Technoblade, a popular YouTuber best known for his Minecraft videos, died about a year after he was diagnosed with cancer, according to his family. He was 23.
In a video titled "so long nerds," shared Thursday on his YouTube channel, Technoblade's father announced the news of his son's death to his more than 11 million followers.
His father then played a posthumous message from Technoblade, who expresses his gratitude to his many fans and reveals that his real name was Alex. In the gaming community, aliases are most commonly used instead of real names, as both creators and fans prefer partial anonymity.
“Hello everyone, Technoblade here. If you’re watching this, I am dead,” he said. “Thank you all for supporting my content over the years. If I had another 100 lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time, as those were the happiest years of my life.”
The emotional video then returns to Technoblade's father, who describes the process of recording his son's message.
“I don’t think he said everything he wanted to say, but I think he got the main points,” his father, visibly emotional, said. “He finished that up and then he was done. He lived about another eight hours after that.”
His father added: "We all said good bye. He was the most amazing kid anyone could ever ask for. I miss Technoblade."
Technoblade, better known for his avatar of a crowned king pig wielding a sword, boasts more than 11.3 million subscribers on YouTube. In his YouTube biography, he wrote: “I play video games too much. I might not be the best, but I do have hot elbows.”
In August 2021, Technoblade announced in a video he was diagnosed with sarcoma, an uncommon type of cancer that grows in the bones and soft tissues like the muscles, tendons and blood vessels.
In honor of Technoblade, a portion of all merchandise sales on his online store would be donated to the non-profit, Sarcoma Foundation of America, which funds research and increases awareness about the disease, his family wrote on his website.
Many people, including fellow YouTubers, mourned his death on social media.
"I had the opportunity to express to Technoblade how much admiration and respect I had for him, not only for the massive impact he had on all of us, but also for keeping his incredible humor even in the darkest moments," Quackity, another popular YouTuber, tweeted.
He continued: "I will miss him so much. Rest In Peace"
Eret, a Twitch streamer, tweeted: "Technoblade was someone so many of us looked up to, myself included. Thank you for everything you did for so many. The world won’t be the same without you."
In a lengthy statement shared at the end of his final video, his family wrote: "We, the family of Technoblade, wanted all of you to know just how much he adored and respected his fans and colleagues."
Technoblade always tried to engage with his audience through sharing rewards, building community, and posting his Minecraft adventures, his family said.
"Even after his eventual successes he somehow managed to keep his good-natured humility, competing with an endearing balance between confidence and self- deprecating wit," the statement read. "He avoided personal fame and worked hard to keep his true identity confidential, and we ask you to continue to honor his wishes to protect his privacy and the privacy of his family."
