1) Maker Studios/MakerGen - Disney (who acquired Maker in 2014) started dropping creators from the network after the entire PewDiePie and Adpocalypse situation of 2017. After that, Disney re-branded Maker into "Disney Digital Network" and shifted its focus from MCNs to sales/advertising. As far as I can tell, they're no longer accepting channels and are no longer functioning as an MCN. (makerstudios.com redirects you to disneyadsales.com).
2) Fullscreen/BBTV(TGN)/Freedom - All of these three are functioning and operating as normal, accepting new channels and functioning as your run-of-the-mill MCN. The only remotely interesting thing about the trio is that in an effort to streamline the BroadBandTV (BBTV) brand, BBTV seems to re-direct you from tgn.tv to their main website (bbtv.com/creator-solutions) to apply for partnership. However, all other BBTV network verticals (Opposition, etc...) have dedicated websites. Additionally, BBTV and Fullscreen are attempting to branch out from the MCN model by also focusing on brands and talent management.
3) Creative Nation - Ceased all operations in 2017. They left a rather bad reputation behind, as lots of their ex-partners complained about missing payments, being left in the dark, mistreatment, etc... (you can read all about it by using the search function on these forums). Shane seems no longer be active on YTTalk and has shifted his efforts and focus to cryptocurrency (twitter.com/shanecorry).
4) Curse/UnionForGamers - They're still functioning as an MCN and are still active, however, they are not accepting new channels. This is likely due to YouTube's more stringent management of MCNs in 2019 and forcing MCNs to cut down the number of partners in their network (unionforgamers.com/apply).
5) Machinima - After years of bad press and mistreatment of creators, Machinima is no longer active and no longer functions as an MCN. Their departure started in January 2019, when they deleted all of the videos on their main YouTube channel (many speculate this was due to their parent company, Warner Bros., not wanting to face legal issues from creators claiming content). Around the same time, Otter Media (owned by Warner Bros.), who also owns Fullscreen, transferred all existing Machinima partners to Fullscreen. If you go to Machinima's website (machinima.com) it prompts you to login to the Fullscreen creator dashboard.
To be quiet honest, MCNs are no longer necessary in 2019 and moving forward. They serve no purpose other than, maybe, "support"... but that's even questionable. Many of the protections and benefits that used to be MCN-exclusive have been scrapped, altered or made public. With some searching, you can find most of the "perks" MCNs offer on your own and for free (music, optimization tools, etc...). In my opinion, YouTube has been trying to crowd out MCNs from the site through the following ways:
a) Providing a way for non-MCN creators to use the ContentID system (this was one reason channels linked with MCNs in the past).
b) In 2019, Managed CMS partners lost immunity from the ContentID system and YouTube started strictly enforcing that only O&O (owned and operated) channels can be placed on the Managed CMS. (See: reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/8lejjj/new_content_id_rules_in_june and support.google.com/youtube/answer/2737059)
c) MCN's not being able to deny channel unlink requests. In 2018, YouTube made it possible for creators to unlink from their MCN by "Removing Access" from their Creator Studio dashboard (See: support.google.com/youtube/answer/7229458). Now MCNs can't keep channels locked into dead-end contracts, which is wonderful as it was a growing problem in the past.
d) YouTube's requirement of 1,000 Subscribers + 4,000 Watch time hours in order to be able to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and monetize your videos (regardless if you want to join an MCN or not). This is in addition to YouTube forcing MCNs to reduce the number of channels in their network.
Defy Media's scandal of scamming partners out of their revenue and then going bankrupt in 2019 didn't help the MCN industry either. All it did was create more distrust between these companies and creators.
I don't keep up much with the YouTube scene anymore (I used to own a network and worked for MCNs in the past), but from what I've been seeing and reading, MCNs are on their way out and just sticking with Google Adsense is the simpler way to go. Nowadays, MCNs provide creators with little to no value. I suppose you could make a case for MCNs in 2011-early 2013 taking a percentage of your revenue, but in 2019 and onward, things aren't looking up for the MCN industry (what's left of it anyway). That's just my two cents on the matter. Cheers.
