Entertainment

YouTube megastar PewDiePie used the n-word in a live video and people are celebrating his ‘downfall’

The YouTube star has more than 57 million followers.
The YouTube star has more than 57 million followers. The YouTube star has more than 57 million followers.

YouTube star PewDiePie has used the n-word during a live gaming stream, drawing criticism from fans and detractors alike.

The 27-year-old broadcaster, who has more than 57 million followers on the platform, made the comment during a livestream of the game Player Unknown Battlegrounds.

Immediately after making the comment, aimed at another player in the game, he apologised, saying he “didn’t mean that in a bad way”.

Twitter users reacted quickly to the broadcast, using the hashtag #PewDiePieIsOverParty – while one games developer said they would be filing a copyright claim.

Some aren’t so confident this spells the end for his career, though.

This isn’t the first time PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, has been criticised for offensive language.

Earlier this year, he was dropped by Disney after anti-Semitic references were discovered in his videos – including people holding up a sign that said “death to all Jews”.

Kjellberg said he was “trying to show how crazy the modern world is”, and chose to do that by paying two men from India through Fiverr, a freelance marketplace, to make the sign.

Some took the opportunity to promote their favourite non-controversial YouTube stars using the hashtag, saying they were more deserving of followers.

While Sean Vanaman, head of Campo Santo, which makes Firewatch, said his company will be filing a copyright claim to get all of PewDiePie’s content related to Firewatch taken off YouTube.

“I’d urge other developers & will be reaching out to folks much larger than us to cut him off from the content that has made him a milionaire (sic),” Vanaman said.

PewDiePie’s subscriber count has continued to grow since the incident, according to site Social Blade.