Technoblade, 'Minecraft' YouTube creator, dies aged 23

Technoblade, top Minecraft YouTuber, has died aged 23 following a battle with cancer.

The creator's father posted a moving video on YouTube on Thursday titled "so long nerds," with a message written by Technoblade himself. The video had been planned with his family over his final months, but was written by Technoblade about eight hours before he died, his father said. In the message, he revealed his real name: Alex.

"Hello everyone, Technoblade here. If you’re watching this. I am dead," he wrote in the message, read by his father. "Thank you all for supporting my content over the years. If I had another hundred lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time as those were the happiest years of my life."

In the video, his father said, "He was the most amazing kid anyone could ever ask for. I miss Technoblade."

Technoblade, who has 10.8 million followers on YouTube, told them of his cancer diagnosis on the platform in August 2021.

Technoblade's family posted a statement that appeared at the end of the video on Thursday.

"We, the family of Technoblade, wanted you all to know just how much he adored and respected his fans and colleagues. From Technoblade's earliest online days, he was always strategizing ways to delight and reward his audience," it read.

"Even after his eventual successes he somehow managed to keep his good-natured humility, competing with an endearing balance between his confidence and self-deprecating with. He avoided personal fame and worked hard to keep his true identity confidential, and we ask you to honor his wishes to protect his privacy and the privacy of his family."

Technoblade’s online store also has a message paying tribute to him, explaining that a portion of proceeds from online orders will be donated to the Sarcoma Foundation of America. "This online store is being run by Technoblade’s family. We know how much joy he has spread over the years and we want to make sure we continue spreading his message," it reads.

Among the products in the store is now a black T-shirt for sale with the words, "so long nerds," followed by "Alexander 'Technoblade'" and "1999-2022" underneath.

Technoblade's friends and fans have posted further truly moving tributes to him online. Some are fellow creators and collaborators, while others have watched the YouTuber for years.

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Hypixel, a Minecraft minigame server, posted a powerful tribute to Technoblade, too, as he was a frequent player on the server. In a statement, founder and CEO Simon Collins-Laflamme described Technoblade as "one of the most internationally adored YouTubers."

"He will be remembered fondly and missed deeply," the post read. "He was a kind, talented, passionate young man with extraordinary potential. We are so thankful to him and grateful to have had him be such a prominent part of the greater community. In many ways, the success of many of us is tied to the success of Technoblade.

The team also encouraged users to pay tribute on "any main lobby" on the server, with the consent of Technoblade's family.

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Technoblade created his channel in 2013, and quickly rose to recognition. He's been called "one of the best Minecraft players in the content creator space".