As one of the most lucrative sub-sections of YouTube, gaming influencers can make millions of dollars from the content they upload. These huge YouTube stars have taken the platform by storm by posting commentary or playthroughs of games ranging from Minecraft to Player Unknown Battle Ground.
As an essential part of the YouTube mix, gaming channels provide huge inter-platform communities that appeal to players of all ages and abilities thanks to the witty audio and engaging videography.
10) DanTDM
Daniel Middleton, known online as DanTDM is a British professional gamer who is particularly well-known for his Minecraft walkthroughs and commentary.
Witty and with quick reflexes, his channel has over 21.3 million subscribers and has had over 14.5 billion views collectively. Describing himself as a Fortnite addict, Dan has proved himself as one of the most versatile talents in the world of gaming.
Soon to embark upon his 2019 arena tour, this is just the latest testimony to the gaming community’s popularity as a subsection of YouTube.
9) JackSepticEye
A true gaming legend, JackSepticEye is an Irish YouTuber who pioneered in growing the gaming community on the platform. Currently the most subscribed channel in Ireland, audiences love his playing prowess that is mixed with a comical Irish twang that helps his content to be some of the most engaging on the internet.
Known as one of the hardest working gaming stars, he uploads daily - usually in a Let’s Play or vlog style video and claims that fostering an inclusive community is the most important element of his channel.
This certainly seems to be paying off as he has 21.8 million subscribers to date and is often mentioned as one of the biggest names in global gaming.
8) Ninja
American streamer Ninja aka Richard Blevins began professionally playing the game Halo back in 2009. He gained a global reputation whilst representing various international teams including Cloud9, Renegades and Team Liquid where he quickly became known for his lightening sharp reflexes.
Said to make more than $500,000 monthly just from streaming in his bedroom, he is the first professional video game player to be featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine, thanks to his religious 12-hour gaming stints in his basement studio.
As of March 2019, he had 22 million subscribers with no signs of slowing down any time soon.
7) RezendeEvil
Proof that the gaming community is a global phenomenon, Pedro Afonso Rezende, known as RezendeEvil, is a 21-year-old Brazilian YouTuber who has found incredible success with the Southern American YouTube audience.
Despite never having published a single video in English, the star has an impressive 23 million subscribers thanks to both his talent and witty sketches that he uploads.
Followers also love him thanks to his unapologetically Playboy-esque lifestyle that he documents on his social media, all from the proceeds made from gaming.
6) Markiplier
Currently the 50th most subscribed channel on YouTube, Markiplier is a veteran YouTube gamer with over 23.5 million subscribers. Specialising in Let’s Play videos with an emphasis on horror survival games, his followers lap up the sensationalised video commentary.
One of the most openly philanthropic streamers, he is well known for his charity livestreams, during which he plays whilst collecting donations for various channels; an endeavor that has seen him raise more than $3,000,000.
Watch out for his trademark pink moustache branding and ever-changing hair colour!
5) Vanoss Gaming
Evan Fong, aka Vanoss Gaming, is known for his creative montage-style videos of him and other creators playing various video games. He has been recognised as a central figure in video gaming commentary, with his massive popularity being attributed to his sense of authenticity and down-to-earth nature that comes across in his videos.
Boasting an impressive 24.3 million subscribers, he is the 32nd most subscribed channel on YouTube.
Families tend to enjoy his content as it is not as crude as many of his fellow gaming personalities and this has given him recognition amongst a much wider audience.
4) Vegetta 777
As one of the most famous Latin American gamers, Samuel De Luque, also known as Vegetta777, has gained a platform thanks to his gameplays of famous titles such as Minecraft, Battlefield, Saint’s Row and Garry’s Mod.
In order to gain an increasing audience and grow further, he often collaborates with other popular YouTubers from Spain such as Willyrex, Alexby, Staxxcraft and Luzuvlogs. His videos are well-known and loved for being dramatic and film-like.
3) Fernanfloo
This Salvadorian gaming star has an incredible 32 million subscribers, again showcasing the popularity of the Latin American gaming community. Currently, his channel is the 22nd most subscribed to on YouTube and he splits his content between here and streaming platform Twitch.
Proving his popularity, he announced his collaboration with Resident Evil 2 game publisher Capcom to appear on the remake.
2) El Rubius
El Rubius is a Spanish-Norwegian YouTube personality whose channel consists of gameplays and vlogs, boasting an impressive 34 million subscribers. He has dedicated himself to his channel since 2011 and has found a particular affinity within the Fortnite playing community.
In particular, he orchestrates global Fortnite events that have received more than 1.1 million live viewers giving testimony to how popular the gaming scene is. In fact, the stream even caught the attention of Alex Rubens, a member of YouTube’s esports content partnerships team.
Currently, the most subscribed channel in Spain, his success shows no signs of stopping.
1) Pewdiepie
With an incredible 95 million subscribers, Pewdiepie is YouTube’s number one creator.
In 2016 Time Magazine named him as one of ‘The World’s 100 Most Influential People’ thanks to his online presence that has been grown through various ‘let’s play’ commentaries, vlogs and comedicly formatted shows.
Due to his popularity, he has been described as having an Oprah effect on the online gaming industry, boosting sales for indie titles, as well as helping to cement the popularity of larger titles.
Pewdiepie is often referred to as the figurehead of the gaming world thanks to his exponential growth and reach.
Although he has been marred by some controversy in the past, he continues to be YouTube’s most famous male face.
Regardless of whether you’re a part of the YouTube streaming community or not, one thing is for sure: gaming influencers rule the land of YouTube.
Whether they focus on the world-building game "Minecraft" or shooters like "Call of Duty," YouTube gaming is an essential part of the website's culture, both for the viewers who spend many hours eating up content, as well as the creators - some of which make a living off of sponsorships and advertising.
Of course, it’s not just the boys who are putting in the hours online. Why not check out our list of the biggest female esport gamers?
