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PewDiePie becomes first individual creator to hit 100 million subscribers: Tributes pour in

PewDiePie hits 100 million subscribers
YouTuber PewDiePie hits 100 million subscribers. Pic credit: PewDiePie/YouTube

YouTube superstar PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) has become the first individual creator and YouTuber to reach and surpass 100 million subscribers. The 29-year-old Swedish video game streamer also has the second-highest number of subscribers on YouTube. His subscribers consist mostly of young fans who enjoy watching his video game commentaries.

PewDiePie’s subscriber base on YouTube is surpassed only by the YouTube channel managed by the Indian entertainment company T-Series. The company has amassed a following composed mostly of users from south Asia. T-Series’ YouTube channel currently has nearly 110 million subscribers. The company’s subscribers increased rapidly after some Bollywood stars started a campaign to help the company overthrow PewDiePie’s channel as the most subscribed on YouTube.

PewDiePie vs. T-Series

PewDiePie responded to the challenge from T-Series. His supporters, including the YouTube personality Mr. Beast and Justin Roberts, purchased radio and billboard ads asking people to subscribe to PewDiePie. But T-Series eventually beat him to the 100 million-milestone.

PewDiePie currently has the most subscribers to a YouTube channel created by an individual. He is ahead of Canal KondZilla with 51 million, Justin Bieber with 46 million, Dude Perfect with 45 million, and HolaSoyGerman with nearly 40 million.

Tributes

Fellow YouTubers, social media personalities, celebrities, public figures, and companies have been paying tribute and posting congratulatory messages to PewDiePie.

YouTube’s head of gaming Ryan Wyatt also posted a congratulatory message.

Forbes estimated PewDiePie’s earnings in 2018 at about $15.5 million at a time he had only 72.5 million subscribers. With more than 100 million subscribers, he’ll likely earn even more this year.

Controversies

PewDiePie has been at the center of controversies in recent years. He came under fire for saying the n-word while streaming and for posting videos containing crude antisemitic “jokes” and Nazi imagery. One of his most controversial videos showed two men holding up a sign that read, “Death to all Jews.”

YouTube responded in 2017 by canceling his YouTube Red Show and removing him from Google Preferred advertising.

He received an endorsement from the Christchurch shooter, who urged people to subscribe to his channel.

But he later issued a statement acknowledging that his antisemitic “jokes” were inappropriate and offensive.

Wedding

The latest milestone for PewDiePie comes after he married his longtime sweetheart Marzia Bisognin in a private wedding ceremony on Monday, August 19.

The wedding took place in London at the Temperate House and the Nash Conservatory in Kew Gardens.

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