PewDiePie has been talking about shutting down his youtube channel for maybe a couple months now. Not sure if it's the most subscribed channel or not but certainly one of if not the most successful one out there if you consider hits, views and probably $$ per video.

Although it's hard to get data on actual $$ as discussed here and in other threads.

Anyway seems YT is hard work. It might start as a hobby or a fun thing and if you get popular you get more hits, more comments and either the public demands or your own personal expectations to increase the amount of content grows. Seems it can grow into a monster.

And everyone's a critic and they have no fear in this instant gratification instant feed back world of Internet to say anything and everything to the people who make the content.

I don't know if PewDiePie is trolling his audience. The possibility is there BUT claiming he will delete his channel when it hits 50,000,000 subscribers. Currently around 49.6 million.

Given that this hobby became successful and now appears to be some kind of burden like a real job, I wonder if he has even taken an actual holiday? Like you would if you had a real job? Throw up a test pattern and go away for 2 weeks OR break it down into seasons like some other channels have done. Have a break in the summer or winter, what ever works best. Do some best bit mash ups? Run some of the funniest subscriber comment exchanges that were posted. Hire some helpers.

Will be interesting to see if the channel is deleted or suspended or whatever. It would be pretty hard to walk away from the residual income or tail, because even though a video might be old, if it still gets views it's still making money.

My guess is he's trolling to hit 50 million subs. Time will tell.