Who is PopularMMOs?
Patrick Thomas‘Pat’ Julianelle – aka PopularMMOs – was born on 25 November 1988, in Connecticut, USA, where he was raised. He’s an American YouTuber known for his gameplays of the popular multiplayer video game “Minecraft”. Pat has always been interested in gaming, even as a child, and has managed to turn his lifelong passion into one of the most successful “Minecraft” YouTube channels.
Early life and education
Pat first started playing video games on a GameBoy he received as a Christmas gift, and then continued gaming all through his childhood and teenage years. As he grew older, he started focusing on online multi-player games such as “Runescape”, “World of Warcraft”, and later “Minecraft” which became a focal point of his YouTube channel.
Pat attended Eastern Connecticut State University, graduating with a degree in Communication in 2010.
Rise to fame
In 2012, Pat launched his YouTube channel, PopularMMOs. He began by creating videos that showcased his builds and adventures in “Minecraft”, and his channel quickly grew in popularity, while Pat became known for his knowledge of the game and his sense of humor. His videos often include challenges and mini-games that keep his content from becoming repetitive. The majority of Pat’s videos are also family-friendly, making them suitable for viewers of all ages.
PopularMMOs reached the milestone of one million subscribers in June 2014, and it only took four months for that number to double.
As Pat’s channel grew, he began to expand his content to include other games such as “Terraria”, “Among Us”, and “Roblox”. He also started to collaborate with other YouTubers and Twitch streamers, including his then-wife Jen, who also goes by the name GamingWithJen.
YouTube channel
One of Pat’s most popular video series is called “Epic Proportions”, in which he creates a custom world in “Minecraft” and invites other YouTubers to join him. Together, they compete in challenges and mini-games, creating a fun and engaging experience for viewers. The series has become a favorite among Pat’s fans, and has garnered millions of views.
Another popular series on Pat’s channel is “Lucky Block Challenge”, in which Pat and his friends compete in challenges while using the so-called ‘lucky blocks’, which randomly generate items and power-ups.
Pat has also created videos about various mods for “Minecraft”, which allow players to add new features and gameplay mechanics to the game. Mod showcases are a staple in the “Minecraft” community, and Pat’s videos on the topic have helped many players discover new and exciting mods.
Today, Pat is one of the most popular “Minecraft” YouTubers in the world, with his channel numbering more than 17 million subscribers and over 14 billion views. His most viewed video is “Minecraft: MORE TNT MOD”, which has been watched over 57 million times.
However, due to his arrest and subsequent media controversy, Pat hasn’t uploaded any new videos in more than a year.
Love life and relationships
Pat was previously married to a fellow gaming YouTuber, Jennifer ‘Jen’ Lynn. The two met during their high school days while doing community service at a local animal shelter. Jen supported Pat during his early YouTube career, and was heavily featured in nearly all of his videos. His success eventually inspired her to launch her own YouTube channel, called GamingWithJen. The couple married in 2015, after being in a relationship for over ten years.
However, four years later they announced that they’d separated, which came as a shock to their fans, as it happened only a few days after Pat endorsed Jen’s first Shorty Awards nomination, encouraging his viewers to vote for her. Despite divorcing, the two stayed on amicable terms, and continued collaborating on YouTube, albeit less frequently than before.
In December 2019, Pat started making YouTube videos with his new girlfriend, Eleni, and he also soon renamed his second channel to Pat&Eleni. Initially, the inclusion of Eleni in Pat’s videos drew a lot of comparisons with Jen, and she wasn’t well received by some of his fans, however, public opinion on her changed for the better in the following months.
Pat and Eleni broke up in July 2020, and their separation was followed by a very messy social media ‘drama’, with both making serious accusations against each other.
In 2022, Pat started dating fellow content creator Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Heranek. As they were involved in a series of legal issues, pointing at possible domestic abuse, the current status of their relationship remains unclear.
https://www.facebook.com/patandjenpopularmmos/posts/pfbid0xPEcHHBUEA5rdTY6R3o18H9F9DYE69cyLiJnEzjnb8UynZTDL1VV6xQ2oe2ZLKxMl
Other ventures
Pat’s success on YouTube has also led to a successful line of merchandise. He sells a variety of products, including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and other accessories, all featuring designs related to his channel and content.
In addition, in 2018 Pat published a “Minecraft” inspired children’s visual novel, entitled “A Hole New World”. The book became an instant hit, and earned Pat the title of a “New York Times” bestselling children’s author. It was the first in the series of five books, with the latest one, entitled “The End of All Things”, being published in November 2022.
Controversies
Despite his success, Pat has faced a lot of challenges throughout his career. Like many content creators, he’s had to deal with copyright claims and issues with YouTube’s algorithms. He has also faced criticism from some viewers who have accused him of ‘click-baiting’ and producing repetitive content. Pat has addressed criticisms and used feedback to improve his videos, while staying true to his style.
In May 2020, he posted a video featuring both his ex-wife Jen, and Eleni, his girlfriend at the time. The video generated major controversy, and some of Pat’s viewers started harassing Eleni, feeling that Jen was wronged in the relationship.
Following his breakup from Eleni, in September of the same year, Pat made another controversial video, entitled “Eleni Is A Liar” in which he spoke badly about her and accused her of telling lies about him on social media. In a follow-up video, he talked about their relationship in more detail, saying that Eleni was controlling and tried to forbid him from having any female friends.
The saga continued with Pat’s second video on the topic, “Is Eleni a Gold Digger?”, in which he showed a text message from Eleni calling him a ‘slave owner’ for owing her money. Pat made one more video on the topic, answering fans’ questions about their relationship. All of these videos have since been made private, although re-uploads of them can still be found on YouTube.
I met @PopularMMOS and @GamingWithJen at the #shortys !! The rumors are true! pic.twitter.com/nOaOfNqhFC
— Tyler Pappas (@Logdotzip) May 6, 2019
Abuse allegations
In May 2021, Pat became the subject of his biggest controversy to this date after his ex-girlfriend Eleni shared a public record document that shows that Pat was arrested for domestic battery and bodily injury against another individual. In addition, his ex-wife Jen, liked a Twitter post suggesting that he was abusive toward his then-girlfriend, Liz. Jen later claimed that she accidentally liked the tweet, and that Pat had never laid a hand on her in their ten years together.
Pat responded by saying that these allegations were false, accusing Eleni of harassing him. It later emerged that both Pat and his girlfriend Liz were arrested for giving opposing stories. According to Duval County records, both Pat and Liz were detained, with Liz being released and Pat bailed. The charges against both of them were eventually dropped.
However, on 20 June 2022, Pat was arrested again, this time for assault with a deadly weapon. A commentary YouTuber named Jadyn reported that Pat and his girlfriend had been drinking and arguing, which resulted in Pat sleeping outside. Liz then locked the doors, and when Pat woke up, he took out a knife, banged on the doors, and slashed one of their tires. When she opened the door and ran away, Pat chased her, but she was eventually protected by a security guard. Several days later, Pat was then arrested and charged with assault.
On November 8, 2022, Pat was arrested and charged together with two other men, following a stunt where one of them ran onto the field during a football game. Pat later clarified that they were released after spending one day in jail, and that there is no ongoing case against him. He further commented on a viral video from the news network “First Coast News”, claiming that he was falsely accused of being arrested after charges were dropped for wrongfully arresting him.
Net worth
As of March 2023, Pat’s net worth has been estimated at more than $3.5 million.
