PewDiePie: "All the networks have been managed in such an incredibly poor way, it's embarrassing"

Update

Kjellberg has backtracked a little his statement, tweeting that he felt "misquoted" by a story on his Icon interview written by the Wall Street Journal, insisting tha he is in fact happy with the services and management offered by the owners of the network he is currently signed to.

The WSJ, like many other outlets including GamesIndustry.biz had interpreted Kjellberg's remarks to mean that he was dissatisfied with his current position, the contract of which expires later this year, but the young star has made it clear that it was never his intention to indicate that he was unhappy with Maker.

Original Story

PewDiePie, the world's most popular YouTube celebrity with over 30 million subscribers, has expressed his discontent with the way that multi channel YouTube networks are handled, sparking rumours that he might be planning on striking out on his own.

Currently the 24 year old Swede, who lives in Brighton, is signed to Maker Studios, a group recently bought out by Disney for a total thought to be just shy of a billion dollars. Maker is the biggest of YouTube's networks, but it seems that PewDiePie, real name Felix Kjellberg, isn't particularly happy with the way that it, or any other network, is being managed.

In a rare, extensive interview with Swedish magazine Icon, Kjellberg talks about his frustrations when networks interfere with his process, saying that he doesn't want his online persona to become a trademark or brand for the use of other companies, but remain something which he controls.

Asked whether he's considered setting up his own network, Kjellberg is a non-committal but clearly not dismissive.

"Yes, but I'd rather not talk too much about it," he says. "I'm in touch with a couple of people who I think would be so right for this. I'm eager to get it all up and running. So far, all the networks have been managed in such an incredibly poor way, it's embarrassing really. I'd like to help other YouTubers."

If Kjellberg were to decide to start his own channel, it seems likely that he could quickly amass a stable of popular and talented presenters, able to exert enormous amounts of influence on the industry. But the young millionaire doesn't really revel in his kingmaker status.

"I don't want to sound like a diva, but yes," he says, when asked whether he can make or break a game. "It's almost scary to have that kind of influence. It's almost gotten to the point that I don't want it. I just want to play the games, not influence sales."