2 min read
The era of barrels and Stefano has officially ended. After 13 years as a gaming icon, Felix Kjellberg, known globally as PewDiePie, is stepping away from video games. He announced the major shift in his recent “Kjellberg Mail” newsletter.
According to Felix, he is “done with them” for the time being. While long-time fans might recall his video from eight years ago titled “Why I don’t play video games anymore”, this recent update confirms a permanent shift in his priorities. The days of logging dozens of hours into a single game are over.
Fatherhood Changes Priorities
The primary reason for this change is his new role as a father. Felix explains that parenthood forces him to evaluate time differently. He wrote:
Every hour has weight now in a way it didn’t before.
He admits that he could still find time for gaming if he truly wanted to. However, he deliberately chooses not to. He shared:
I’ve just decided that, if time is limited, I’d rather be doing something else.
Furthermore, he feels that his previous preoccupation with YouTube and gaming stalled his personal development. He stated that he hasn’t done much to build himself and grow in the past. Now, he is in a mindset where he wants to learn.
A New Era of Content
Consequently, the PewDiePie channel is evolving. The content has already shifted toward lifestyle blogging and hobby vlogs. While he may still play a game for 30 minutes occasionally, the classic “Let’s Play” format is gone.
Instead, Felix is focusing on acquiring new skills. This new direction is already proving successful. For instance, a video documenting his first PC build garnered over 4.8 million views. A follow-up video, “Accidentally Build a Nuclear Supercomputer”, received 2.7 million views.
PewDiePie Addressing the Critics
Not everyone accepts this change easily. Some viewers have expressed disbelief at how quickly he learns new skills, with some attributing it to him having “infinite time”.
Felix refutes this claim directly. He argues that he does not have infinite time; he simply spends it on what he considers valuable. He notes that seeing these reactions actually validates his decision to prioritise learning over gaming.
