Wikipedia

CaptainSparklez

Jordan Maron(born February 10, 1992), known online asCaptainSparklez,is an AmericanYouTuberandTwitchstreamer mainly known for hisMinecraftvideos. As of January 2024,his mainYouTubechannel has over 11.4 million subscribers.

CaptainSparklez
A 2018 photograph of Maron
Maron in 2018
Personal information
Born
Jordan Maron

(1992-02-10)February 10, 1992(age 32)
Los Angeles,California, U.S.
EducationUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Occupations
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2010–present
Genres
Subscribers11.4 million[1]
Total views4.11 billion[1]
Associated actsTryHardNinja
100,000 subscribers2011
1,000,000 subscribers2012
10,000,000 subscribers2017
Last updated:August 30, 2024

In 2010, eighteen-year-old Maron created his first YouTube channel to uploadCall of Dutygameplay videos. Later that year, he moved to a new channel named CaptainSparklez and started postingMinecraftvideos soon after. Maron joinedJustin.tvin 2011, where helive streameda variety of games; he continued to stream onTwitchafter the two platforms were merged. On YouTube, he began to develop a fanbase from hisMinecraft-themed music videos and then-daily gameplay. He was also popular on Twitch to a lesser extent. At the end of 2011, Maron was successful enough to become a full-time YouTuber. CaptainSparklez reached one million subscribers in early 2012. Maron has been involved in other projects, including amobile gamecompany and anathleisureline. After thirteen years, Maron decided to stop uploadingMinecraftgameplay content on his main channel in December 2023.

Maron is best known for theMinecraft-themed songs andsong parodieshe created in collaboration with vocalist TryHardNinja. Their animated music videos are the most viewed on his channel and, for a time in the early 2010s, were the most viewedMinecraftvideos on YouTube: "Revenge", a parody of "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love",received threeGuinness World Records,including the one for the most watched Minecraft YouTube video.[a]

Early life and education

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Jordan Maron was born inLos Angeleson February 10, 1992.[‡ 1][‡ 2]His parents, who were never married, separated when he was very young. His mother later married another man. Maron spent most of his time with his mother, with whom he moved toSanta Barbarawhen he was around four. Before University, Maron attendedSanta Barbara Senior High School.[‡ 1]Maron then went on to pursue higher education at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbaraas achemical engineeringmajor, but switched tocomputer scienceduring hisfreshmanyear because he realized thatvideo gamescould be a viable career. After the first quarter of hissophomoreyear, Maron decided that he was doing well enough on YouTube to drop out.[‡ 1][2]

Internet career

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Inspired by gamingYouTubers,Maron asked his mother for a PCcapture cardfor his eighteenth birthday.[3]That month, in February 2010, he created his first YouTube channel, ProsDONTtalkSHIT, to uploadCall of Dutyvideos and "show off" his scores.[2][‡ 3]The channel was small and only earned around ten thousand views per video. Maron decided to find a less vulgar username in case it grew bigger, although he was not confident it would. On July 20, 2010, Maron created a new channel, which he named CaptainSparklez on a dare.[4][‡ 4]He was introduced toMinecraftby another YouTuber namedSeaNanners[5]before it would see widespread success on the Internet the following year. Although Maron was skeptical, he decided to start makingMinecraftvideos;[6]he posted his first gameplay video (Let's Play) of the game in August.[7]

Despite promising his parents otherwise, Maron became more involved in making YouTube videos after he started university.[3]He began livestreaming his gameplay onJustin.tvin 2011. The platform's gaming content was later migrated toTwitch,where he continued streaming. Maron started doing YouTube full-time in December after it became possible to monetize his videos.[2]He developed a fanbase partly from his then daily Let's Plays,[8]and, in April 2012, his channel reached one million subscribers.[9]In September 2013, CaptainSparklez became the fifth solo gaming channel to pass one billion views.[7]Maron signed to talent agencyWilliam Morris Endeavor(WME) in 2015.[10]In 2016, Maron and four other YouTubers voiced theirMinecraftavatars in the sixth episode of the spin-off gameMinecraft: Story Mode.[11]

Content

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Maron is best known for hisMinecraftcontent on YouTube.[12]His gameplay videos are the focus of his main YouTube channel, while he uses his Twitch livestreams to try out new games, where he has a smaller audience.[2][7][8]He uploads other types ofMinecraftcontent, such as music videos,[4]as well as fitness content.[13]Maron previously uploaded once or twice every day,[6][8]scattering more highly produced videos between his gameplay content.[2]He has created ten additional channels.[14]In December 2023, Maron announced he was retiring from uploadingMinecraftgameplay content on his main YouTube channel.[‡ 5]

Minecraftsongs

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Maron is known for hisMinecraftanimated music videos. "Revenge" (pictured) is his most viewed video and set threeGuinness World Records.

Maron is especially known for theMinecraft-themed songs he produced and uploaded to his channel.The Wall Street Journaldubbed him "the godfather of Minecraft song parodies" because of his status in the fandom.[15]In the early 2010s, his animated music videos made up the most viewedMinecraftvideos on YouTube,[16]and the most viewed videos on his channel. While many of the songs wereMinecraft-themedparodiesof popular songs at the time, his team have also created original music. The animation is spearheaded by thepseudonymousBootstrap Buckaroo, and the vocals by Igor Gordienko, who creates video game-based songs online as TryHardNinja.[6]His songs are high-temposynthandelectronic music.[17]

On August 19, 2011, Maron uploaded "Revenge", aMinecraft-themed parody ofUsher's "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love",to YouTube. As of June 2023,the music video has over 283 million views and is his most viewed video.[‡ 6]It is sung from the perspective of a player who is attacked bycreepers.[18]In October, Maron released a parody of "Gangnam Style"titled" Minecraft Style ", which similarly wentviral.[19][20]Maron's parody ofTaio Cruz's "Dynamite",titled" TNT ", surpassed the UK music video for the original song in April 2019.[21]Later that year, "Revenge" received renewed attention as aninternet memewhich challengedgroup chatsto type the lyrics one-by-one and in order.[22]

From 2012 to 2022, Maron released five interconnectedMinecraftmusic videos which form the mainFallen Kingdomseries.[‡ 7][23]"Fallen Kingdom" is a parody ofColdplay's "Viva la Vida"sung from the perspective of a king who loses his castle,[15]while "Take Back the Night" debuted at No. 2 on theBillboardDance/Electronic Songschart because of its YouTube views.[24]The storyline continued with "Find the Pieces", "Dragonhearted", and "Rising Kingdom".[‡ 7]In 2017, Maron collaborated with producersSeven Lions,Illenium,andSaid the Sky,and vocalistHalienefor "Rush Over Me".[17]

Other ventures

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Mobile games

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Maron andActivisionco-founder Howard Marks co-foundedmobile gamecompany XREAL. Marks first contacted him through a mutual friend of his grandmother. They released their first game in May 2015 for iOS and Android. InFortress Fury,players craft weapons and items to build tile-based 2D fortresses before attempting to destroy others' inreal-time multiplayerbattles.[8][25][26]Fortress Furywas developed by a contracted studio, but the production moved internally after its launch. The studio aspired to create games for a potential mobileesportsscene.[2][8]

Fortress Furywas originally going to be titledFortress FalloutuntilZeniMax Media,the parent company ofFalloutseriesdeveloperBethesda Softworks,sent acease and desistletter to XREAL ordering them to rescind a trademark application for the game and cease using the title in future promotional material. Both Maron and several media outlets believed that it was unlikely the drastically different mobile game would be associated with the franchise. However, the small company lacked the resources to fight ZeniMax.[26][27][28]Maron said in a later video that the letter was sent to prevent competition for their mobile gameFallout Shelter(2015), which Bethesda kept a secret until its release.[‡ 8]

Fortress Furywas downloaded over two million times in its first three months, but did not make a proportional amount of revenue or enter the 200 top-grossing iOS games in the United States. Tasos Lazarides ofTouchArcadesuggested that this was because of Maron's attempt to make the game player-friendly by lessening in-game purchases, as well as the competitive App Store market, while Stuart Dredge ofThe Guardianspeculated it was because many of his followers were children. Maron let his followers vote on the title, logo, and icon art.[8][29][b]

Merchandise and partnerships

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Maron signed a partnership deal toMaker Studios' Polaris in 2013.[30]After signing a similar deal withPocketWatchin 2017, Maron received anequity stakein the company and was one of the children's content creators featured in their first book, titledWatch This Book,which was released the following year.[31][32]

A CaptainSparklezaction figurewas part of the initialMinecraft-themed Tube Heroes line, which was released on May 22, 2015.[33]In February 2020, Maron launched anathleisureclothing brand called Quality Content.[13]

Awards and recognition

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"Revenge" set theGuinness World Recordsfor the most watchedMinecraftYouTubevideo, the most watchedmachinimaon YouTube, and the most viewed fan film based on a video game.[34][35][36][a]In 2015, Maron andSethBlinguploadedVerizon-sponsored videos demonstrating a working phone inMinecraft,which holds the Guinness World Record for the first working mobile phone in Minecraft. Theserver-client architectureinstantly converts the phone software onto in-game blocks, using aweb applicationdeveloped by Verizon, Blockworks andWieden+Kennedycalled Boxel.[37][38][39]In 2016, Maron was listed on theForbes30 Under 30in Games and was nominated for theShorty Awardin Gaming.[40][41]

Personal life

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In October 2015, Maron received media attention after he purchased a mansion above theSunset Stripfor $4.5 million.[42][43][44]He moved toPasadena, California,in 2023.[45]

Appearances

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Year Work Role Note(s) Ref(s).
2015 Wonder Quest Himself Web series [46]
2015 Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything Himself Guest [47]
2016 Bad Internet Web series [47]
2016 MatPat's Game Lab Web series [47]
2016 Happy Wheels: The Series Stephen (Business Guy) [48]

Notes

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  1. ^abGuinness World Records last updated these three records on July 21, 2016.
  2. ^ His fans chose both the original nameFortress Falloutand the renamedFortress Fury.[27]

References

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  1. ^ab"About CaptainSparklez".YouTube.
  2. ^abcdefTakahashi, Dean (September 30, 2015)."Jordan 'CaptainSparklez' Maron lives the fairy tale life of getting paid to play Minecraft (interview)".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on September 14, 2023.RetrievedNovember 4,2022.
  3. ^abMorris, Chris (May 10, 2014)."Ordinary folks who became millionaires on YouTube".CNBC.Archivedfrom the original on July 26, 2023.RetrievedJuly 26,2023.
  4. ^abPatel, Sahil (August 24, 2015)."Know your influencer: For CaptainSparklez, gaming is not a game".Digiday.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  5. ^Game On! 2018.Scholastic.2017. p. 27.ISBN9781338189933.
  6. ^abcAllocca, Kevin (2018)."Niche: The New Mainstream".Videocracy: How YouTube Is Changing the World... with Double Rainbows, Singing Foxes, and Other Trends We Can't Stop Watching.Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN9781632866769.Archivedfrom the original on September 14, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  7. ^abcGutelle, Sam (September 5, 2013)."YouTube Billionaires: All Hail Captain Sparklez".Tubefilter.Archivedfrom the original on August 31, 2021.RetrievedAugust 31,2021.
  8. ^abcdefDredge, Stuart (August 10, 2015)."YouTube Minecraft star CaptainSparklez starts crafting mobile games".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on November 4, 2022.RetrievedNovember 4,2022.
  9. ^Eördögh, Fruzsina (April 30, 2012)."Captain Sparklez hits 1 million subscribers".The Daily Dot.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedAugust 31,2021.
  10. ^Jarvey, Natalie (February 17, 2015)."WME Signs Slew of YouTube Stars, Including Lohanthony, Bart Baker (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on February 23, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  11. ^Skrebels, Joe (May 31, 2016)."Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 6 Release Date Announced".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2021.RetrievedNovember 21,2016.
  12. ^Fay, Kacee (May 28, 2022)."CaptainSparklez finally wins his first MC Championship".Dot Esports.Archivedfrom the original on November 4, 2022.RetrievedNovember 4,2022.
  13. ^abKharif, Olga (April 22, 2020)."Inside the $1.5 Billion Market for Streamer-Branded Merchandise".Bloomberg.Archivedfrom the original on November 28, 2020.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  14. ^David, Mark (February 28, 2023)."CaptainSparklez Price Chops Mullet-Style WeHo Aerie".Dirt.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  15. ^abRussell, Anna (August 12, 2012)."Lovers of Minecraft Are Belting Out Odes to Digging and Smelting".The Wall Street Journal.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  16. ^Morton, Lauren (December 16, 2021)."Minecraft videos now have 1 trillion views on YouTube, but the most popular ones aren't actually made in Minecraft".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  17. ^abNotis, Ari (March 9, 2018)."CaptainSparklez: Meet the Man Behind YouTube'sMinecraftMusic Videos ".Best Life.Archivedfrom the original on June 30, 2023.RetrievedJuly 2,2023.
  18. ^Goldberg, Daniel; Larsson, Linus (2015).Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the Game That Changed Everything.Translated by Hawkins, Jennifer (2nd ed.). New York:Seven Stories Press.pp. 147–148.ISBN9781609805388.
  19. ^Benedetti, Winda (October 23, 2012)."Dig this 'Minecraft'-style 'Gangnam Style' parody".NBC News.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2021.RetrievedNovember 4,2012.
  20. ^"Minecraft parody of Psy's Gangnam Style".The Daily Telegraph.October 22, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon October 23, 2012.RetrievedNovember 4,2012.
  21. ^Scott-Jones, Richard (April 10, 2019)."Taio Cruz's people want you to know a Minecraft parody only passed *one* of the Dynamite videos on YouTube".PCGamesN.Archivedfrom the original on August 6, 2023.RetrievedAugust 6,2023.
  22. ^Anderson, Sage (July 30, 2019)."The 'Creeper Challenge' has group chats fighting to finish song lyrics in the right order".Mashable.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
  23. ^Perera, Joshi (April 22, 2021)."The Best Ever 'Minecraft' Songs, Ranked".Junkee.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  24. ^Murray, Gordan (January 3, 2014)."TryHardNinja Debut Novelty Song On Dance Charts".Billboard.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  25. ^Conditt, Jessica (July 14, 2015)."YouTube fame to game developer: A chat with CaptainSparklez".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  26. ^abOrland, Kyle (February 17, 2015)."Bethesda parent forcesFortress Falloutdeveloper into name change ".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2021.RetrievedNovember 27,2016.
  27. ^abCampbell, Colin (February 16, 2015)."Bethesda hits Fortress Fallout maker with legal name-change demand".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2021.RetrievedNovember 27,2016.
  28. ^LeJacq, Yannick (February 16, 2015)."FalloutPublisher Sends Legal Threat To Game With 'Fallout' In Title ".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  29. ^Lazarides, Tasos (August 10, 2015)."CaptainSparklez's Popularity Hasn't (Yet) Translated Into High Revenue For His 'Fortress Fury' Game".TouchArcade.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  30. ^Gutelle, Sam (October 29, 2013)."Captain Sparklez, KSIOlajidebt, Ali-A Among New Polaris Gamers".Tubefilter.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  31. ^Spangler, Todd (November 22, 2017)."YouTube Creators CaptainSparklez, EvanTube Sign With Kid-Media Startup Pocket.watch".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  32. ^Gutelle, Sam (May 8, 2018)."Kids Creators Like Ryan ToysReview, EvanTube, Captain Sparklez To Be Featured In Upcoming Book".Tubefilter.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  33. ^Brian, Matt (May 20, 2015)."YouTube gamers are getting their own 'Minecraft'-inspired figures".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  34. ^"Most watched Minecraft YouTube video".Guinness World Records.July 21, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  35. ^"Most watched machinima on YouTube".Guinness World Records.July 21, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  36. ^"Most viewed fan film based on a videogame".Guinness World Records.July 21, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  37. ^Grubb, Jeff (December 1, 2015)."Minecraft gets cellphone coverage thanks to Verizon — check out these blocky video calls".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  38. ^Chalk, Andy (December 3, 2015)."Minecraft's" real "mobile phone supports texting, browsing, and video calls".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  39. ^"First working mobile phone in Minecraft".Guinness World Records.December 1, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
  40. ^Ewalt, David M.,ed. (2016)."30 Under 30 2016: Games".Forbes.RetrievedAugust 14,2016.
  41. ^"Jordan Maron".Shorty Awards.2016.Archivedfrom the original on September 23, 2015.RetrievedOctober 17,2015.
  42. ^David, Mark (October 6, 2015)."YouTube Star Jordan Maron Nabs Sunset Plaza Pad".Dirt.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  43. ^"Inside the £2.9m mansion paid for by Minecraft".The Daily Telegraph.October 14, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  44. ^McWhertor, Michael (October 9, 2015)."Minecraft streamer buys $4.5M Hollywood home, not far from Notch's mansion".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  45. ^McClain, James (May 2, 2023)."YouTuber Buys Hilltop Post and Beam Midcentury in Pasadena".Dirt.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2023.RetrievedJune 25,2023.
  46. ^Dredge, Stuart (April 28, 2015)."YouTube backs digital star Stampy's new Minecraft show Wonder Quest".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  47. ^abc"CaptainSparklez".TV Guide.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.
  48. ^Miska, Brad (November 2, 2016)."'Happy Wheels' Series Trailer Litters the Street With Blood and Guts (Exclusive) ".Bloody Disgusting.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2023.RetrievedJuly 4,2023.

Primary sources

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  1. ^abcMaron, Jordan (January 21, 2014).Draw My Life - CaptainSparklez.CaptainSparklez.RetrievedJune 25,2023– viaYouTube.
  2. ^Maron, Jordan [@CaptainSparklez] (February 10, 2022)."Woke up feeling fresh for my 30th birthday"(Tweet).RetrievedJune 25,2023– viaTwitter.
  3. ^Maron, Jordan."ProsDONTtalkSHIT".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2021.RetrievedOctober 17,2015.
  4. ^"CaptainSparklez - YouTube".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
  5. ^Maron, Jordan (December 5, 2023).Retiring.CaptainSparklez.RetrievedDecember 10,2023– viaYouTube.
  6. ^Maron, Jordan (August 19, 2011)."Revenge" - A Minecraft Parody of Usher's DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (Music Video)(Music video). Vocals by Gordienko, Igor. CaptainSparklez – viaYouTube.
  7. ^ab"Fallen Kingdom - YouTube".Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2023.RetrievedJune 29,2023– viaYouTube.
  8. ^Maron, Jordan (October 31, 2016).What Ever Happened To Fortress Fury?.CaptainSparklez.RetrievedJuly 13,2023– viaYouTube.

Further reading

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