The YouTube landscape in Spain has been dominated by one key figure: Rubius. As one of the first content creators to upload videos to the platform in 2006, Rubius initially posted clips on his first channel. However, he was forced to abandon this channel in 2012 due to a dispute with Network Machinima over rights. This early experience laid the groundwork for the type of content creators we see today.
Rubius then went on to create his second channel, ‘Elrubiusomg’, which would become the most subscribed channel in Spain for a long time. His claim to fame came from commenting on his Skyrim gameplay, making him immensely popular as a streamer. The channel’s rapid growth can be attributed to the fact that his videos were among the first to go viral.
The Rise of ‘Elrubius OMG’
The explosion of ‘Elrubius OMG’ was swift and occurred over a relatively short period. This was largely due to the viral nature of his videos. Many may recall mythical clips such as ‘Flechipolla’ or ‘Minecraft in a minute’, which marked the beginning of his series explaining different games. Notably, it was during this time that he released his most-watched video, “Minero”, a Minecraft version of Chayanne’s “Torero”.
Producing around 20 videos per year propelled Rubius to absolute fame, although it took several years for him to reach a million subscribers. He created content around various games like Happy Wheels, Modern Warfare, Skyrim, and Outlast, always incorporating his signature humor. Rubius also ventured into vlogging, with Mangel occasionally participating. In 2016, he received the YouTube Golden Plate for surpassing a million subscribers, but little did he know what the future held.
Rubius’ Experiment with Twitch
In 2014, Rubius decided to test the waters on Twitch, a platform that would later become his mainstay. Although he only streamed about 10 times that year, it seemed like an experiment rather than a commitment. Unconvinced, he set aside streaming and focused on YouTube videos for the next three years. It wasn’t until 2018 that Rubius made the final jump to Twitch, transitioning it into his primary platform.