Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg has been in the news a LOT lately as a result of his miniature revolution against YouTube, with him using his position as the site’s most subscribed content creator to complain about its treatment of its video makers. However, PewDiePie has now passed the 50 million subscriber mark, becoming the first individual to do so outside of YouTube’s own channels, leading to the site helping him celebrate this landmark achievement by way of sending him a ruby play button.
A special play button is sent out to YouTubers to commemorate them reaching a certain number of subscribers, with PewDiePie being sent a ruby statue in the shape of his channel’s “bro fist” logo. He was also sent a small selection of smaller ruby statues, with him stating that he will be sending them to the people who have been subscribed to his channel for the longest period of time. With there only being a very limited number of these statues, they would obviously rack up quite a hefty sum of money if they were to be placed on eBay, so a number of shysters have therefore attempted to trick PewDiePie fans online by selling photographs of the statues for incredibly high prices.
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These posts were made after PewDiePie jokingly placed the play button on the bidding site after claiming that he needed money to move offices, adding that he would sell his dog, Edgar, alongside the trophy. “It’s rough times out there right now, I almost had to sell my channel,” he said in his video, adding: “This is like if Leo had to sell his Oscar.”
YouTube sends Pewdiepie a custom play button to celebrate his channel hitting 50 million subs.
He IMMEDIATELY posts it on ebay. pic.twitter.com/tnjBTHxVUz
— Chris Bratt (@bratterz) December 18, 2016
But after PewDiePie removed the listing, another appeared in its place which offered to sell buyers a photograph of the statue instead. It seems that eBay buyers grew confused over the sudden switch, and the listing quickly attracted bids worth over £50,000 ($62,000:
After attracting a flurry of attention throughout the day eventually the post was removed, but not before a number of other sellers attempted to capitalize. There are currently a number of listings for photos of the ruby play button available to purchase on the site, while one eBayer is even offering a photo of the photo of the play button. When will the madness end?
Take a look at the ruby play button in closer detail in PewDiePie’s video below:
