Pew Die Pie. I’ve never heard of the channel until I got this press release from Maker Studios:
SUPERSTAR YOUTUBE creator PEWDIEPIE NOW THE
#1 MOST SUBSCRIBED CHANNEL IN THE WORLD
Content Creator Attracts More Fans than the Biggest Names in Mainstream and Digital Entertainment
LOS ANGELES – August 15, 2013 – Maker Studios, a next-generation media company and the world’s largest multi-channel network of online video content, is home to YouTube’s now top ranking channel creator, PewDiePie, who hit the #1 spot today as the most subscribed YouTube channel in the world, garnering over 11.9 million subscribers and more than 2.2 billion video views.
“When I started my YouTube channel in 2010, I never imagined that one day it would be the most subscribed channel in the world and that I would be a part of such a great community,” said Felix Kjellberg aka PewDiePie.
Partnered with Maker since earlier this year, PewDiePie and his channel are featured as a cornerstone member of the Polaris network. PewDiePie is host to the weekly show “PewDiePie & Friends” where he tackles his favorite games in a playhouse atmosphere joined by other Polaris stars such as Toby Turner, Dodger and Jesse Cox.
In recent months, PewDiePie’s monthly viewership has more than doubled and his monthly subscriptions have increased by over 150%. Felix has garnered more YouTube subscribers, e.g., loyal fans, than the likes of Rihanna, Justin Bieber, One Direction, and Taylor Swift, among many others. In the weeks ahead, Felix will celebrate his #1 slot with a slate of original videos.
“We are all celebrating PewDiePie’s rise to the top,” said Ben Donovan, co-founder and President, Maker Studios. “He is a great example of how a YouTube content creator can amass a worldwide following due to passion and creativity, and his large subscriber base showcases the loyalty and strong connection he has to his ‘bros’.”
PewDiePie’s global fan base, which he refers to as ‘the Bros,’ is composed of both passionate gamers and non-gamers alike. PewDiePie, who plays games and records his commentary and reactions, is known for his shrieks of fear and joy that characterize his imaginative gameplay, normally of horror games. He is also known for his “Funny and Scary Moments Montages,” which consist of his most humorous game sequences. Unlike conventional walkthroughs, his gameplay videos are devoted to sharing fun gaming moments on YouTube.
After that news, some weird stuff started happening.
First, Smosh, another YouTube Partner, retook the top spot from Pew Die Pie, after a giant 2 million subscriber loss on the part of Pew Die Pie, seemingly timed to happen right after the PR push by Maker Studios.
Second, when I put up the video you see, and asking why Pew Die Pie is number one, or so popular, most of the channel comments were negative.
So, I have to ask this question: is Pew Die Pie the real deal or the product of YouTube and network promotion. In other words, if I just stuck his videos in a channel with 30 subscribers, would they draw viral-level numbers?
I’m starting to think not.
There’s more to this than meets the eye.
Stay tuned.