Content Warning is a co-op horror comedy game where you and up to three friends descend into the Old World to film spooky content for SpookTube, a YouTube-like platform for horror videos. Your goal is to get as many views as possible by filming monsters up close, capturing audio with boom mics, and surviving long enough to extract with your footage. The game deliberately balances horror and humor — monsters are genuinely threatening, but the absurdity of your crew filming each other getting chased creates constant comedic moments. It briefly became the most-played game on Steam at launch due to its viral co-op appeal.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness — factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera Operator | S | Follow behind scouts, record everything dangerous, maintain steady footage even during chases. | Best available Camera, extra batteries, Flashlight |
| Scout | A | Enter rooms first, spot monsters, call out positions for the camera operator, lead the team to content. | Flashlight, Clapper Board (marks scenes), extra light |
| Bait Runner | A | Attract monsters toward the camera, run dramatic chase sequences, survive encounters for maximum footage. | Sound Player (attracts monsters), Sprint speed, minimal equipment to run fast |
| Equipment Carrier | B | Stay near the camera operator, provide equipment as needed, carry backup for emergencies. | Extra batteries, Boom Mic, spare Flashlight, Sound Player |
| Editor | B | During the editing phase, select the best footage segments, add engaging titles, optimize for views. | Knowledge of SpookTube algorithm, title card selection |
S-Tier: Camera Operator
The designated camera person is the most important role. They must balance getting close to monsters for high-quality footage with not dying. The Camera Operator needs steady hands and courage — shaky, distant footage gets low views. Stay behind teammates, zoom in on monsters, and keep recording during chaos.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Camera | Your primary tool and the whole point of the game. |
| Core Gear | Best available Camera, extra batteries, Flashlight | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Camera quality, battery life, recording distance | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | camera recording | One player carries the camera, which records everything in frame. |
How to Play Camera Operator
Follow behind scouts, record everything dangerous, maintain steady footage even during chases.
The designated camera person is the most important role. They must balance getting close to monsters for high-quality footage with not dying. The Camera Operator needs steady hands and courage — shaky, distant footage gets low views. Stay behind teammates, zoom in on monsters, and keep recording during chaos.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Camera and camera recording creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Best available Camera, extra batteries, Flashlight amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Camera quality, battery life, recording distance) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Scout
The Scout goes ahead of the group to find monster locations and good filming spots. They carry a flashlight and mark dangerous areas for the camera operator. Scouts take the highest personal risk but enable the best footage by knowing where monsters lurk.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Flashlight | Illuminates dark areas and helps spot monsters before they spot you. |
| Core Gear | Flashlight, Clapper Board (marks scenes), extra light | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Speed, awareness, communication | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | monster encounters | The Old World contains various monsters with different behaviors — some chase on sight, others lurk in darkness, and some mimic player actions. |
How to Play Scout
Enter rooms first, spot monsters, call out positions for the camera operator, lead the team to content.
The Scout goes ahead of the group to find monster locations and good filming spots. They carry a flashlight and mark dangerous areas for the camera operator. Scouts take the highest personal risk but enable the best footage by knowing where monsters lurk.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Flashlight and monster encounters creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Flashlight, Clapper Board (marks scenes), extra light amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Speed, awareness, communication) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Bait Runner
The Bait Runner deliberately attracts monster attention while the Camera Operator films. This role creates the most dramatic footage — a player being chased directly toward the camera is SpookTube gold. The Bait Runner needs to know monster behavior to avoid actually dying.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Boom Mic | Captures audio from the environment and monster encounters. |
| Core Gear | Sound Player (attracts monsters), Sprint speed, minimal equipment to run fast | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Speed, monster behavior knowledge, timing | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | SpookTube views | After extracting, your recorded footage is uploaded and other players (NPCs) rate it. |
How to Play Bait Runner
Attract monsters toward the camera, run dramatic chase sequences, survive encounters for maximum footage.
The Bait Runner deliberately attracts monster attention while the Camera Operator films. This role creates the most dramatic footage — a player being chased directly toward the camera is SpookTube gold. The Bait Runner needs to know monster behavior to avoid actually dying.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Boom Mic and SpookTube views creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Sound Player (attracts monsters), Sprint speed, minimal equipment to run fast amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Speed, monster behavior knowledge, timing) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Equipment Carrier
The pack mule carrying backup equipment (extra batteries, boom mics, flashlights) for the team. If the Camera Operator's equipment breaks or runs out, the Equipment Carrier provides replacements. Less glamorous but prevents runs from ending due to dead batteries.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Sound Player | Plays pre-recorded sounds to attract or distract monsters. |
| Core Gear | Extra batteries, Boom Mic, spare Flashlight, Sound Player | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Inventory management, team awareness, backup readiness | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | team survival | All players must reach the extraction point alive (or at least the camera must). |
How to Play Equipment Carrier
Stay near the camera operator, provide equipment as needed, carry backup for emergencies.
The pack mule carrying backup equipment (extra batteries, boom mics, flashlights) for the team. If the Camera Operator's equipment breaks or runs out, the Equipment Carrier provides replacements. Less glamorous but prevents runs from ending due to dead batteries.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Sound Player and team survival creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Extra batteries, Boom Mic, spare Flashlight, Sound Player amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Inventory management, team awareness, backup readiness) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
B-Tier: Editor
After extraction, one player can handle video editing — adding titles, selecting best clips, and timing uploads for maximum views. While less action-oriented, good editing decisions significantly boost view counts. The Editor role is secondary to survival gameplay.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Clapper Board | Marks the start of scenes for the editing phase. |
| Core Gear | Knowledge of SpookTube algorithm, title card selection | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Understanding view scoring, clip selection, upload timing | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | equipment upgrades | SpookTube ad revenue buys equipment from the shop: better cameras (higher quality footage), boom mics (audio capture), lights (illumination), sound players (attract/distract monsters), and cosmetic items. |
How to Play Editor
During the editing phase, select the best footage segments, add engaging titles, optimize for views.
After extraction, one player can handle video editing — adding titles, selecting best clips, and timing uploads for maximum views. While less action-oriented, good editing decisions significantly boost view counts. The Editor role is secondary to survival gameplay.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Clapper Board and equipment upgrades creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Knowledge of SpookTube algorithm, title card selection amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Understanding view scoring, clip selection, upload timing) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Scout — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Camera Operator once you understand core mechanics and have access to Camera
- Keep a Bait Runner setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Editor for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Film monsters up close for dramatically more views — a distant, blurry shot of a monster scores 10x less than a close-up with visible details. Risk equals reward in Content Warning.
- Views = money for better equipment, which enables higher-quality footage, which earns more views. The progression loop is: film > upload > earn > upgrade > film better.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
