After initially forgetting the password to this account, he registered the 'PewDiePie' YouTube channel on 29 April 2010. Kjellberg originally registered a YouTube account under the name 'Pewdie' in December 2006 he explained that 'pew' represents the sound of lasers and 'die' refers to dying. He was also interested in creating content on YouTube after not earning the apprenticeship, he sold limited edition prints of his photoshopped images to purchase a computer to work on YouTube videos. Following this passion after he departed from Chalmers, he entered Photoshop contests and almost earned an apprenticeship at a prominent Scandinavian advertising agency. Kjellberg has also discussed an enjoyment of Adobe Photoshop, wanting to work on photo manipulation art using the program rather than be in school.

He further expressed that, in general, leaving university to pursue a YouTube career would be 'fucking stupid'.

While it has been reported that he left Chalmers to focus on his YouTube career, Kjellberg clarified in 2017 that he had left due to a lack of interest in his course of study. Kjellberg then went on to pursue a degree in industrial engineering and management at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, but left the university in 2011. During his last year of high school, he bought a computer with the money he made selling artwork through his grandmother's gallery. During high school, he frequently played video games in his bedroom and would skip classes to join at an Internet café with friends. Kjellberg studied at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg.ĭuring his childhood, Kjellberg was interested in art and has detailed that he would draw popular video game characters such as Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as play video games on his Super Nintendo Entertainment System, such as Star Fox and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. His mother, a former chief information officer (CIO), was named the 2010 CIO of the Year in Sweden. He was born to Lotta Kristine Johanna ( née Hellstrand, born 1958) and Ulf Christian Kjellberg (born 1957), and grew up with his older sister, Fanny. Early life and educationįelix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg was born on 24 October 1989 in Gothenburg, where he was also raised. In 2016, Time magazine named him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

His popularity online has been noted to boost sales for the video games he plays, and has allowed him to stir support for charity fundraising drives. With over 111 million subscribers and 29.2 billion views, his channel still ranks as one of the most-subscribed and viewed on YouTube. Meanwhile, in his personal life, he moved to Japan with his wife, Italian Internet personality Marzia. He eventually semi-retired from YouTube, choosing to upload less frequently for his enjoyment rather than as a career. Kjellberg also became more reserved online, uploading less consistently and taking frequent breaks from Internet use. In 2019, following a public competition with Indian record label T-Series, Kjellberg was overtaken as the most-subscribed YouTube channel. Kjellberg's content was already noted for its polarizing reception among general audiences online, but in the late 2010s, it became more controversial and attracted increased media scrutiny. During this period, his content shifted focus from Let's Plays and diversified to include vlogs, comedy shorts, formatted shows, and music videos. From 29 December 2014 to 14 February 2017, Kjellberg's channel was also the most-viewed on the platform. His channel gained a substantial following and was one of the fastest growing channels in 20, before becoming the most-subscribed on YouTube on 15 August 2013. He has been portrayed in media as a figurehead for YouTube, especially in the genre of gaming.īorn and raised in Gothenburg, Kjellberg registered his YouTube channel 'PewDiePie' in 2010, primarily posting Let's Play videos of horror and action video games. Kjellberg's popularity on YouTube and extensive media coverage has made him one of the most noted online personalities and content creators. Describing one of his tattoos on the Cold Ones podcastįelix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg ( / ˈ ʃ ɛ l b ɜːr ɡ/ SHEL-burg, Swedish: ⓘ born 24 October 1989), better known as PewDiePie ( / ˈ p juː d iː p aɪ/ PEW-dee-py), is a Swedish YouTuber known for his comedic videos.

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