Technoblade, a popular Minecraft YouTuber, has died from cancer age 23.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel titled “so long nerds” and narrated by his father, Technoblade thanked his fans and fellow streamers for their support over the years, and revealed that his real name was Alex. (He’d “accidentally” let slip he was called Dave in an earlier video.)
“Hello everyone, Technoblade here. If you’re watching this, I am dead,” he says. “Thank you all for supporting my content over the years. If I had another 100 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, Technoblade apologizes for “selling out so much in the past year” by offering merchandise, but notes that, as a result, his siblings will be able to go to college. “Well, if they want to,” he adds. “I don’t want to put any dead brother peer pressure on them.”
Technoblade’s father describes how the two discussed making a final video, but said Alex was “having a hard time doing the writing” due to the effects of his illness.
His father says Technoblade wrote the script for his final video from bed and died shortly afterwards. “I don’t think he said everything he wanted to say, but I think he got the main points,” says his father. “He finished that up and then he was done. He lived about another eight hours after that.”
In a video posted to his channel in August 2021, Technoblade revealed that he’d been diagnosed with cancer. He says his right arm had begun to hurt in July that year, and he’d initially thought it was due to repetitive strain syndrome. Eventually, he went to a doctor at the beginning of August and was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that grows in the body’s connective tissues.
“I feel a bit silly talking about this with Minecraft in the background, it feels a bit out of place,” says Technoblade in the video. “But I’m a Minecraft YouTuber — I don’t do a face-cam, which is, I guess, how most people would talk about serious things.”
He jokes in the video about how his “chemotherapy arc is going to be fantastic for content,” and how, when he was calling people to tell them about the diagnosis, “nobody took the news worse than my health insurance provider — they’ve been inconsolable for weeks.”
Messages of support, admiration, and condolences have poured in from the gaming community following Technoblade’s passing, including from members of Dream SMP — a hugely-popular Minecraft server that tells collaborative stories with well-known streamers (including Technoblade himself).
“Effortlessly funny. Endlessly talented. Gone too soon,” tweeted YouTuber Ted Nivison.
“Technoblade was someone so many of us looked up to, myself included. Thank you for everything you did for so many. The world won’t be the same without you,” tweeted another streamer, Eret.
I’ll never forget the day I met Technoblade. I left work early to play in a Minecraft tournament with him. I barely knew how to play… and the dude still carried us to win the entire fucking event.
Rest in peace, big guy. You’ll always be a legend.
— Schlatt (@jschlatt) July 1, 2022
Technoblade is a fucking legend. From being a massive fan, to one of his actual friends, I can’t describe how thankful I am to have been in his life.
I just know he’s strategizing in heaven on how to beat God. This isn’t a joke. look at the screenshot.rest in peace pic.twitter.com/ntb2C5bdLM
— TommyInnit (@tommyinnit) July 1, 2022
I’ve been rewatching Technoblade’s for the past hour
He was so witty and so humble even in the toughest of times
I’ll always look up to him
Rest In Peace <3
— ludwig (@LudwigAhgren) July 1, 2022
In a message posted to Technoblade’s online store, his family said a portion of all sales of his merchandise would be donated to the charity, the Sarcoma Foundation of America.
His family also shared a statement at the end of his final video, reiterating his appreciation and respect for his fans and fellow streamers, and his family’s desire for privacy.
We, the family of Technoblade, wanted all of you 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 – giving away online prizes, encouraging good sportsmanship, and most of all sharing his Minecraft adventures for entertainment and laughs. Even after his eventual successes he somehow managed to keep his good-natured humility, competing with an endearing balance between confidence and self- deprecating wit. He avoided personal fame and worked hard to keep his true identity confidential, and we ask you to continue to honor his wishes to protect his privacy and the privacy of his family.
This past year had a lot of rough spots for our son as he battled stage four cancer. But he didn’t complain, and kept using his famous strategic mind to try to beat what he knew were almost impossible odds. My son’s bravery on this path was a shining lesson to all of us who were privileged to walk it with him. Thank you for sharing his journey through it all, as he did the work he loved for his beloved fans.
