PewDiePie

PewDiePie is a YouTube channel hosted by Felix Kjellberg that began in 2010. Early uploads centered on gameplay commentary across horror and action video games before expanding into comedic reactions and internet culture.

Kjellberg created the account in April 2010 and passed 1 million subscribers in July 2012. Videos covering Amnesia: The Dark Descent accelerated audience growth, leading to an affiliation with Machinima before joining Maker Studios in August 2013 under its Polaris label. Smosh dropped behind PewDiePie on August 15, 2013, when the channel claimed the highest subscriber total on the website. A custom trophy arrived after crossing 50 million subscribers in December 2016. Maker Studios severed commercial ties in February 2017 following news reports detailing controversial jokes. YouTube signed an exclusive live-streaming agreement with the channel in May 2020.

Last Week I Asked You premiered as a forum-driven series where viewers submitted memes and text for on-screen commentary. Subsequent formats included Meme Review to grade trending internet humor and You Laugh You Lose to record reactions to user-submitted video clips. Fictional anchor personas delivered commentary on web controversies inside the Pew News series between 2018 and 2019. Two honors arrived at the Starcount Social Stars Awards in May 2013, where the channel earned Swedish Social Star and Most Popular Social Show. Teen Choice Awards voters presented the Choice Web Star: Gaming trophy in August 2014.

Penguin imprint Razorbill published the illustrated parody book This Book Loves You on October 20, 2015, which topped the New York Times bestseller list for young adult paperbacks. A web reality series titled Scare PewDiePie debuted on the subscription platform YouTube Red on February 10, 2016. Developer Outerminds collaborated on two mobile titles, releasing an action platformer in September 2015 and the simulation game PewDiePie's Tuber Simulator in September 2016. Subscriber counts reached 100 million in August 2019, prompting YouTube to deliver a Red Diamond Creator Award.