Felix Kjellberg, the 25-year-old Swedish video star who goes by PewDiePie on YouTube, has become the first person to reach 10 billion views collectively across all of his videos.
Kjellberg made the announcement Sunday on Twitter. There have since been another 14 million views on his videos, generated from just shy of 40 million subscribers to his YouTube channel.
Kjellberg built his massive audience over a five-year career and now also sets records for the amount of money earned annually by a YouTube star, pulling in $7 million in 2014. Some angry reactions to his financial success prompted a six-minute video wherein Kjellberg responded to critics.
In August 2014, Variety declared PewDiePie as the third most influential figure among Americans ages 13-18, right behind the Fine Bros. and Smosh comedy teams, who are also huge YouTube stars. Being so dominantly in the public eye means that Kjellberg finds himself in the crosshairs of social commentary, such as being the subject of an entire episode of South Park.
Kjellberg is releasing a book titled This Book Loves You on Oct. 20.
