Markiplier is one of the biggest names on YouTube. His real name is Mark Edward Fischbach . He has over 37 million subscribers and billions of views . But how did a guy from Hawaii become one of the most famous gamers on the internet?

The short answer is horror games, a big personality, and never giving up. Here is the full story of how Markiplier got famous.

When Did Markiplier Start YouTube?

Markiplier started YouTube in 2012. He first joined on May 26, 2012 . But his very first video went up on April 4, 2012 . He posted that one on an older channel before moving to his main one .

So he started putting out content in early 2012. But his real start date for the channel we all know is May 2012 .

His first big series was a game called Amnesia: The Dark Descent . That game is a horror game. And horror ended up being his ticket to fame. He also played games like Penumbra and Dead Space in those early days .

But here is a twist. Markiplier actually got banned early on. YouTube banned his AdSense account. He tried to appeal it but lost . So he had to start a new channel. That new channel became the Markiplier we know today .

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How Did Markiplier Get His Name?

People always ask where the name Markiplier comes from. It is actually pretty simple.

His first name is Mark. He combined it with the word "multiplier" . The idea came from his original plan for YouTube. He wanted to do sketch comedy where he played multiple characters . He said "My name is Mark, and I would multiply myself" .

That is how he got Markiplier. It is Mark plus multiplier.

Even though he ended up doing gaming instead of sketch comedy, the name stuck . And it turned out to be a great name for branding.

The Early Years: Building a Foundation

Markiplier grew up in Hawaii. He was born in Honolulu on June 28, 1989 . His dad was in the military. His mom is Korean. His dad met her while stationed in South Korea .

His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio when his dad retired . That is where Markiplier grew up and went to school.

He studied biomedical engineering at the University of Cincinnati . But he dropped out. He was in his senior year when he quit to focus on YouTube . That is a big risk. But it paid off.

Before YouTube, he wanted to be a voice actor . That makes sense because his voice is one of his biggest tools. He has a loud, energetic way of talking that people love.

The Breakthrough: Horror Games and Reactions

Markiplier did not get famous overnight. But a few things pushed him forward.

First, he played the right games. He focused on survival horror games like Amnesia, Slender: The Eight Pages, and later Five Nights at Freddy's . These games were perfect for his style. He reacts big. He screams. He gets scared. And people found that funny .

Second, he made a video compilation of Amnesia reactions. That video got over 1 million views . That was huge for a new creator.

Third, he found his audience. He started building a community of fans who liked his sense of humor . He was not just playing games. He was entertaining people.

In 2014, things really took off. He hit 1 million subscribers . Then he released his Five Nights at Freddy's series . That series is still one of his most popular videos ever .

By 2014, his channel was ranked number 61 on New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels . And Variety named him the sixth most influential celebrity among teenagers .

That was the year he became a big deal.

Moving to LA and Collaborating

In 2014, Markiplier moved to Los Angeles . That is where most of the big YouTubers live. Moving there helped him make connections.

He started collaborating with other creators. He worked with PewDiePie, Jacksepticeye, and CaptainSparklez . These collaborations helped him grow his audience even more .

He also lived with other YouTubers who ran a sketch comedy channel called Cyndago . He made videos with them. The group later broke up after one of the members, Daniel Kyre, passed away . It was a hard time for Markiplier. He took a break from YouTube for a bit. Then he came back with even more subscribers .

Why He Stays Famous?

Markiplier has stayed famous for over 10 years. That is rare on YouTube. Here is why he keeps growing.

1. He does charity work. He has raised a lot of money for good causes. He donates to Doctors Without Borders and Cincinnati Children's Hospital . He even raised money by posting "tasteful nudes" on OnlyFans and gave the money to charity .
2. He makes different types of content. It is not just gaming. He does vlogs, comedy sketches, and podcasts . He co-founded a clothing brand called Cloak with Jacksepticeye . He also co-hosts a podcast called Distractible .
3. He connects with his fans. Markiplier talks about his life openly. He shares personal stories. He talks about mental health . Fans feel like they know him. And he makes time to talk to them online .
4. He is making movies now. He made a movie called Iron Lung. It was self-funded. It cost under $3 million to make. It made almost $25 million at the box office . Hollywood is paying attention .

Final Thoughts

Markiplier got famous because he started at the right time with the right content. He played horror games. He reacted big. People liked watching him.

But he stayed famous because he kept working. He moved to LA. He made friends with other creators. He tried new things like podcasts and clothing and movies. And he always stayed close to his fans.

He dropped out of college to do YouTube. That was a huge risk. But he took it. And it worked out. He went from a guy in Ohio playing Amnesia in his bedroom to a guy with millions of fans making his own movies.

That is the Markiplier story.

FAQs

1. When did Markiplier start his YouTube channel?

Markiplier started his main channel on May 26, 2012. But he actually uploaded his very first video on April 4, 2012. That video went up on a different channel. He had to make a new one because YouTube banned his AdSense account. So he started fresh. The channel we know today began in May 2012 and he has been posting ever since. That is over 12 years of making content.

2. How did Markiplier get his name?

His real first name is Mark. He just added "multiplier" to it. The idea came from his original plan. He wanted to make sketch comedy videos where he played different characters. So he thought "My name is Mark and I will multiply myself." That is how he came up with Markiplier. He ended up making gaming videos instead of comedy sketches. But the name stuck and it worked out great for him.

3. What game made Markiplier popular?

Amnesia: The Dark Descent was his first big game. He made a reaction compilation video. That video got over 1 million views. That was a really big deal for a new creator. Then Five Nights at Freddy's came out in 2014. He played that game and his videos exploded. Those FNAF videos are still some of his most watched content. Horror games in general were his thing early on. He screamed and reacted big and people loved watching him.

4. Does Markiplier still play games on YouTube?

Yes he still plays games. But he does a lot more now. He makes vlogs about his life. He does travel videos. He makes comedy sketches. He has a podcast called Distractible. He started a clothing brand with Jacksepticeye called Cloak. He also made a movie called Iron Lung. So gaming is still part of his channel but he has grown way beyond that. He does whatever he feels like making.

5. What is Markiplier's biggest accomplishment?

He has done a lot of big things. He has over 37 million subscribers. That is huge. He raised millions of dollars for charity through his live streams. He made a movie called Iron Lung for less than $3 million. It made almost $25 million at the box office. That is impressive for a YouTuber. But honestly staying popular for over 10 years might be his biggest win. Most creators fade away after a few years. He just kept going and kept growing his audience.