Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
YouTube Minecraft player Technoblade — now also known as Alex — dies from cancer
Listen
1:26
Listen to the Story
MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
He was known to his adoring fans as Technoblade, a young YouTuber who streamed himself playing Minecraft, the world-building fantasy game. He was good at it, winning 1,800 games in a row by his account, and funny in a Minecraft sort of way, once falsely giving his name as Dave just to throw people off. While Technoblade kept his identity private, in August 2021, he confided to his followers that he had been diagnosed with sarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "WHERE I'VE BEEN")
TECHNOBLADE: They ran a couple of scans. And then, they came back, and they told me that the reason my arm hurts is because I have cancer. I feel a bit silly talking about this with Minecraft in the background. It feels a bit out of place, but...
BLOCK: He'd go on to raise more than half a million dollars for the Sarcoma Foundation of America. On Thursday, his father announced on YouTube that Technoblade had died. In the video titled "So Long Nerds," his father read a statement from his son.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "SO LONG NERDS")
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Reading) 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. I hope you guys enjoyed my content and that I made some of you laugh. And I hope you all go on to live long, prosperous and happy lives because I love you guys. Technoblade out.
Sponsored message
BLOCK: His real name, the message said, was Alex. He was 23.
(SOUNDBITE OF C418'S "MINECRAFT") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
