Technoblade, a Minecraft star on YouTube, dead at 23

Technoblade, a YouTube star who had more than 11 million subscribers who watched him play Minecraft, has died, his father announced in a video posted to the influencer’s account. He was 23.

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Technoblade, who kept his identity a secret but said in his final video that his first name was Alex, died after a year-long battle with cancer, his family announced Friday.

A video, titled “so long nerds,” was posted on Technoblade’s YouTube channel on Thursday, The New York Times reported. It had been viewed more than 40 million times as of Saturday morning. A man who said he was the YouTuber’s father narrated the video with a white poodle sitting in his lap, according to the newspaper.

“Hello, everyone. Technoblade here. If you are watching this, I am dead,” the YouTuber’s video message said.

Technoblade also thanked fans for supporting his content, buying merchandise, and channel memberships and joked that his siblings “are going to college.”

“If I had another hundred lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time, as those were the happiest years of my life,” the message said. “I hope you guys enjoyed my content and that I made some of you laugh and I hope you all go on to live long, prosperous and happy lives.”

The content creator made his YouTube channel in 2013, CBS News reported.

Technoblade’s subscribers would watch recordings of his Minecraft games as he provided commentary off-camera, the Times reported. He usually focused on the game he was playing, but sometimes also described life events, which included the devastating news of his cancer diagnosis, according to the newspaper.

He first revealed his cancer during a video he posted on his channel in August. The video showed the game while he spoke off-camera, according to the Times.

He said he sought medical help after experiencing pain in his right arm, CNN reported. Technoblade said he originally believed the pain was due to repetitive stress injury from gaming.

Technoblade typed his final note on his father’s laptop about eight hours before his death, his father said, according to USA Today.

“He was the most amazing kid anyone could ever ask for,” the father said. “I miss Technoblade. Thank you to all of you for everything. You meant a lot to him.”

The video also included several photos of the YouTuber with loved ones, the Times reported. He had rarely shown himself in his videos, preferring instead to present himself as his avatar: a crowned, sword-wielding pig.

The video ends with a written statement attributed to Technoblade’s mother, who is not named.

“From Technoblade’s earliest online days, he was always strategizing ways to delight and reward his audience, giving away online prizes, encouraging good sportsmanship and, most of all, sharing his Minecraft adventures for entertainment and laughs,” she wrote.

Technoblade’s family could not be reached for comment on Friday. Hypixel, a gaming company that worked with Technoblade, said the family had asked that requests for comment not be forwarded to them, according to the Times.

“The video they shared contains all information they are comfortable sharing at this time,” Don Pireso, the company’s lead administrator, said in a Twitter direct message to the newspaper.

The Technoblade merchandise store -- which features T-shirts with the banner “So long, nerds, Alexander ‘Technoblade’ 1999-2022″ -- will continue to be operated by his family, USA Today reported. Proceeds will go to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, according to the newspaper.

In a statement, the organization said it will honor Technoblade with its Courage Award at our 20th annual Stand Up to Sarcoma Gala on Sept. 28 in New York City.

“His generosity and selflessness were evident when he was able to rally his fans and followers to raise over $500,000 for SFA to date,” the statement said. “Reading the many tributes left to him online we know he was beloved by his millions of fans and followers.

“I hope you guys enjoyed my content and that I made some of you laugh,” Technoblade’s video message said. “And I hope you all go on to live long prosperous and happy lives. Because I love you guys. Technoblade out.”

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