PewDiePie is a widely recognized figure on YouTube, known for his unique content and captivating personality. As one of the most prominent creators on the platform, he has faced numerous challenges over the years. Despite these obstacles, he has managed to achieve great success, including becoming the first individual creator to surpass 100 million subscribers.
However, despite his many achievements, PewDiePie has also been embroiled in several controversies. One of the most notable incidents occurred during a live stream of him playing PUBG, where he used the N-word. This event sparked outrage among many of his fans and the wider online community, and PewDiePie was forced to apologize for his actions.
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When did PewDiePie use the N-word?
In mid-September of 2017, the popular YouTuber PewDiePie decided to stream himself playing the highly acclaimed battle royale game, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG). During the game, PewDiePie and his teammate were engaged by an enemy player who managed to knock down his partner. In an attempt to defend his teammate, PewDiePie fired shots at the enemy player, hoping to either kill him or deter him from his attack.
Unfortunately, the enemy player chose to disregard PewDiePie and instead returned to finish off his partner. This sudden turn of events provoked a hasty and impulsive reaction from PewDiePie, leading him to use the N-word. The incident was recorded on video, and the exact words were: "Are you down? I see him, I see him. F**k, I gotta heal. What? What the f**k is happening?" PewDiePie exclaimed as he fired shots at an enemy during the game of PUBG.
After witnessing the enemy kill his teammate, PewDiePie responded with an outburst, saying, "What a f**king ni**er! Geez, oh my god! What the f**k! Sorry, but what the f**k? What a f**king a**hole. I don't mean that in a bad way, but Jesus! Why would he do that?" The moment was caught on video and has since been the subject of controversy and criticism. PewDiePie later issued an apology, stating that there was no excuse for his use of the racial slur.
The event has come to be known as the 'bridge' incident, as it transpired on a bridge within the game. To be precise, the altercation took place on the Erangel map's bridge, which is a critical link between the mainland and the southern island known for its military base.
'Extremely immature and stupid'
Following the backlash from his use of the N-word, PewDiePie uploaded a short video on his YouTube channel to issue an apology. He clarified that his use of the word was an "unintended slip of the tongue" during a heated moment and that he did not intend for it to come across as a racial slur.
Additionally, he acknowledged the importance of taking responsibility for his actions and pledged to be more cautious of his online conduct going forward, particularly concerning the impact his words have on others. PewDiePie committed to improving his online behavior in the aftermath of his controversial use of the N-word. He emphasized the importance of being mindful of the impact of his words on others and expressed his dislike for the use of such language in online gaming.
According to PewDiePie, hearing other players use similar language made him feel that it was "extremely immature and stupid." He acknowledged that his use of the word was a result of a slip of the tongue in a heated moment and that it was regrettable that he had inadvertently contributed to the negative culture surrounding such language in gaming.
PewDiePie felt that he owed it to himself and his fans to do better in the future. He stated that he wanted to improve and better himself not just for himself but also for those who looked up to him.
