YouTube Gaming Star PewDiePie Turns Off Comments For Good

[MovieBob]

YouTube Gaming Star PewDiePie Turns Off Comments For Good

YouTube's biggest gaming star disables comments, says it's for good

YouTube comments (and whether or not to read them) are one of the most hotly contested topics on the internet, particularly in the gaming sphere, with endless debates raging about freedom of speech versus availability of platforms versus the desire to manage one's own channel. But Felix Kjellberg, better known as YouTube video game superstar "PewDiePie," is apparently done arguing: He's turning his comments off. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_hHKlEZ9Go]

In a brief video message to his fans (also touching on his feelings about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/features/galleryoftheday/12129-8-Celebrities-Take-on-the-ALS-Ice-Bucket-Challenge]), Kjellberg explains that he feels that the YouTube comments on his videos are no longer fostering the kind of interactions he'd prefer to have with his fans, and that he prefers the responses he gets via social media. The decision, he says, is apparently final.

Recently profiled in playing video games and reacting to them in often comical ways, [http://online.wsj.com/articles/youtube-star-plays-videogames-earns-4-million-a-year-1402939896] are said to earn him $4 million a year.


Source: PewDiePie [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_hHKlEZ9Go]

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[Queen Michael]

[insert a ****load of jokes about how the comments at least are more intelligen than his videos]

 

[AxelxGabriel]

Popular or not, it's his videos and his right to not foster a bunch of asses who say bad shit that lead to this in the first place.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

Boo. Farking. Hoo. From what few videos of his I've seen, Youtube comments happened to be more entertaining than the posted videos...

[insert a ****load of jokes about how the comments at least are more intelligen than his videos]

My gods, I've been ninja'd.

 

[Me55enger]

$4 million a year.

Four million dollars a year.

A. Year.

Driver, let me off at the next stop please.

 

[jaibryan]

i have no problem with this, it's his channel, he can choose all or nothing.

 

[-Ezio-]

the fact that he has fans is baffling to me.

 

[hickwarrior]

Well, I can say Pewdiepie did tell me somewhat what ALS is. Thought it was a stupid thing, but now I understand what it's about at least.

And yeah, I don't think I would like his videos just from the stuff I see here. If he's serious, he's kind of cool though.

Ah well, Life as usual for me. Never really watched the guy anyway.

Also, about youtube comments. When I read them, they tend to go off on tangents really quickly that don't relate to the video. I guess there's a reason why they're called youtube comments nowadays...

 

[Omnicrom]

[insert a ****load of jokes about how the comments at least are more intelligen than his videos]

Came in here to say that. PDP is free to make his own choices about his own channel, and he is very correct that youtube comments are a toxic waste dump, but it's not exactly as though he himself is a shining example of quality, non-toxic commentary.

 

[RaikuFA]

I'd wish he'd turn off his comments. Har har.

What comments? He just makes random noises.

 

[anonymity88]

$4 million a year.

Four million dollars a year.

A. Year.

Driver, let me off at the next stop please.

It is truly mind boggling. My mind has been boggled.

 

[thundra]

Its his channel. He can do as he see best. If i did youtube videos I would disable comments because comments would be my responsiblity to moderate

 

[Andy Shandy]

At least they're more inte-

[insert a ****load of jokes about how the comments at least are more intelligen than his videos]

Awww, well now it's no fun.

Seriously though, as much as I'm not a fan, it's a good move. YouTube comments are a terrible place to have discussion and get feedback at the best of times, Christ knows what it must've been like on his videos.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

$4 million a year.

Four million dollars a year.

A. Year.

Driver, let me off at the next stop please.

I don't particularly trust those numbers because the WSJ tends to go high on their estimates, Youtube's monetization process changes fairly rapidly, and his channel has only been around 4 years and experienced large shifts in numbers of viewers each year. I don't doubt that he makes a bucket of money now, but his career is short enough and unstable enough that it's hard to boil it down to a simple accurate annual amount.

OT: I've always thought that it was strange that he didn't have his own website where he could get 100% of the profits and store his videos without potential future interference from Youtube. The fact that a dedicated website is much better at attracting fans and positive messages is just icing on top.

 

[Qitz]

I'm not surprised. Yogscast did it, Totalbiscuit did it and NerdCubed not only did it but even asked his fan-base about whether it should return to a resounding "No."

Between the constant arguments, people whoring their channels and other stupid things like ASCII crap or posting some novel to show why Google+ Comments are bad, there's literally nothing lost as far as the comments being off goes.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Late news is late (it was three days ago when it was uploaded).

Either way it make sense for him to turn it off since it will be less hassle for him and for the haters to no longer post on it althought they will find elsewhere to make hateful comments.

 

[Slegiar Dryke]

come on, its a week day, there's got to be better news then this. we know googles comment algorithm sucks and promotes rudeness and crass......there's got to be better news to comment about XP

 

[Shanahanapp]

Wow that video was really kind of an emotional rollercoaster.

At first I thought he was kinda a dick, because I don't really like PewDiePie. Then it seemed that when he's not overreacting/acting and trying to be funny he actually seems like an alright guy. Then he explained that he turned them off basically because people aren't telling him they like him enough. So right back to dick territory.

I'm not saying that youtube comments are a grand gathering of intellectuals or anything, but having your fans have virtually no input or place for discussion sucks.