Ever wonder when PewDiePie started his YouTube channel? From selling hot dogs to becoming the most subscribed individual creator on YouTube, PewDiePie’s success story is one of talent, perseverance, and the high-octane power of YouTube.
Let’s find out when Pewdiepie started on YouTube and embarked on this surreal journey of YouTube fame.
Who is PewDiePie?
PewDiePie is a Swedish YouTuber best known for his comedy, gaming, and reaction videos. His name is Felix Kjellberg. He rose to fame with his Let’s Play videos, particularly of the horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and later became widely recognized for his Minecraft gameplay, meme reviews, and vlogs.
He launched his YouTube channel in 2010, and by 2013, he had become the most-subscribed YouTuber, a title he held for several years. At his peak, he had over 110 million subscribers, making him one of the most influential figures in YouTube history.
When Did PewDiePie Start YouTube Channel?
Felix started his first YouTube channel, “PewDie,” in December 2006 when he was in college and trying to make ends meet. Although his parents were well-to-do, PewDiePie was cut off financially after he dropped out of college, forcing him to work two jobs by day and create gaming videos for YouTube on the side.
He always said that YouTube at that point was just a hobby and nothing more. His genuine charm and humor initially helped him grow his channel, but unfortunately, he lost the password to his budding YouTube channel.
But that didn’t stop him from doing what he had grown to love; in 2010, he created another YouTube channel, PewDiePie.
What does PewDiePie mean?
Pew stands for the noise lasers make, die well, it just means death, and pie signifies his fondness for his favorite dessert. Over the years, the name Pewdiepie has grown into a colossal brand that companies are dying to align with.
Key Milestones in PewDiePie’s YouTube Journey
Here are some significant milestones in PewDiePie’s personal and YouTube journey.
YouTube Career
Pewdiepie’s channel soared with his Let’s Play videos, where he recorded his humorous, over-the-top reactions to in-game events. His channel grew exponentially, but he never had a single viral video that catapulted his success. His journey to success has been gradual, building a little with every video. In 2012, he expanded his content from just gaming videos to a vlog series titled Fridays with PewDiePie. Needless to say, his subscribers kept multiplying.
He refers to his audience on YouTube as “Bro Army”. One of the most iconic moments in his career was the subscriber battle against Indian music label T-Series. As both channels competed for the title of most-subscribed on YouTube, fans rallied behind PewDiePie with the global “Subscribe to PewDiePie” campaign. While T-Series eventually surpassed him, the rivalry brought massive attention to his channel and sparked millions of new subscriptions.
When did PewDiePie reach 10,00,000 Subscribers?
In 2012, Pewdiepie reached 1 million subscribers, and his channel has soared ever since. In August 2013, PewDiePie surpassed Smosh to become the most subscribed YouTuber. As his channel grew, so did the multitude of his content. Currently, PewDiePie is one of the only two YouTube channels to reach a 100 million subscriber milestone. While he remained iconic, a significant shift occurred in June 2024, when fellow creator MrBeast officially surpassed PewDiePie in subscriber count, becoming the most-subscribed individual on YouTube.
PewDiePie’s Net Worth
As of 2025, PewDiePie’s estimated net worth is around $40-50 million. His income revenue streams are diversified, but they are scattered through Ad revenue, merchandise sales from his book (This Book Loves You), and other merch sales like clothing lines, etc. He has also made money in his YouTube journey through Sponsorship and brand deals.
PewDiePie Today
Born on October 24, 1989, in Sweden, he studied Industrial Economics and Technology Management before dropping out to pursue YouTube full-time. In recent years, PewDiePie has returned to his gaming roots, particularly with popular titles like Minecraft, which sparked a new wave of enthusiasm from fans. He also took longer breaks from content creation to focus on his personal life. After marrying his longtime partner Marzia in 2019, the couple relocated to Japan in 2022 and welcomed their first child in 2023. Although his upload schedule has slowed, he continues to significantly influence the creator space.
Conclusion
From brand deals to a cabinet full of YouTube play buttons, PewDiePie has come a long way from selling his Photoshop artwork. Now that you know when PewDiePie started YouTube, it’s time to leave all doubts and excuses behind and start pursuing your dream of being a YouTuber.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How old was Pewdiepie when he started YouTube?
Felix, or “Pewdiepie,” was a 17-year-old college student when he started his first YouTube channel in 2006.
Q2. Why is PewDiePie stuck at 111 million subscribers?
He is currently stuck at this number because of a combination of factors. His upload schedule and frequency have been reduced, and the fluctuating subscriber counts and past subscriber battles are some of the reasons for PewDiePie’s subscriber count not increasing.
Q3. Is PewDiePie gone?
No, he is active on his YouTube channel as of November 2021. However, in a video titled “It’s been real, but I’m out,” released in January 2021, Pewdiepie announced that he would be taking a break from YouTube. He didn’t specify how long he would be missing from YouTube, but it was disheartening news for his fans all over the world.
Q4. How long has PewDiePie been #1?
He held the position of #1 YouTuber for a significant period from 2013 to 2019. In 2019, his channel was surpassed by T-Series, becoming the number 1 YouTube channel.
Q5. How old is PewDiePie?
Pewdiepie is 33 years old, and his birthday is on 24 October 1989.