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Minecraft's recent Surge on YouTube Proves that the "PewDiePie Effect" is still Real



Minecraft's recent surge on YouTube proves that the 'PewDiePie Effect' is still in place


The 'PewDiePie Effect is still alive and well with Minecraft's recent popularity on YouTube


A term from five years ago is still relevant.

By Julia Alexander



Almost two months ago, Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg did something his fans have wanted for years: he made an Minecraft video, and he's continued to make them ever since. Kjellberg's July was the most successful month in many years. He earned more than 570,000,000 views and started a new trend among YouTube's most prolific creators.



For the first time since January 2017, Minecraft has surpassed Fortnite as the most popular game on YouTube. It's evident that Minecraft is experiencing a boom once again. This is an echo of the "PewDiePie" Effect which was one of the first YouTube gaming trends.



Matthew Patrick, YouTuber and commentator, used the phrase "PewDiePie effect" to explain the influence of creators on the market. Back in 2014 when Kjellberg (a controversial YouTube creator who has come under criticism for using racist language during the stream of a game and also featured anti-Semitic imagery in a video) was still operating as a gaming channel his decision to upload the "Let's Play" series of a specific game generally led to higher sales of that title.



Kjellberg is not required for Minecraft Mojang's crafting game has 91 million monthly gamers. YouTube is a major factor in the game's popularity. YouTube was the first place where the game was found. It became the second most searched-for word on YouTube in 2014. Ironically, it was due to that popularity - and creators jumping on the bandwagon looking for attention that Kjellberg did not play it.



Kjellberg stated that it felt like that people were playing it because it was popular, and not because they were having fun playing it.



For the first time since January 2017, 'Minecraft' been able to surpass Fortnite as the game with the highest amount of searches on YouTube



Minecraft is now an full-time job for Kjellberg who claims to be enjoying himself playing through the game. In the video, he acknowledged that he no longer pay attention to what other players are doing online. He also said that it was "so amazing and liberating."



His efforts are paying dividends. VidIQ is a company which develops tools to help YouTube creators to monitor their analytics, found that Kjellberg is the "top creator of the keyword "Minecraft" now," according to content strategist Rob Wilson. This means that when people search for "Minecraft," many of the videos that appear on the first page are from him.



"Essentially PewDiePie has embraced the most fundamental rule of the YouTube playbook," Wilson wrote. Focus on a topic and convey that topic to your viewers in each video you make.



Other YouTube creators have picked up the trend after McLoughlin's renewed interest in the game. Sean "Jacksepticeye" McLoughlin, creator of more than 22 million subscribers has started to play the game, too. People have noticed Minecraft taking a break and decided to get on board the train before it disappears again. Wilson says that it's not only Kjellberg. YouTube creator Keemstar's weekly Minecraft tournaments generate traffic and interest. However, Kjellberg's presence is a major factor.



Wilson wrote, "This will also explain the reason why some of your most loved YouTubers suddenly returned to Minecraft or began playing around with it, and then hopping on the wave of a resurgence trend here." "And I'm not going to lie to you, this is exactly what we're doing it now. We're jumping on a trend."



"This could also help you understand why some YouTubers that you love have suddenly returned to Minecraft."



Kjellberg claims that he's simply having fun with Minecraft which is a fact that he makes clear in the majority of his videos. However, he also sees the economic advantages. Ryan Wyatt, head YouTube Gaming, stated that Minecraft isn't just the top-rated game on YouTube but it's also one the most advertiser-friendly.



Video games have become a more difficult category of content to monetize. Even big conglomerates like AT&T have signaled out gaming as a type of content they don't wish to promote. There are a few games advertisers feel comfortable with, though, as they aren't considered dangerous or family-friendly. Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft are three examples of these more well-known games.



Kjellberg also makes money from his Minecraft obsession with 570 million views in July. Other creators might consider the possibility of earning more and hope that the trickle-down effect will boost their income.



The current Minecraft video is proof that the "PewDiePie Effect," a term coined five years ago, is very much a phenomenon on YouTube.
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