PewDiePie: The King Of YouTube And Beyond

How Much Is PewDiePie Worth?

Let me tell you about Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, the Swedish gaming sensation who’s amassed a jaw-dropping net worth of $45 million. At different points in recent history, his channel has been the most-subscribed on YouTube, and he’s often crowned as the highest-earning YouTuber globally. His videos are a mix of him playing video games, offering witty commentary, and showing off his hilarious reactions to what’s happening on-screen. This combination has made him a household name in the world of digital entertainment.

Now, here’s the thing about PewDiePie: he doesn’t just entertain. He connects with his audience like no one else. He calls his fans the "Bro Army," and at the end of each video, he performs a "Brofist" as a signature gesture. Since he launched his channel back in 2009, his subscriber count has skyrocketed. In fact, PewDiePie has achieved some incredible milestones, like being ranked the #1 YouTube channel by OpenSlate in 2012. By 2013, he had over 6 million subscribers, and he even moved to the UK for better internet connectivity. This guy’s journey is nothing short of remarkable!

PewDiePie: The Highest-Paid YouTube Star

PewDiePie isn’t just the biggest star on YouTube in terms of views; he’s also one of the highest-paid personalities on the platform. Back in 2013, we here at CelebrityNetWorth revealed that PewDiePie was the highest-paid YouTube star globally, pulling in an impressive $12 million. The money kept rolling in as his earnings topped $14 million in 2014, $9 million in 2015, and a cool $15 million in 2016. In 2017, he made $12 million, and by 2018, his income soared to $15.5 million. In 2019, he earned $13 million. If you add it all up, PewDiePie has raked in more than $73 million pre-tax from his YouTube empire since 2013. And in an interview, he confirmed his net worth is "much, much" higher than $20 million. That’s some serious bank!

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Early Life: From Gothenburg to Global Stardom

PewDiePie was born Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, on October 24, 1989. His parents, Lotta Kristine Johanna and Ulf Christian Kjellberg, are both high-achieving professionals—his dad’s a corporate executive, and his mom’s an award-winning Chief Information Officer. Felix has an older sister named Fanny. Now, here’s the interesting part: Felix wasn’t your typical high school student. He often skipped class to play video games and eventually graduated from Göteborgs Högre Samskola. Initially, he enrolled in Chalmers University of Technology to study Industrial Economics and Technology Management, but he quickly realized it wasn’t for him. Despite dropping out, Felix had a passion for Photoshop and a love for gaming. He sold photoshopped images to save enough money to buy a computer, which would eventually become the foundation for his YouTube empire.

YouTube: The Beginning of an Empire

Felix joined YouTube on December 19, 2006, under the name "Pewdie." He chose the word "pew" because it sounds like a laser. His early videos featured him playing Call of Duty, mixed with some vlogs. But here’s a fun fact: Felix lost the password to his original channel, so he created a new one called PewDiePie on April 29, 2010. This channel focused on games like Call of Duty, Minecraft, and various horror/action titles. For example, he’d showcase short clips of his best Call of Duty kills with entertaining commentary and edits. His Minecraft videos were a bit different; they were "Let’s Plays," where he simply played the game while sharing his thoughts and reactions.

Amnesia: The Turning Point

PewDiePie’s career took off when he started playing the game Amnesia. Something about his Amnesia "Let’s Plays" videos resonated with the YouTube audience, and his subscriber count began to soar. By July 2012, he hit 1 million subscribers, and by September, he doubled that number. In October 2012, he signed with MCN Machinima and later moved to Maker Studios. With their help, he released a PewDiePie iPhone app, which became wildly successful. He also developed a website and online store to complement the app.

The Biggest YouTube Star on the Planet

In 2012 and 2013, PewDiePie was the fastest-growing channel on YouTube. In 2013 alone, his channel grew from 3.5 million to 19 million subscribers. That’s insane! He gained a new subscriber every second, all year long. His videos were viewed 1.3 billion times that year, and he ended up as the most subscribed channel on the platform. With Maker Studios’ support, he launched a PewDiePie app and expanded his brand into new territories.

In 2014, his channel gained 14 million subscribers and earned 4.1 billion video views—more than any other channel. By 2015, he was averaging 300 million views per month. PewDiePie’s rise was nothing short of meteoric, and he became a global phenomenon.

Return to Twitch: An Infinite Adventure

After signing an exclusive deal with YouTube in May 2020, PewDiePie made a surprising return to Twitch in March 2023. His channel, which had been inactive for years, came back with a bang. He introduced a concept called "PewDiePie Infinity," using what he calls an "infinite money glitch in real life." It’s essentially an endless loop of his old streams and videos. This innovative approach has earned him 1.5 million followers on the platform. Talk about making a splash!

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Controversies: The Dark Side of Fame

No story about PewDiePie would be complete without mentioning the controversies. In February 2017, he lost his YouTube Red show after several videos were found to contain antisemitic references. PewDiePie claims these videos were sarcastic and meant to highlight how people will do anything for money, no matter how inappropriate. In one infamous example, he paid two people $5 through Fiverr to hold a sign that read "Death to all Jews." This incident sparked widespread backlash, and the "subscribe to PewDiePie" meme was even used by some to promote violence. PewDiePie has since distanced himself from the meme and condemned those who misused it.

Personal Life: Love, Marriage, and Family

PewDiePie met his wife, Italian YouTuber Marzia Bisognin, in 2011. They started as online friends before blossoming into a romantic relationship. In 2012, PewDiePie helped Marzia launch her own YouTube channel, CutiePieMarzia, which focused on fashion, makeup, and beauty. Her channel became one of the most popular in its niche before she retired in 2018. The couple has lived in both Sweden and Italy but eventually settled in the English town of Brighton and Hove. They tied the knot in August 2019 and now live a relatively quiet life with their two pugs, Edgar and Maya. In February 2023, Marzia announced they were expecting their first child.

In 2019, the couple bought a home in Japan, but it was robbed later that year, delaying their move due to the country’s strict relocation rules during the pandemic. However, in May 2022, they finally moved to Japan with a five-year business visa. It’s clear that PewDiePie values his family life as much as his career, and he’s worked hard to balance both.