Swedish video star Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, is seen in a 2015 photo (BEN STANSALL)<\/i><\/p>\n
San Francisco (AFP) – YouTube on Monday announced that streaming star PewDiePie will make the Google-owned video platform his exclusive online stage.<\/p>\n
PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, has 104 million subscribers at YouTube, where his videos have racked up more than 25 billion views.<\/p>\n
No details were disclosed regarding any financial incentives involved in his decision to go exclusive at Google-owned YouTube, which competes with rival platforms such as Amazon-owned Twitch and Microsoft Mixer.<\/p>\n
“YouTube has been my home for over a decade now and live streaming on the platform feels like a natural fit as I continue to look for new ways to create content and interact with fans worldwide,” Kjellberg said in a release.<\/p>\n
Kjellberg created a YouTube channel in 2010 and began uploading videos of “Minecraft” and “Amnesia” game play, according to the service.<\/p>\n
His channel has evolved to include a range of comedy and reaction videos as well as popular videos about topics catching fire on various online platforms.<\/p>\n
In August 2013, Kjellberg became the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world in 2013, and six years later became the first individual YouTube creator to reach 100 million subscribers.<\/p>\n
Kjellberg is going exclusive at YouTube as online gaming and video streaming has surged overall as people staying home due to the deadly pandemic turn to the internet for entertainment.<\/p>\n
“YouTube is where the world comes together to connect and during these unprecedented times,” said head of gaming Ryan Wyatt.<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to continue to grow our roster of creators who are making our platform their exclusive live streaming home.”<\/p>\n
The list of gaming-related content stars exclusive at YouTube include CouRage, Lachlan, LazarBeam, Muselk, Typical Gamer, and Valkyrae.<\/p>\n
YouTube touts being the largest global gaming platform with more than 200 million gamers a day watching more than 50 billion hours of game play annually.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old Swede has stepped into controversy over the years.<\/p>\n
In September 2017, he apologized for using a racial slur in an expletive-laden rant against an opponent during a live-streamed computer game. <\/p>\n
Before that, he was shunned by YouTube and Disney over videos containing anti-Semitic insults or Nazi references.<\/p>\n
In 2016, he was temporarily blocked from Twitter after joking he had joined the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n
Kjellberg last year said he was “sickened” after hearing that the gunman behind a New Zealand mosque massacre had promoted his videos before opening fire. <\/p>\n
Disclaimer:<\/b> Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Swedish video star Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, is seen in a 2015 photo (BEN STANSALL) San Francisco (AFP) – YouTube on Monday announced that streaming star PewDiePie will make the Google-owned video platform his exclusive online stage. PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, has 104 million subscribers at YouTube, where his videos have racked…<\/p>\n