i like how i make original stuff, and i get like 1.3k subs
he takes someone elses work, puts barely any effort into it, and monetizes that stuff and makes money
i think it's mostly the fact that people actually look for content relating to things they like, so things like fan works are inevitably going to get more attention. i think that's probably also why things like let's plays are so successful, people like watching stuff that they already relate to. it's just hard to build up from nothing. if you stand on the shoulders of something that's such a massive phenomenon like undertale, you're bound to get plenty of recognition, especially if you actually bring something to the table that people want to see.