life, including increased stress and the need to manage household finances during the legal ordeal. Jobst has spoken about the emotional toll of the lawsuit, noting it raised his stress levels significantly while he balanced family responsibilities. His home life in has provided a foundation for pursuing his passions in and content creation.

Speedrunning career

Entry into speedrunning

Karl Jobst discovered in 1999 at the age of 13 through the 007 world records website maintained by , an early online hub for tracking competitive times in the game. Intrigued by the site's listings of fast completion times, particularly for levels like , he began experimenting with the game alongside a friend, racing to beat each other's attempts in a casual but competitive manner. This initial exposure hooked him on the thrill of optimization and precision, providing an engaging outlet amid personal challenges like during his teenage years. As his interest grew, Jobst extended his speedrunning efforts to other Nintendo 64 titles, starting with GoldenEye 007 and soon incorporating Perfect Dark in 2002. He drew motivation from magazine features on N64 gameplay and rudimentary online videos showcasing advanced techniques, which fueled his drive to push personal bests through repeated practice and route experimentation. These early solo and friendly rivalries emphasized the intellectual puzzle-solving aspect of speedrunning, turning familiar games into new challenges of efficiency and execution. By the early 2000s, Jobst had begun participating in nascent communities, interacting via platforms like for strategy discussions and emailing site administrators such as webmaster for verification tips. Around 2010, coinciding with the rise of organized events like , he deepened his involvement by engaging more actively with forums and submitting runs to emerging leaderboards, solidifying his place in the growing scene. These foundational experiences in later influenced his approach to creating educational content on the topic.

Notable achievements

Jobst has achieved several notable world records in GoldenEye 007 , particularly in individual level categories. In 2017, he set a new world record for the level on Agent difficulty with a time of 52 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 53 seconds that had stood since 2002. This accomplishment highlighted his precision in executing complex glitches and routes, contributing to ongoing optimizations in the game's scene. In , Jobst held the for the WAR! level on Agent difficulty at 0:25 from March 2004 until it was beaten in March 2020 after nearly 16 years, marking one of the longest-standing records in the game's history. His runs often incorporated innovative uses of the game's physics and environmental interactions, influencing subsequent runners' strategies. Jobst also maintains personal bests in other games, including Doom and 64. These achievements established Jobst as a prominent figure in the N64-era FPS speedrunning community, laying the groundwork for his later content creation endeavors. Jobst has also contributed to the advancement of speedrunning techniques through detailed documentation of glitches and routes on platforms like Speedrun.com, where his profile reflects active involvement in leaderboards and community resources for GoldenEye 007 and . For instance, he has shared insights into skips and exploits that enable faster completions, such as those revolutionizing level navigation in after two decades of the game's release.

YouTube career

Channel launch and growth

Karl Jobst established his YouTube channel in July 2010, though he did not upload his first video until October 11, 2014. That debut video, titled "Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Goldeneye 007 beaten in under 1 hour!", featured a combined speedrun of the three classic games completed in less than 60 minutes. Early growth was modest, with Jobst transitioning to more regular content production around after years of sporadic streaming. He began with educational tutorials on techniques and evolved into narrative-driven videos highlighting major achievements and glitches in games like and Doom. Viral hits, such as his 2019 video on a 20-year-old Doom speedrun record being shattered—which garnered over 1 million views in just five days—marked pivotal moments that boosted visibility through media coverage and community shares. The channel's expansion accelerated due to Jobst's commitment to consistent uploads, often 10-20 minutes in length, and his deep engagement with the audience via detailed explanations and collaborations. Initially centered on showcases, the content later expanded to include investigative analyses of gaming controversies. These efforts had propelled the channel to 1 million subscribers. As of November 2025, Karl Jobst's YouTube channel maintains approximately 1.04 million subscribers and over 245 million total views, reflecting sustained growth from reliable content cadence and niche appeal within gaming circles.

Core content style

Karl Jobst's core content revolves around non-investigative videos that celebrate the ingenuity of speedrunning, particularly in classic games like Perfect Dark, DOOM, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. These videos employ a narrative storytelling style, weaving historical context with detailed breakdowns of glitches and strategies to highlight the evolution of records and player innovations. A hallmark of this approach is the in-depth glitch breakdowns, where Jobst dissects complex mechanics—such as skips in that bypass entire levels—using screen recordings, slow-motion replays, and clear explanations to make technical elements accessible. He often spotlights community contributions, crediting runners like R. White Goose for breakthroughs that reshape game understanding, fostering a sense of collective achievement. The production emphasizes educational value, prioritizing straightforward teaching on speedrunning fundamentals like practice techniques and without hype or drama; as Jobst has stated, "I’ve always wanted to teach people… teaching speedrunning: how to speedrun, how to practice, or how to have the ." Videos typically run 10 to 20 minutes for focused analyses, extending longer—up to 30 minutes or more—for comprehensive topics like the history behind a 20-year-old DOOM record. This contrasts briefly with his investigative work, which adopts a more adversarial tone to uncover misconduct.

Investigative work

Heritage Auctions and Wata Games

In 2020 and 2021, Karl Jobst launched a detailed investigation into alleged fraudulent practices within the retro video game collecting industry, targeting the grading company Wata Games and the auction house Heritage Auctions. His work revealed how Wata Games manipulated its grading standards to artificially inflate the market value of sealed, unopened games, creating a speculative bubble that benefited insiders. A prime example was the valuation of sealed copies of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System, which rose from approximately $30,000 in 2017 to $2 million by 2021, driven by high-grade certifications that Jobst argued were inconsistently applied and promoted to encourage overbidding. Jobst collaborated with industry experts, including collectors and analysts familiar with grading protocols, to dissect ' role in perpetuating these inflated values. Their joint analysis highlighted specific instances of , such as Heritage's 2019 of a sealed copy for $100,150—purchased in part by Heritage co-chairman Jim Halperin—followed by a coordinated featuring predictions from Wata CEO Deniz Kahn about soaring future prices, which fueled market hype and further auctions at escalating amounts. This partnership enabled Jobst to trace how the two entities cross-promoted graded items through media appearances and auction listings, prioritizing profit over transparent valuation. The culmination of this effort was Jobst's August 2021 YouTube video, "Exposing FRAUD And DECEPTION In The Retro Video Game Market," which amassed millions of views and prompted widespread industry backlash. In it, he accused Wata and Heritage of "unethical business practices, deception, collusion, and even ," supported by records, grading data, and timelines of promotional activities. The exposure led to a 2022 class-action lawsuit against Wata Games, alleging , unfair business practices, and , with plaintiffs claiming the company's actions damaged collectors through artificially propped-up prices. The fallout accelerated reforms in grading standards, including increased calls for independent oversight and transparency in auctions. By 2025, amid ongoing legal pressures, Wata rebranded and fully integrated into PSA (), adopting unified grading protocols to restore credibility and address prior criticisms of manipulation. Jobst's background in , where rigorous verification of records is essential, informed his methodical approach to uncovering these discrepancies.

Badabun

In January 2020, Karl Jobst released a video exposé titled "The WORST Fake Speedrun Ever," in which he demonstrated that a 2017 upload by the Mexican network —claiming to show a child named completing in just over five minutes—was fabricated using stolen footage from legitimate speedrunner Kosmic's 2016 run. Jobst identified multiple inconsistencies in the video, including mismatched audio tracks where controller sounds did not align with on-screen actions, visual edits such as abrupt cuts and frame skips that disrupted the flow, and a casual recording setup revealing the "runner" eating pizza and drinking soda mid-attempt, which contradicted standard practices. These flaws, analyzed through frame-by-frame comparison with the original footage, underscored the video's poor editing and intent to deceive viewers for sensational content. The exposé drew widespread criticism toward , which at the time boasted approximately 42 million subscribers, highlighting ethical concerns in content creation within the Spanish-speaking community. In response, Badabun member Tavo Betancourt issued an apology video in 2021, admitting the fabrication was intended as a prank but acknowledging its misleading nature, though the original Badabun upload remained online while reuploads faced DMCA takedowns. This incident amplified discussions on verifying speedrun authenticity, leveraging Jobst's expertise in forensic analysis techniques from his background as a professional speedrunner.

Billy Mitchell and defamation lawsuit

Jobst began investigating arcade gamer 's achievements in a 2021 YouTube video titled "The Biggest Lie in Video Game History," where he alleged that Mitchell's high scores from 2010 were achieved using MAME emulator software rather than unmodified original arcade hardware, citing visual anomalies in submission footage that matched emulation outputs. Over the following years, Jobst released additional videos, including a 2023 installment presenting photographic evidence of the cabinet Mitchell used, which featured a switcher incompatible with authentic hardware, further suggesting emulation to bypass hardware limitations. These investigations amplified community scrutiny of Mitchell's records and supported ' 2018 decision to ban Mitchell and remove his scores for violating rules against emulation. In October 2023, Mitchell initiated a lawsuit against Jobst in the District Court, targeting implications in Jobst's 2021 video that Mitchell's prior legal threats against Apollo —over Legend's own critical content—had imposed crushing financial demands leading to Legend's in December 2020. On April 1, 2025, Judge ruled the statements , finding Jobst acted with malice by recklessly disregarding the truth despite issuing a partial retraction. The court ordered Jobst to pay AU$300,000 in general for reputational harm—such as reduced paid appearances from 20–25 annually to 4–5—plus AU$50,000 in aggravated , AU$34,668 in interest, and undisclosed legal costs, exceeding AU$380,000 in total. In his August 11, 2025, video "My Final Update," Jobst confirmed the defeat, retracted prior implications about Mitchell's in Legend's death, and detailed the ordeal's toll, including lawyer fees over AU$600,000 that contributed to his filing and strained family life.

The Completionist

In November 2023, Karl Jobst published a video titled "This Charity Is Lying To You," in which he accused Jirard Khalil, known online as , of making misleading claims about donating proceeds from charity fundraising streams featuring games such as The Legend of Zelda and . Jobst collaborated with fellow Mutahar (SomeOrdinaryGamers) to highlight discrepancies in Khalil's representations, alleging that funds raised through bundles and streams were either unverified or donated in minimal amounts despite public assurances. Jobst's evidence drew from publicly available tax records of the Open Hand Foundation—co-founded by Khalil's family—and correspondence with Khalil himself, revealing that over AU$600,000 had been raised since 2014 but little had reached the intended causes, including organizations like the (). For instance, Australian tax filings showed no significant outflows to or similar groups despite Khalil's videos claiming direct donations from game sale proceeds. This approach exemplified Jobst's method of leveraging to scrutinize gaming industry claims. The investigation triggered widespread community backlash, with gamers and creators criticizing Khalil for ethical lapses in charity handling, leading to his temporary withdrawal from content creation and the removal of his cameo from the game . Khalil responded in videos, denying intentional fraud, asserting the funds were intact, and promising imminent donations while threatening legal action against Jobst and ; he later donated AU$600,000 to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration in late 2023 but faced scrutiny for not addressing pledges specifically. By 2025, the controversy persisted with stalled donations and unresolved issues at the Open Hand Foundation, prompting a September update from Khalil in which he acknowledged bureaucratic delays and family disputes but confirmed an ongoing inquiry by the , initiated after mass reports following Jobst's video. The DOJ had concluded preliminary reviews by fall 2024 without a final resolution, leaving questions about the full allocation of funds to original causes like . Community discussions continued to reference Jobst's findings as pivotal in exposing the delays.

Other investigations

Jobst has also addressed lesser-known cases of fraudulent records within , such as those claimed by , whose thousands of purported world records across various games were later debunked as impossible or fabricated through archival analysis and hardware testing. These exposés revealed systemic issues in early record-keeping, including unverified submissions and overlooked discrepancies in performance data, prompting to purge invalid entries and tighten authentication standards. Additionally, Jobst covered community cheating scandals, like isolated instances of altered save files and emulated inputs in retro titles, emphasizing how such deceptions erode trust without the high-profile fallout of major figures. Beyond direct cheating probes, Jobst explored broader challenges in gaming promotions through his 2025 collaboration with on a DOOM speedrun challenge, which demonstrated improved ad viewability metrics—achieving 150% ROI for brands—by integrating competitive events with sponsored content to enhance engagement and reduce ad-skipping. This initiative highlighted promotional pitfalls, such as low visibility in traditional gaming ads, and showcased how verified leaderboards could boost authentic viewer interaction. These efforts further solidified Jobst's reputation as an investigative voice in gaming integrity.

References

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/01/donkey-kong-champion-billy-mitchell-wins-defamation-case-australia-youtuber-karl-jobst-ntwnfb
  2. https://www.speedrun.com/users/karljobst
  3. https://m.twitch.tv/karljobst/about
  4. https://butialsohaveadayjob.com/2022/05/23/speedrunning-legend-an-interview-with-karl-jobst/
  5. https://www.alienwarearena.com/ucf/show/1925320/boards/in-game-media-2/Video/how-did-karl-jobst-break-this-15-year-old-world-record-in-speedrunning-dam-52-explained
  6. https://socialblade.com/youtube/handle/karljobst
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsK4VMYEMSE
  8. https://www.twitch.tv/karljobst
  9. https://www.patreon.com/karljobst/about
  10. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/karl-jobst.html
  11. https://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/william-billy-james-mitchell-sues-brisbane-youtuber-karl-jobst-over-video-allegedly-defaming-him/news-story/4a96e9d081d0b34fe7386c27cc6bc76c
  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1XBqeAQ3nI
  13. https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/358651-goldeneye-speedrunner-beats-15-year-old-dam-record
  14. https://kotaku.com/top-speedrunner-outlines-perfect-darks-wildest-skip-1831400684
  15. https://www.thegamer.com/longstanding-speedrun-world-records/
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7db-dRm2KSA
  17. https://www.reddit.com/r/speedrun/comments/2ixsyf/wr_zelda_ocarina_of_time_super_mario_64_and/
  18. https://blog.youtube/inside-youtube/speedrun-trends-2022/
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwngnOCWIZo
  20. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/report-alleges-auction-and-grading-fraud-is-behind-recent-surge-in-retro-game-prices/
  21. https://www.nme.com/news/record-video-game-auction-prices-may-be-a-result-of-fraud-3027627
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvLFEh7V18A
  23. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/grading-firm-wata-is-facing-a-lawsuit-for-allegedly-manipulating-the-retro-game-market/
  24. https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/15385/wata-is-becoming-psa-heres-what-to-know
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lwRwMELyyw
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCMHRWxf3BM
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMKj_F_z2kE
  28. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/02/billy-mitchell-photos-emerge-showing-non-original-donkey-kong-hardware-apparently-used-for-disputed-scores
  29. https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/courts-law/donkey-kong-champ-defeats-aussie-youtuber-in-court/news-story/ca415b575e9626db8f9acfd1311845a9
  30. https://www.ign.com/articles/youtuber-the-completionist-responds-to-allegations-of-charity-fraud-against-him-and-open-hand
  31. https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/the-completionists-charity-accused-of-withholding-over-600k-in-donations-2382122/
  32. https://thred.com/culture/youtuber-the-completionist-facing-claims-of-charitable-negligence/
  33. https://tedium.co/2023/12/12/the-completionist-open-hand-foundation-nonprofit-context/
  34. https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/12/17/sea-of-stars-will-remove-the-completionists-cameo-his-own-game-of-the-year/
  35. https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/the-completionist-breaks-silence-on-investigation-years-after-charity-fraud-allegations-3258078/
  36. https://passionfru.it/the-completionist-charity-22331/
  37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4fgcspS1ew
  38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPZfwe1Sj0
  39. https://www.netinfluencer.com/how-twin-galaxies-transformed-ad-viewability-with-karl-jobst-doom-challenge/
  40. https://www.netinfluencer.com/twin-galaxies-karl-jobst-connecting-gaming-creators-with-competitive-communities/
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