Tragic Details About PewDiePie

At one point in time, Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg — better known to fans as PewDiePie — was the biggest YouTuber on the platform. Through humorous "Let's Play" and reaction videos, PewDiePie quickly became pretty much a household name, especially among the younger YouTube viewers who grew up watching him. He's come a long way from those early "Amnesia" playthroughs, however, and has weathered a number of controversies in the public eye. PewDiePie's had a complicated career, to say the least. It's no wonder that the creator considers himself semi-retired now, living a much simpler life with his family in Japan and staying further from the limelight than before.

Though he's been quite successful, PewDiePie has also dealt with a number of struggles in his personal and professional life that casual fans might not know about. Due to his wealth and fame, many onlookers might assume that he has led a largely carefree life. However, even one of the biggest (and most notorious) YouTube creators of all time has seen his share of hardship.

Fans of PewDiePie know that he's often professed his love of Japan and Japanese culture, and that passion eventually led the YouTuber to move there with his wife, Marzia. Although this may seem like a dream come true on paper, it's come with its own set of struggles. In late 2019, PewDiePie and Marzia were robbed while they were away from the property. The event was extremely hard on the couple, leaving a longterm impact on their mental health.

In a video posted a few months after the incident, PewDiePie explained that none of his own belongings were stolen, and they were able to get some of the robbery on film. However, he revealed that most of Marzia's valuables were taken from the house. PewDiePie was frustrated to see many of his detractors celebrating the robbery on social media, pointing out that even though he wasn't personally impacted financially, the entire event was a massive breach of privacy and safety. In an Instagram post (via Business Insider), Marzia wrote, "I can't hide the shock and sadness with [it] all being taken away, just like that." It would be a while before the couple felt comfortable in their home again.

In one of 2019's most horrific moments, a shooter in New Zealand targeted two Mosques and killed a total of 51 people. The shooter also referenced the YouTuber during the attack, saying "Subscribe to PewDiePie" as he livestreamed the incident. This quote was pulled directly from the YouTuber's then-recent campaign to gain the most-subscribed channel on the platform. 

While the exact reasoning behind the shooter's reference is unknown, the callout was mentally and emotionally damaging for PewDiePie. It also kicked off a high level of internet discourse, with some people partially blaming PewDiePie's controversial sense of humor for the incident. Others believed that PewDiePie's influential virality inspired the shooter to co-opt the meme in an attempt to spread his own message in the largest way possible. As noted by Slate, a rising number of white supremacists had taken to using the phrase around this point in time.

PewDiePie appeared to be extremely unsettled by all of this, telling viewers that he was "sickened having [his] name uttered by this person" and that he "didn't want hate to win." Explaining that he wished to distance his name from this tragedy, the YouTuber called for an end to the "Subscribe to PewDiePie" movement. While some people accused him of normalizing hateful rhetoric through his channel, other YouTubers came to PewDiePie's defense. In a heartfelt message on X (then Twitter), Markiplier asserted his belief that PewDiePie had no part in the shooting.

You had nothing to do with this. Full stop.

The shooter, who should be forgotten to the ass-end of history, is only trying to create division. Anyone that believes or spreads the message that you were associated with this in any way is doing exactly what the shooter wants.

— Mark (@markiplier) March 15, 2019

PewDiePie has struggled against a number of external factors in his life, but one internal struggle occurred that fans didn't even know about until much later: an addiction to whiskey. PewDiePie detailed his complicated relationship with alcohol in a YouTube video titled "I can quit whenever honestly." He explained that he noticed a problem with his drinking when he attempted to cut back on his alcohol consumption, which in turn triggered a feeling that he needed whiskey to continue functioning normally. In the end, PewDiePie ended up completely cutting out all alcohol.

During his darkest moments, especially while suffering from his whiskey addiction, PewDiePie said that he embraced the philosophical practice of Stoicism, which emphasizes enduring hardship without letting emotions get the better of you, and ultimately helped him remain focused on quitting. Fans were quick to congratulate PewDiePie for his accomplishment. Many viewers were also grateful that PewDiePie shared this vulnerable moment, especially since his story could possibly help other people in their own struggles with addiction.

PewDiePie's pugs, Maya and Edgar, have been important parts of his channel for years. Maya, an adorable and plucky one-eyed pug, was always a wonderful addition to any video she appeared in, particularly Marzia's popular "Puga Does Everything" series. Many fans were shocked and saddened to hear about Maya's tragic passing in 2022. The 17-year-old pug had been dealing with some medical complications over the preceding few years, and PewDiePie was clearly devastated to lose his old friend.

"I will miss you so much and I already do," wrote the YouTuber on Instagram, "You will always be in my heart Maya." A great number of fans shared their condolences on Instagram and in the comments on older videos featuring Maya, saying they'd also miss her very much. As PewDiePie himself stated, "17 years is a long time for a pug, but no time in the world would've ever been enough." 

PewDiePie enjoys making his own videos, but a few shoots have caused him more than a bit of unrest. While filming his series "Scare PewDiePie," for instance, the YouTuber accidentally took the wrong medication, mistaking standard Aspirin for a brand that makes the consumer drowsy. After this, PewDiePie had to go through an entire day of filming for his show, despite feeling very out of it, which could have potentially jeopardized the whole day of shooting and put his safety in question during the strenuous shoot.

While this moment may sound simple to some, it made PewDiePie extremely anxious. Mistaking medicine for another kind can be easier than one might think, and can sometimes lead to severe health risks. Although some fans didn't see the big fuss, other fans thought PewDiePie was justified to still be unnerved by the experience when he retold the story. 

PewDiePie didn't just feel pressure from fans via online interactions; the constant anxiety and push to perform also extended into his real life. As one of the most recognizable YouTubers of all time, PewDiePie frequently found himself being spotted and hounded in public. Between fans constantly harassing him, or even trying to find his home to visit him, PewDiePie felt his mental health being worn away. PewDiePie has taken to his channel on multiple occasions to ask fans to respect his privacy, but it was a long time before he got what he wanted.

In one specific instance, PewDiePie and his wife were noticed while trying to order dinner from a McDonald's drive-thru. The YouTuber was quickly swarmed by a group of children trying to get his attention, as well as a mother who aggressively tried to get them to take a photo with her child. PewDiePie, who simply wanted a peaceful evening, had to tell the group of fans, "We just want to eat, we don't want to be recognized." Sadly, the fans didn't respond well to this, and basically ignored his request. It wasn't until Marzia and PewDiePie made their move to Japan that incidents like this seemed to slow down.

With millions of fans constantly expecting so much of him, not to mention a large number of detractors, PewDiePie gradually felt the pressure of his YouTube career grow stronger. At the height of his fame, the YouTuber spent much of his time fielding justifiable criticism of some ill-conceived jokes and fending off attacks from internet trolls at every turn. It all added up to give PewDiePie high levels of stress and anxiety. In fact, the pressure from fans and the media essentially fed into PewDiePie's addiction to YouTube, making the content creator feel that he had to constantly perform well or risk losing everything.

From here, PewDiePie felt that he was starting to fall into a rut with his YouTube career, as he was always looking for new ways to stay relevant. The constant pressure didn't reflect what he wanted from his job, and he was eventually convinced that he needed some kind of break, even if it meant losing a lot of money in the process. On the plus side, the break gave him time to think about his priorities, and he came back with a healthier approach to creating content. 

In a Q&A video from late 2020, the streamer explained, "I just enjoy making videos without caring about what a group of people who don't watch me think." While at one point he may have felt trapped by his job, PewDiePie now only makes videos when he feels like it, and that seems to suit him just fine.

PewDiePie has finally settled down into a more peaceful routine in Japan. With a much more relaxed YouTube posting schedule, and far less media attention, PewDiePie seems to be in a much better place when compared to his previous high-pressure lifestyle. PewDiePie and his wife have had the time to start a family, having a son in Summer 2023. However, though PewDiePie has been happy with his time in Japan so far, the YouTuber has expressed some problems with the ways in which the country's healthcare restrictions affected his time with his newborn infant.

In a video reviewing his first full year in Japan, the YouTuber explained that his son's first day was not what he'd hoped. PewDiePie was already on edge because Marzia's pregnancy had not been without complications, and she experienced a few scary moments during labor. After dropping Marzia off at the hospital, the YouTuber was only allowed to see his wife and son for a few hours at a time, which left him distraught. The YouTuber would later remark that he felt conflicted by the whole experience, saying, "Sometimes, there are rules that just don't make any sense."