PewDiePie signs streaming deal with YouTube, three years after the platform cancelled his show over anti-Semitic remarks

By Jennifer Locke
published

Pewdiepie
Pewdiepie (Image credit: John Lamparski / Getty Images)

What you need to know

  • Felix Kjellberg, known by his YouTube handle PewDiePie, has signed an exclusive streaming deal with YouTube.
  • This comes three years after the platform cancelled his YouTube Red series over anti-Semitic remarks.
  • What are consequences? YouTube doesn't know her.

Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg, one of YouTube's most popular creators, has signed an exclusive streaming deal with the company. Remember when just a few years ago YouTube cancelled one of his original series over anti-Semitic remarks? YouTube sure doesn't, I guess.

"YouTube has been my home for over a decade now and live streaming on the platform feels like a natural fit as I continue to look for new ways to create content and interact with fans worldwide," PewDiePie said in statement. "Live streaming is something I'm focusing a lot on in 2020 and beyond, so to be able to partner with YouTube and be at the forefront of new product features is special and exciting for the future."

PewDiePie previously streamed through DLive, a blockchain platform that was used by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones before he was ultimately banned. Kjellberg becomes just the latest streamer to sign a major exclusivity deal while more companies are paying for streamers to jump to their platforms. Ninja notably left Twitch for Mixer in 2019 after Microsoft offered him a deal.

PewDiePie has a documented history of racist remarks and generally appealing to the alt-right crowd. Lets not forget that other time he used the n-word when he was checks notes 27-years old in 2017. A fully grown adult. But that was 2017, surely he's apologized and changed by now? Let me direct you to the time in 2018 where he recommended the YouTube channel of a self-identified racist and white supremacist, or that time in 2019 where he pledged to donate $50,000 to the Anti-Defamation League and then withdrew his pledge.

But hey, now he's streaming on YouTube exclusively. Because what's more on brand for 2020?

Jennifer Locke
Jennifer Locke
Games Editor - PlayStation, Android, VR

Jennifer Locke has been playing video games nearly her entire life. You can find her posting pictures of her dog and obsessing over PlayStation and Xbox, Star Wars, and other geeky things.

18 Comments
  • Lol Youtube only cares about the SJW cause when it impacts their bottom line. They are scummy like most other companies who turn a blind eye in the name of the $$
  • sad very sad
  • Here's a crazy idea. Don't like him? Don't watch him!
  • do you think YouTube would do this had he been black and made racist xenophobic antisemitic comments about jews? I doubt it. call it for what the hell it is WHITE PRIVILEGE
  • Yes, they would.
  • no they wouldn't lol
  • One of Youtube's biggest stars is an Armenian Genocide denier and Jew-hater. But he's Muslim, so it's cool.
  • You sound jealous. 🤷‍♂️
  • For a minute, I thought I was on Kotaku. 🤣 The amount of salt in this article is astounding. I guess it's too much to ask that a news article be objective and without commentary these days.
  • Never confuse blogs with actual news.
  • I thought that as well. However, I looked at who wrote this article and checked their Twitter.... now it all makes sense.
  • For real, though.
    I'm surprised AC would publish a character assassination hit piece.
    This is just sad.
  • he has white privilege
  • Well, he's Swedish. They only have white people, and they are quite privileged.
  • He must be a liberal ****. That's the only way he gets a deal.
  • That's just what YouTube needs, more anti-Semitism, homophobia, racism, and rape jokes.
  • I came here for stupid, and read not disappointed. But, I thought he was an arse before he was a bigot, that just compounded it.
  • Deblasio threatened Jews, but he wears a (D) behind his name, so he's good. Felix is not the face of YouTube. He doesn't speak for YouTube. As long as he can separate his prejudice from his show, that's all that matters. The man's entitled to his opinions...until he acts on them. I don't have to like them. I don't have to like him. But then again, I try to not just pretend I'm tolerant.