Yesterday, Felix Kjellberg AKA PewDiePie found himself in the spotlight again on the topic of racism. He had used the N word multiple times in a stream of PLAYERUNKNOWN'S Battlegrounds. Today, Kjellberg apologized in a video posted to YouTube.
He starts the video by apologizing for the use of the word, stating that he personally finds the language immature when he encounters it online. It's true that he used it in the heat of the moment as an expletive upon being killed in-game. He expressed regret at his feeding into that type of community.
He stated that he knows he's in a position where he cannot make these types of mistakes, admitting his influence demands that he conduct himself better.
In Kjellberg's defense, he acknowledges previous controversies involving him, stating that he wants to improve and better himself. For fans and the concerned community as a whole, what can Felix AKA PewDiePie do to turn this around, not just for his reputation, but for the gaming community?
Many PewDiePie fans have taken to Twitter in response to his apology claiming he's done nothing wrong, or that an apology is enough to make up for it. Is there something more active that can be done? Last month, Blizzard had taken a direct approach in the disproportionate number of women and people of color in the video game development industry by creating a diversity initiative. Could PewDiePie do something to shine a light on the current online gaming community and the racism still present in some circles?
