The YouTube platform has become a hub for video game enthusiasts, offering a vast array of content ranging from Let’s Play to creative challenges and beyond. Within this thriving community, Markiplier has emerged as a significant figure who played a crucial role in popularizing the gaming genre.
Mark Edward Fischbach, aka Markiplier, is an American Gaming YouTuber and film director. Mark started his YouTube journey in 2012. Fischbach swiftly made a name for himself on the platform through his Let’s Play videos of survival horror games, including notable titles like Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010) and the Five Nights at Freddy’s series. As of May 2023, his YouTube channel boasts an impressive subscriber count of over 34.8 million.
In his decade-long career, Mark has gone through lots of changes and improvements. Through the years, his YouTube career has taken drastic turns as Mark indulged in new avenues of content creation, introducing new elements to his content formula and trying new kinds of video ideas.
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Here we have discussed the year-wise journey of Markiplier!
The beginning of the epic tale of Markiplier (2012–2014)
On March 6, 2012, Fischbach made his initial foray into the YouTube world. Originally, his plan was to upload comedy sketches and action videos, hence he named his channel “Markiplier” – a clever blend of his name, Mark, and the mathematical term “multiplier,” reflecting his portrayal of multiple characters in the sketches. However, he later said the name was quite foolish.
Fischbach also nurtured a lifelong passion for video games, and with the rising trend of gaming videos thanks to the efforts of PewDiePie and Jacksepticeye, he decided to venture into that realm as well. His first series featured a Let’s Play of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010), and within a year, his channel amassed over ninety-four thousand subscribers. This success inspired Fischbach to drop out of university, just two semesters shy of graduation, to focus on his growing online career.
In 2014, Fischbach relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of potential business opportunities. It was during this time that he embarked on his now-iconic Let’s Play of Five Nights at Freddy’s (2014). The first installment of the series became the most-viewed gaming video on his channel. The popularity inspired Mark to continue playing other games within the franchise, and he even made a cameo appearance in Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery (2019).
Hitting 10 million Subscribers (2015)
In 2015, Fischbach was presented the opportunity to co-host the South by Southwest Gaming Awards alongside Janet Varney. He further gained recognition by featuring in YouTube Rewind, an esteemed annual video that showcases the platform’s most influential creators. His impact on the teenage demographic earned him the sixth position on a list of the top twenty most influential celebrities among teenagers in the United States. Later, Fischbach appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he was joined by fellow YouTuber Jenna Mae.
During this period, Markiplier began sharing a living space with fellow YouTubers Daniel Kyre and Ryan Magee, who were managing the YouTube channel Cyndago. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in September 2015 when Kyre was found in critical condition following a suicide attempt in his room.
After this, Cynbdago got disbanded, and it deeply affected Mark, leading him to take a month-long hiatus from YouTube. He eventually returned, resuming his content creation. It was during this tumultuous time that Mark achieved the milestone of reaching 10 million subscribers on September 15, 2015.
Growing to become an Internet icon and Unnus Annus (2016–2019)
In November 2016, the YouTuber signed a contract with the talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME), marking a leap in his career. His collaboration with WME commenced with the “You’re Welcome Tour” in Spring 2017, a live performance series where Fischbach and four other YouTubers entertained audiences with shows across the United States and Europe.
Starting in January 2018, Fischbach entered into an agreement with Disney Digital Network, creating exclusive content for Twitch as part of the deal. His YouTube channel reached the milestone of 20 million subscribers in March the same year. However, in June, Fischbach took another hiatus to mourn the tragic loss of his step-niece Miranda Cracraft, who passed away in a car accident at the age of nineteen.
In October 2019, Fischbach joined forces with Rooster Teeth to create his first YouTube Original titled “A Heist with Markiplier.” This unique production allowed viewers to engage with various storylines, leading to a total of 31 potential endings. Prior to this, he had also introduced a similar project called “A Date with Markiplier” in 2017.
Then, on November 15, 2019, Mark embarked on a new venture by launching a channel called Unus Annus, alongside fellow YouTuber Ethan Nestor (CrankGameplays). The concept behind Unus Annus was to upload a video every day for an entire year, with the promise that the channel and all its contents would be deleted afterward. The channel quickly gained enormous popularity, attracting a million subscribers within the first days and eventually reaching a remarkable 4.56 million subscribers before its closure.
The channel also garnered over 11.5 million video views in its first week. At the conclusion of the project, Fischbach and Nestor conducted a final 12-hour livestream that attracted over 1.5 million concurrent viewers. At midnight on November 14, 2020, the Unus Annus channel was deleted.
Where is Markiplier now? (2019-2023)
Fischbach ventured into podcasting with the podcast drama series, “The Edge of Sleep.” The story revolves around a night watchman who uncovers that anyone who fell asleep the previous night has died, leading him to fight to stay awake. The podcast made its debut in September 2019 and garnered enough success to be renewed for a second season, scheduled for release in 2023. Fischbach is set to reprise his role in a television adaptation of “The Edge of Sleep” produced by the New Regency.
Furthermore, Markiplier, along with Barnes and Muyskens, hosts the podcast “Distractible.” In February 2022, he and Scheid launched “Go! My Favorite Sports Team,” with the same group.
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In March 2023, the 33-year-old made headlines by signing with the United Talent Agency (UTA), further expanding his career opportunities. He revealed to be also working on an upcoming film project.
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On April 21, 2023, production began on Fischbach’s film adaptation of the indie horror game “Iron Lung”. Fischbach is taking on multiple roles in the project, serving as the director, producer, writer, and financier. He stars in the film alongside Caroline Rose Kaplan.
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