PewDiePie, born Felix Kjellberg, is a Swedish YouTuber and gamer who rose to fame as the platform’s biggest star. He began his YouTube career in 2010 by creating Let’s Play videos of horror games. By 2015 he had become the most-subscribed and most-viewed YouTuber in the world and had earned a reported $15 million from YouTube alone by 2016. However, his career was plagued by controversy, including a series of videos containing anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi imagery, and using the N-word on one of his livestreams in 2017. Kjellberg took a break from YouTube in 2019 citing burnout and mental health concerns.
The Rise and Fall of PewDiePie: Inside the Controversial Career of YouTube’s Most-Famous Gamer
Introduction
PewDiePie, or Felix Kjellberg, is a Swedish YouTuber and gamer who rose to fame as the platform’s biggest star. However, his rise to stardom was not without controversy, and his fall from grace was just as controversial.
Early Life and YouTube Career
Born in 1989 in Sweden, Kjellberg began his YouTube career in 2010 by creating Let’s Play videos of horror games. His quirky personality and exaggerated reactions to the scary games quickly drew in a large and dedicated following. By 2012, he had reached one million subscribers, becoming the first YouTuber to do so.
Rapid Growth and Money-Making Deals
As his channel continued to grow, Kjellberg’s online persona became more polished and his videos became more varied, including everything from video game commentary to meme reviews. In 2013, he signed a multi-channel network (MCN) contract with Maker Studios and by 2015 had become the most-subscribed and most-viewed YouTuber in the world.
With his massive audience, Kjellberg began making lucrative deals with advertisers, including video game companies and merchandise brands. In 2016, he earned a reported $15 million from YouTube alone.
Controversies and Backlash
Despite his immense popularity and wealth, Kjellberg’s career was not without controversy. In 2017, he faced backlash for a series of videos containing anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi imagery. Many of his fans defended him, arguing that he was simply being mischievous and that the jokes were taken out of context.
However, the controversy continued when he used the N-word on one of his livestreams in 2017, leading to further backlash and lost sponsorships. Kjellberg apologized for his comments, but the damage had been done.
The End of an Era
In 2019, Kjellberg announced that he would be taking a break from YouTube, citing burnout and mental health concerns. He had also faced criticism for promoting a YouTube channel that has been accused of promoting white supremacists.
Despite the controversies and backlash, PewDiePie remains one of the most iconic and influential figures in online gaming and YouTube culture. His rise to stardom and fall from grace serve as a cautionary tale of the power and responsibility that comes with online fame.