Paluten Profile: Germany's Biggest Minecraft YouTuber

German YouTuber Paluten is one of the most successful German gaming YouTubers of all time – with 5.78M subscribers, he runs the biggest German-language gaming channel. His videos are in German. Since 2012, Patrick Mayer (aka Paluten or “Palle”) has been winning over fans with his creative Minecraft world “Freedom”, bestselling books and a likeable, funny style. In this profile, you’ll find out why Paluten is seen as a role model for creative storytelling, closeness to his community and successful media work – and what parents and Minecraft fans alike should know about him.

Paluten at a glance

For parents

Creative, funny Minecraft content with imaginative stories. Suitable from around 8–10. Strong focus on the community. Some videos contain clips from films/videos with a higher age rating – so watching together is recommended.

For gamers

Let’s Plays (simulators, Minecraft), the legendary project “Minecraft Freedom” (380 episodes), Bedwars Week, a book series and, from 2027: a feature film! Mascot: Edgar the pig.

Profile

• Nicknames: “Palle” or “Pdizzle”
• Genre: Minecraft (storytelling, minigames, Let’s Plays), simulators, vlogs
• What sets him apart: Biggest German-language gaming channel; creator of the Freedom world (YouTube, book series, feature film 2027)
• Tone of content: creative, funny, likeable, energetic
• Audience: kids, teens and young adults

Channels & reach

What is Paluten doing right now?

In March 2026, Paluten announced in a video titled “Ich gehe in Youtube Rente” (“I’m retiring from YouTube”) that he is stepping back: instead of uploading every day, he now posts less often to spend more time with his family – so he hasn’t actually retired. He is also working on the Freedom feature film, due in cinemas in 2027. How much Minecraft is in his current videos, and what else he plays, is shown by our analysis of his uploads:

What makes Paluten special?

Creative storytelling: With Minecraft Freedom (380 episodes, 2015–2017), Paluten created an imaginative story around his mascot, Edgar the pig. Releasing an episode every day for over a year turned the project into a legend of the German Minecraft scene.

Transmedia success: The YouTube videos spawned a bestselling book series with 12 novels and one comic (more than 1.8 million copies sold; volume 13 comes out on October 23, 2026) and a feature film announced for 2027 – an unmatched success story in German gaming.

Close to his community: Paluten stays in close touch with his “Paluten Army”, replies to comments and gets fans involved in projects – for example with fan animations in his videos.

Versatility: Besides Minecraft, Paluten also plays various simulators, reacts to videos and experiments with different formats – which keeps his content fresh and varied.

“Minecraft Freedom” – the cult project explained

What is it? Minecraft Freedom was Paluten’s most successful YouTube project: 380 episodes in which he told an ongoing story in Minecraft every day. At its center is Edgar the pig, whom Paluten has to free from the clutches of the evil King Xaroth. The “Freedom Squad” (Paluten, GermanLetsPlay, Zombey, Maudado) became legendary through this project.

Why is it so special? The spontaneous, creative storyline, the humorous execution and the daily uploads over the course of a year made Freedom a phenomenon. Many fans grew up with this project and associate it with nostalgia.

For parents: At its core, the project is unproblematic and shows how creative you can be in Minecraft. It’s a great way to start conversations about storytelling, teamwork and creativity. The books offer a child-friendly way into the world. Please note: the books are in German.

Known projects & series

Besides Freedom, Paluten has started or joined many other projects over the years:

• Bedwars Week: Since 2014, Paluten has regularly played Bedwars rounds with changing guests – the format keeps coming back to this day (video below under “Getting started”).
• Craft Attack: According to the participant list on craft-attack.info, Paluten played in seasons 1 and 3 and has been a regular again since season 11 – most recently in Craft Attack 14. Our Craft Attack guide explains the whole project.
• Books & comic: The Freedom novel series has been published by the Cologne-based publisher Community Editions since 2018. Volume 1, “Die Schmahamas-Verschwörung”, reached number 1 on Germany’s hardcover fiction bestseller list in 2018, and “🛒 Schlamassel im Weltall” hit number 1 on the Spiegel bestseller list for young-adult books in 2020. The comic “🛒 Der Golemkönig” followed in 2019. All books are in German.
• Feature film: “Paluten Freedom – der Film” was announced in November 2024 for 2027. It is produced by Odeon Fiction together with Toon2Tango and distributed by Leonine Studios. Germany’s federal film board (FFA) pledged €500,000 in funding in November 2025; at the end of May 2026, Paluten showed the first test footage.
• Podcasts: “Kottbruder” with GermanLetsPlay (2022 to May 2024, on hold since) and “Äffchen mit Käffchen” with Denno and Malte (since April 2024) – both in German.

Is Paluten kid-friendly?

• Age: suitable from around 8–10; most of the content is harmless and creative.
• Watch out for reaction videos: On his second channel, Team Paluten, Paluten also reacts to videos, some of which come from films rated FSK 16/18 (Germany’s film age ratings). These clips can contain violence or strong language – watching together is recommended.
• Learning opportunities: Creative thinking, storytelling, planning big projects and teamwork – Paluten shows how you can build something with passion.
• Role model: Paluten turned his hobby into a successful career – that can be motivating, but it also carries the risk of unrealistic expectations. A good opportunity to talk about career paths and perseverance.
• Merchandise: Paluten has his own shop – talk about in-app purchases and spending habits early on.

Getting started: what to watch first?

• YouTube: Minecraft Freedom highlights or current Let’s Plays of simulators – this is where Paluten’s creativity and humor shine best.

• Books: If your child prefers reading, “Freedom: Die Schmahamas-Verschwörung” is a good place to start – ideal for kids aged 9–10 and up who read German.

  

  Die Schmahamas-Verschwörung: Ein Roman aus der Welt von Minecraft Freedom (German-language book)

  🛒 View on Amazon

• Bedwars Week: Since 2014, Paluten has regularly played Bedwars with changing guests – entertaining and family-friendly.

Paluten’s reach compared (German Minecraft creators)

Bottom line: Paluten is by far the biggest German-language gaming channel and is well ahead of everyone else in YouTube subscribers. Despite a smaller Twitch presence than BastiGHG, his versatility (YouTube, books, merch) and his long-standing fame keep him the number 1 of the German Minecraft scene.

Paluten’s gaming setup

Paluten links his gaming chair in almost every video description; he showed off his PC in a sponsored video in 2024. He hasn’t shared details about his mouse, keyboard or headset himself – lists online that claim otherwise don’t cite a source.

Popular Paluten merchandise

Paluten stands for creative Minecraft adventures, Edgar the pig and the Freedom world. You can find the official merch shop here: https://paluten.store/. T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, plush toys (Edgar!) and accessories are especially popular. The Freedom books are also perennial favorites – ideal for young fans who would rather read than watch videos.

Friends, crew & collabs

• Freedom Squad: Together with GermanLetsPlay, Zombey and Maudado, Paluten formed the core of Minecraft Freedom. Herr Bergmann, Rewinside, Dner (Felix von der Laden) and Sturmwaffel also played in the project.
• The “UFO” office: From October 2016, Paluten shared an office with Rewinside, Sturmwaffel, Izzi and Dner – the shared office no longer exists.
• Podcast partners: He talked with GermanLetsPlay on the “Kottbruder” podcast and hosts “Äffchen mit Käffchen” with Denno and Malte.
• Craft Attack & Bedwars: In the Craft Attack seasons and his Bedwars rounds, Paluten plays alongside many big names of the German Minecraft scene.

Income & net worth

How much Paluten earns or owns is not public – there are no reliable figures. Estimates online are usually extrapolated from view counts and are not a trustworthy source. What is clear is where his income comes from:

• YouTube: ad revenue on his main channel and his second channel, Team Paluten.
• Books: The Freedom series has sold more than 1.8 million copies.
• Merch: his own shop, paluten.store, with clothing, plush toys and accessories.
• Sponsors: labeled partnerships, such as his gaming chair or the sponsored PC video from 2024.
• Feature film: The Freedom movie is another big project that may bring in revenue from 2027.

According to Wikipedia, Paluten is part of the network 2nd Wave GmbH.

Transparency & sources

Facts from his YouTube channel and Wikipedia (German; books, film, podcasts, Freedom co-players, the “UFO” office, network); Craft Attack seasons from the participant list on craft-attack.info. We update the figures and the content mix automatically every week via the YouTube and Twitch APIs.

Further reading

• All participants of Craft Attack 13 (overview & links)
• The biggest Minecraft YouTubers in Germany (meta overview)

Questions about Paluten

What is Paluten’s “Minecraft Freedom”?

A legendary YouTube project with 380 episodes (2015–2017) in which Paluten told a story in Minecraft every day. At its heart: Edgar the pig and the Freedom Squad.

What age are Paluten’s videos suitable for?

From around 8–10. Most of the content is creative and unproblematic. Note: reaction videos on his second channel can include content from films rated FSK 16/18 (Germany’s film age ratings).

How many books has Paluten written?

So far, 12 novels of the Freedom series and one comic have been published; volume 13, “Das Erbe von Graf Schmacula”, comes out on October 23, 2026. The books are based on the Minecraft Freedom world and have sold more than 1.8 million copies.

Who is in the “Freedom Squad”?

The Freedom Squad is made up of Paluten, GermanLetsPlay, Zombey and Maudado. They played together in Minecraft Freedom and other projects.

How old is Paluten? When is Paluten’s birthday?

Paluten was born on January 5, 1988, and is 38 years old.

What is Paluten’s real name?

Paluten’s real name is Patrick Mayer. Fans also call him “Palle” or “Pdizzle”; he has been running his YouTube channel since 2012.

Is Paluten part of Craft Attack?

Yes. According to the participant list on craft-attack.info, Paluten took part in seasons 1 and 3 and has been a regular member of the project again since season 11 – most recently in Craft Attack 14.

Is Paluten quitting YouTube?

No. In March 2026, he announced in his video “Ich gehe in Youtube Rente” (“I’m retiring from YouTube”) that he would step back: instead of daily uploads, he now posts less often to spend more time with his family.

When is the Paluten movie coming out?

“Paluten Freedom – der Film” was announced in November 2024 for a 2027 release. It is produced by Odeon Fiction together with Toon2Tango and distributed by Leonine Studios; at the end of May 2026, Paluten showed the first test footage.

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