Ali-A Explained

Ali-A
Birth Name:Alastair James Aiken
Birth Date:1993 11, df=yes[1]
Birth Place:Woking, Surrey,[2] England
Nationality:British
Occupation:YouTuber
Spouse:[3]
Pseudonym:Ali-A
Channel Display Name:Ali-A
Channel Direct Url:AliA
Network:StyleHaul
Silver Button:yes
Silver Year:2011[4] [5]
Gold Button:yes
Gold Year:2013[6]
Diamond Button:yes[7]
Diamond Year:2018
Ruby Button:no
Stats Update:Aug 4th, 2024

Alastair Aiken (born 6 November 1993), better known by his online alias Ali-A[8] (or by his original alias Matroix), is a British YouTuber known for Call of Duty and Fortnite commentaries and vlogs.[9] [10] [11] He is one of the highest-paid professional online gamers.[12] His main channel Ali-A has a subscriber count of over 18 million, with its total views exceeding 6 billion. His second channel, More Ali-A, has a YouTube subscriber count of over 19 million and a total of over 6 billion video views. On 23 April 2018, Ali-A created a new channel, titled "Clare & Ali" with his partner, Clare Siobhan. The channel has since gained over 1 million subscribers and generated more than 68 million video views. In September 2020, he created a fourth channel titled "Ali-A Plays", where he uploads content relating to the Call of Duty franchise only. Currently, the channel has more than 430,000 subscribers and more than 26 million video views.

Aiken often refers to his YouTube subscriber fanbase as the "Ali-A Army".[13] In July 2015, he was awarded the Guinness World Records for 'Most Popular Call of Duty Channel by views' and 'Most Popular Call of Duty Channel by subscribers'.[14] Aiken frequently attends the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) as well as other video game conventions. In 2013, Aiken wrote a guest blog post in Huffington Post UK.[15] The Huffington Post has also stated that "Ali is one of the UK's most popular and influential entities globally and is at the forefront of the online and YouTube revolution."[16] In September 2015, Aiken, along with Tom Cassell and Daniel Middleton, starred in Legends of Gaming Live, with the trio being referred to as "[s]ome of the most popular YouTubers in the [United Kingdom]".[17] [18] [19] Redbull's eSports division has referred to his main YouTube channel as the "biggest Call of Duty YouTube channel."[20] In March 2016, Clickible.com listed Aiken as the seventeenth "Most Famous Youtuber [''sic'']... on Earth".[21] Later that year, Business Insider listed him as the ninth most popular British YouTube star – the same ranking they gave him in 2015.[22] On 6 June 2017, the BBC referred to Aiken as a "YouTube megastar".[23]

YouTube career

Channel format

The main focus of Aiken's videos on his main channel is his commentaries and live reactions to video games as he plays them. The video games that he usually plays on the channel are within the Call of Duty franchise,[24] [25] and Fortnite but that is not always the case.[26] On his second channel, More Ali-A, his content is typically around more family-friendly games such as Minecraft[27] [28] and vlogs about his day-to-day life and travels.[29] [30] He does not consistently have the same introductions to his videos; however, he does usually start them off talking to the camera in a vlog-like fashion before moving into gameplay.

When new installments to the Call of Duty video game franchise are announced, Aiken covers known information about the games, giving viewers in-depth reviews. Once the games are released, he creates video game walkthrough series on the games,[31] demonstrating to viewers how to complete the new Call of Duty game.[32] [33] [34]

Public image and influence

Relationship with YouTube networks

Aiken signed with the YouTube multi-channel network (MCN), Polaris, in October 2013.[35] [36] Currently he is signed on with the MCN StyleHaul on both his Ali-A and More Ali-A channels. Other notable YouTubers within the network include both of Daniel Middleton's YouTube channels and KSI. According to Socialblade's statistics, both of Aiken's YouTube channels are within the top 50 in the network.[37] [38]

Supporting programs

During 2016, Aiken teamed up with other large YouTube content creators within the United Kingdom teamed up with Mattessons as part of a campaign to teach young people basic programming skills. The campaign resulted in over 13 million views on YouTube and lead to over 24,000 youth learning basic programming skills in the programming language Python.[39]

Aiken co-hosted NCS Yes Live 2016 on 29 March in the London Roundhouse. The event celebrates the "impact young people's social change projects have had on local communities."[40] [41]

Affiliations, partnerships, and sponsors

Aiken's sponsors include:

Scuf Gaming has released a themed controller, based around the Ali-A Game On for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.[5]

Appearances in other media

Aiken has made appearances on the television show The Gadget Show and was a guest speaker for them in 2013 and 2014. He was interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on 10 May 2013. Alongside KSI, Aiken discussed the new paid subscriptions that were coming to YouTube (YouTube Red) at the time. Aiken was featured alongside KSI and other popular YouTubers in Britain in a BBC Radio 1 documentary in 2014 called Rockstar Gamers.[48] [49] In 2015 BBC Newsbeat uploaded a YouTube video of an interview with Aiken. Within the video, he gave tips to improve player's skills within First Person Shooter video games. Aiken has also been featured in the Mobile video game, Celebrity Street Fight,[50] in 2015 alongside DanTDM, KSI, Marcus Butler, and Deji Olatunji (ComedyShortsGamer).

In October 2015, Ali-A was listed by Business Insider as the ninth most popular British YouTube star.

In January 2016 Aiken was subject of the documentary Minecraft: Into The Nether alongside other popular YouTube personalities such as KSI and Syndicate. The focus of the documentary was charting the "Minecraft phenomenon" through the quartet's meteoric rise to online fame.[51] [52] In September of that year, wwd.com referred to Aiken's audience size and following as a following that "most advertisers would drool over." In both 2015 and 2016, Business Insider has listed Aiken as the ninth most popular British YouTuber.

On 7 April 2017, Aiken was mentioned in an article by Business Insider France.[53] On 30 June 2017, it was announced as part of a joint statement by Sassy Films, CBBC and BBC Worldwide that Aiken will host a television show titled "Ali-A's Superchargers (10×20′)". The show "puts children in charge" of redecorating their family car, "without their parents' input."[54] [55] [56] The BBC has called Aiken a "YouTube megastar". Virgin Media published a brief online article in July 2017 about Aiken's hands-on experience with the Destiny 2 Beta.[57] In October 2017, Ali-A Adventures: Game On!, a graphic novel was released.[58] Aiken has also hosted a show called "I'm Not Driving That".[59]

Charity work

In August 2016, Aiken took part in Cancer Research UK's 1,000 hours of fundraising event according to cancerresearchuk.org.[60]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResult
2015Guinness World RecordsMost popular Call of Duty Channel by views[61]
Most popular Call of Duty Channel by subscribers
The tallest staircase built in one minute in Minecraft[62]
Most blocks of wood collected in three minutes in Minecraft
2016Highest score in offline Team Deathmatch using only the knife and combat axe on (team of two)[63]
2019Forbes 30 Under 30Games[64]

Publications

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: It's MY BIRTHDAY! (Ali-A Vlog) . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073925/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGYz8B0kEAo . 31 August 2017 . 31 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Surviving in the Storm Circle: Why Ali-A flipped from COD to Fortnite. 9 April 2018.
  3. Web site: OUR WEDDING VIDEO! - Ali-A & Clare Siobhan . Clare & Ali . 4 June 2022 . YouTube.
  4. Web site: Matroix's Channel - YouTube . 18 July 2011 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718092021/https://www.youtube.com/Matroix . 18 July 2011 . 5 August 2018.
  5. News: Gaming world record holder Alastair Aiken to host UAE masterclass . The National . 28 May 2018 . en.
  6. Web site: Ali-A 2,000,000 Subscribers! – Call of Duty SPECIAL! – (COD BO2, MW3, BO1, MW2, WaW & COD4) . Ali-A . 13 July 2013 . YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151106230335/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3L7T7yRIyw . 6 November 2015.
  7. Web site: 10 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS! (Ali-A Fortnite: Battle Royale STATS) . Ali-A . 3 January 2018 . YouTube.
  8. News: Tallest staircase built in one minute in Minecraft (console) . Guinness World Records . 30 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161206032636/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/378835-tallest-staircase-built-in-one-minute-in-minecraft . 6 December 2016 . en-GB.
  9. News: Los mejores coches de los Youtubers . Autobild.es . 29 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161005011834/http://www.autobild.es/noticias/mejores-coches-youtubers-297625 . 5 October 2016 . es.
  10. News: The 20 biggest British YouTube stars . Business Insider . 30 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170208030624/http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-uks-most-popular-youtube-channels-2015-10#9-ali-a-12 . 8 February 2017 . en.
  11. News: Hamanaka . Kari . Meet Hauk, StyleHaul's Answer for the Growing Men's Influencer Market . 6 September 2016 . WWD . 30 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161129040439/http://wwd.com/business-news/media/style-haul-launches-mens-vertical-hauk-10521474/ . 29 November 2016 . en-US.
  12. News: Donnan. Shawn. 2019-01-11. Fortnite's Digital Goods Are Key to the Future of Global Trade. en. Bloomberg. 2020-12-03.
  13. Web site: Ali-A . YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170713130308/https://www.youtube.com/user/Matroix . 13 July 2017 . 30 August 2017.
  14. News: Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition: five million copies and growing . MCV UK . 19 January 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161111130009/http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/guinness-world-records-gamer-s-edition-five-million-copies-and-growing/0175020 . 11 November 2016.
  15. Web site: Job Description: Professional YouTuber . HuffPost UK . 9 December 2013 . en-GB . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170109182852/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/alastair-aiken/professional-youtuber_b_4398111.html . 9 January 2017 . 29 August 2017.
  16. Web site: Alastair Aiken HuffPost . www.huffingtonpost.com . en . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170204064855/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/alastair-aiken . 4 February 2017 . 29 August 2017.
  17. News: Syndicate, Ali-A and DanTDM to star in September's Legends of Gaming Live . MCV UK . 29 August 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170116181524/http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/syndicate-ali-a-and-dantdm-to-star-in-september-s-legends-of-gaming-live/0145878 . 16 January 2017.
  18. Web site: Endemol brings on Tom Cassell to host Legends of Gaming . 11 February 2016 . StreamDaily . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160812013653/http://streamdaily.tv/2016/02/11/endemol-brings-on-tom-cassell-to-host-legends-of-gaming/ . 12 August 2016 . 29 August 2017.
  19. Web site: Endemol Shine UK acquires Electric Robin, OP Talent . 26 January 2016 . StreamDaily . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161023063502/http://streamdaily.tv/2016/01/26/extra-endemol-shine-uk-acquisitions-mipformats-opens-pitch-contest-entry-call/ . 23 October 2016 . 29 August 2017.
  20. News: The making of a Call of Duty YouTube star . Red Bull . 30 August 2017 . en.
  21. News: 25 Most Famous Youtubers on Earth – Clickible . 1 March 2016 . Clickible . 30 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170125141933/http://clickible.com/25-most-famous-youtubers-on-earth/ . 25 January 2017 . en-US.
  22. News: O'Reilly . Lara . The 20 biggest British YouTube stars . 29 October 2015 . Business Insider Malaysia . 30 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170213034020/http://www.businessinsider.my/these-are-the-uks-most-popular-youtube-channels-2015-10/13/ . 13 February 2017 . en-US.
  23. Web site: BBC – – Media Centre . BBC . en-GB . 30 August 2017.
  24. News: Los mejores coches de los Youtubers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161005011834/http://www.autobild.es/noticias/mejores-coches-youtubers-297625 . 5 October 2016 . 29 August 2017 . Autobild.es . es.
  25. News: The making of a Call of Duty YouTube star . 30 August 2017 . Red Bull . en.
  26. News: Ali-A has an epic time at Virgin Fibre x Destiny 2: The BETA Experience . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170721024211/http://www.virginmedia.com/entertainment/news/2017/07/ali-a_has_an_epictimeatvirginfibrexdestiny2thebetaexperience.html . 21 July 2017 . 29 August 2017 . Virgin Media . en.
  27. Web site: Minecraft: Ali-A Adventure! – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170125143142/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ53q68oHkKbbXRGsrc3aA4y5leSI-wfP . 25 January 2017 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  28. Web site: How To Minecraft! – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141118191657/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ53q68oHkKZ9O4jgW6XropjixeyegcDP . 18 November 2014 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  29. News: Hamanaka . Kari . 6 September 2016 . Meet Hauk, StyleHaul's Answer for the Growing Men's Influencer Market . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161129040439/http://wwd.com/business-news/media/style-haul-launches-mens-vertical-hauk-10521474/ . 29 November 2016 . 30 August 2017 . WWD . en-US.
  30. Web site: VLOGS! – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170125143138/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ53q68oHkKb7RlqSVWA5xWF08h4tyEwq . 25 January 2017 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  31. News: The 20 biggest British YouTube stars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170208030624/http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-uks-most-popular-youtube-channels-2015-10#9-ali-a-12 . 8 February 2017 . 30 August 2017 . Business Insider . en.
  32. Web site: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare WALKTHROUGH! – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073925/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1XXHtwbB06nxAe-rL1LRnB0ePmqfOZTn . 31 August 2017 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  33. Web site: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare WALKTHROUGH! – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151016123036/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1XXHtwbB06k6JanjmJt5qE7Gkr-xdPE- . 16 October 2015 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  34. Web site: Call of Duty: GHOSTS Campaign Walkthrough – YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161125033955/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1XXHtwbB06lCPyt5ULfrKrEDIgukqrtV . 25 November 2016 . 10 February 2017 . YouTube . en.
  35. Web site: Captain Sparklez, KSIOlajidebt, Ali-A Among New Polaris Gamers . 29 October 2013 . Tubefilter . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170806020549/http://www.tubefilter.com/2013/10/29/captain-sparklez-ksiolajidebt-ali-a-the-bajan-canadian-polaris-maker-studios/ . 6 August 2017 . 14 January 2017.
  36. Web site: KSIOlajidebt and Ali-A on YouTube pay channel charging, Miscellaneous News Clips . 10 May 2013 . BBC . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073925/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p018vtnc . 31 August 2017 . 13 January 2017.
  37. Web site: Top 100 Networked YouTubers in Stylehaul Sorted by SB Score – Socialblade.com . socialblade.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161225143834/http://socialblade.com/youtube/network/stylehaul/topusers . 25 December 2016 . 14 January 2017.
  38. News: StyleHaul CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski on why the fashion and lifestlye multi-channel network launched a men's vertical . The Drum . 29 August 2017 . en.
  39. Web site: UK Gamers Support "Hunt the Hacker" Coding Campaign – TenEighty — YouTube News, Features, and Interviews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170820015639/http://teneightymagazine.com/2016/12/02/uk-gamers-support-hunt-the-hacker-coding-campaign/ . 20 August 2017 . 17 January 2017.
  40. Web site: YouTubers to cohost NCS Yes Live 2016 – TenEighty — YouTube News, Features, and Interviews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160813221345/http://teneightymagazine.com/2016/01/25/youtubers-to-cohost-ncs-yes-live-2016/ . 13 August 2016 . 17 January 2017.
  41. Web site: What's happening at NCS YES Live 2016 . www.ncsyes.co.uk . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073926/http://www.ncsyes.co.uk/themix/what%E2%80%99s-happening-ncs-yes-live-2016 . 31 August 2017 . 17 January 2017.
  42. News: Affiliates . KontrolFreek . 12 January 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161127030903/http://www.kontrolfreek.com/affiliates . 27 November 2016.
  43. News: Ali-A's New Years Gaming Resolutions . KontrolFreek . 16 January 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831132126/https://www.kontrolfreek.com/ldr/ali-a-gaming-resolutions?a_aid=ali-a . 31 August 2017.
  44. Web site: Ali A Monster Energy . www.monsterenergy.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073925/https://www.monsterenergy.com/us/en/gaming/ali-a . 31 August 2017 . 12 January 2017.
  45. News: Elgato Gaming on Twitter . Twitter . 12 January 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831073925/https://twitter.com/elgatogaming/status/722141780024516608 . 31 August 2017.
  46. Web site: Ali-A about . YouTube . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170113112141/https://www.youtube.com/user/Matroix . 13 January 2017 . 12 January 2017.
  47. News: Ali-A Game On! Scuf Gaming . Scuf Gaming . 2 January 2018 . en-US . 3 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180103012524/https://scufgaming.com/s/ali-a/ . dead .
  48. Web site: Gamers Feature In BBC Radio 1 Documentary – TenEighty — YouTube News, Features, and Interviews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160813180845/http://teneightymagazine.com/2014/08/26/gamers-feature-in-bbc-radio-1-documentary/ . 13 August 2016 . 14 January 2017.
  49. Web site: Rockstar Gamers, BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra's Stories – BBC Radio 1 . BBC . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160815225004/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04f83nq . 15 August 2016 . 17 January 2017.
  50. Web site: YouTubers Star in New Mobile Game – TenEighty — YouTube News, Features, and Interviews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160813155408/http://teneightymagazine.com/2015/10/05/youtubers-star-in-new-mobile-game/ . 13 August 2016 . 17 January 2017.
  51. News: New Documentary Features Some of Minecraft's Biggest Stars – New Media Rockstars . 14 January 2015 . New Media Rockstars . 10 February 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160328075243/http://newmediarockstars.com/2015/01/new-documentary-features-some-of-minecrafts-biggest-stars/ . 28 March 2016 . en-US.
  52. News: Kohler . Chris . New Documentary Follows YouTube's Biggest Minecraft Superstars . WIRED . 10 February 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161223024310/https://www.wired.com/2015/01/minecraft-into-the-nether-documentary/ . 23 December 2016 . en-US.
  53. News: On a parlé à ceux qui jouent encore à Pokémon Go — et on comprend mieux pourquoi il y a toujours 65 millions de joueurs actifs par mois . 7 April 2017 . Business Insider France . 29 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170618023143/http://www.businessinsider.fr/enquete-aupres-des-joueurs-de-pokemon-go-un-an-apres . 18 June 2017 . fr-FR.
  54. Web site: CBBC partners with YouTube talent . C21media . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170703083803/https://www.c21media.net/cbbc-partners-with-youtube-talent/ . 3 July 2017 . 29 August 2017.
  55. Web site: Zodiak's Joe All Alone and more get CBBC orders . 29 August 2017.
  56. News: BBC Children's announces series of new commissions . Prolific North . 29 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170819051239/https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/2017/06/bbc-childrens-announces-series-of-new-commissions/ . 19 August 2017 . en-US.
  57. News: Ali-A has an epic time at Virgin Fibre x Destiny 2: The BETA Experience . Virgin Media . 29 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170721024211/http://www.virginmedia.com/entertainment/news/2017/07/ali-a_has_an_epictimeatvirginfibrexdestiny2thebetaexperience.html . 21 July 2017 . en.
  58. News: Win a top secret role in Ali-A's graphic novel . 29 August 2017 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831094041/https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/competitions/2017/feb/ali-a-graphic-novel/ . 31 August 2017 . dead .
  59. Web site: Conlan. Tara. 2018-07-03. BBC in bid to win back teen viewers with 'rite of passage' box sets. 2020-12-03. The Guardian. en.
  60. News: Join Dan & Phil and many more for Stand Up To Cancer with YouTube . 26 August 2016 . Cancer Research UK . 10 February 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160915212249/http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/press-release/2016-08-26-join-dan-phil-and-many-more-for-stand-up-to-cancer-with-youtube . 15 September 2016 . en.
  61. Web site: Video: Guinness World Records surprise YouTube gaming star Ali-A with two incredible titles . 31 July 2015 . . en-GB . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170118070818/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2015/7/video-guinness-world-records-surprise-youtube-gaming-star-ali-a-with-two-incredi-389601 . 18 January 2017 . 19 January 2017.
  62. Web site: Video: Watch YouTube star Ali-A take on double Minecraft challenge . 4 September 2015 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161227043007/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2015/9/video-watch-youtube-star-ali-a-take-on-double-minecraft-challenge-395171 . 27 December 2016 . 19 January 2017.
  63. Web site: Lynch. Kevin. August 24, 2016. Video: Watch Legends of Gaming stars Ali-A and Syndicate battle for Call of Duty world record. January 1, 2022. Guinness World Records.
  64. Web site: Forbes 30 Under 30 2019: Games. March 18, 2024. Forbes.

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