After more than 7 million subscribers, nearly 700 million video views and 13 years, Tyler Oakley is bidding farewell to YouTube...for now.
On Dec. 15, the 31-year-old posted an aptly titled video, "See ya later." If the name wasn't already an indication, the Internet star shared the milestone announcement that he's taking a break from the platform. "I have been making videos and uploading them every single Tuesday at noon for years and years and years and years and years," he told fans. "If you have been watching since I have been in college—I was 18 when I started and I am now 31—so, you can go back and find any single week of my life between those two dates and see what I was up to. I've never really taken a break and it is now time for me to take a break."
As for what he'll be up to during his time away, Oakley didn't get specific, but did make it clear he's looking forward to it. "I'm gonna be working on some stuff that I have always wanted to do. I do not have an end in sight for when I will be back," he shared. "I'm gonna be focusing on some other stuff that I'm actually really excited about and I'm really ready to develop out and make into some fun, new, little things. I haven't felt a fun, new, little thing in a long, long time, so I'm gonna try some fun, new, little things."
In regard to his millions of subscribers, they shouldn't panic. "I am in no way leaving YouTube forever, so let me just say that," he cautioned. "I will be back at some point, but I'm not gonna say when because I don't know when and it might take me a second."
"I have loved making stuff on this channel for years and years and years and years," he reiterated, "and I intend to keep going as long as I still love it."
Oakley, who uploaded his first video, "Raindrops," on Oct. 1, 2007, continued to calm any potential concerns from viewers. "This is not forever goodbye. This is just like, 'I'll see you in a sec.' All is well. Nothing is bad in the worst way possible. Don't go and assume the worst."
Instead, he was simply letting subscribers know that he is taking a hiatus instead of mysteriously disappearing without an explanation. "I feel like I couldn't just like leave and come back in a few months or however long it's gonna take," he noted. "I had to say something, so this is me saying something."
As Oakley signed off, he did give fans a clue of his possible return: "I'll see ya in 2021."