Patrick Julianelle, otherwise known as PopularMMOs, joined YouTube in early 2012. He spent the better part of a decade creating Minecraft content for his 17 million subscribers and eventually creating content with his girlfriend, GamingWithJen. She was originally a Roblox gaming creator, but the couple joined forces for more than five years to create joint gaming content.
The pair even released several children’s fiction books together, created joint content, and married in 2015. Alongside couple and Minecraft content, Pat also created merchandise, life update videos, and a website. However, fans have been wondering what has happened to the once-popular creator after a slew of revelations and controversies.
Pat and Jen announced their divorce in 2019
Unfortunately, the pair posted a video in 2019 saying that they had broken up over differences concerning children and their future. Many of their followers were devastated by the breakup, though they continued to make content together for a little while following their split, including the release of several more books.
The breakup video received nearly 10 million views and was posted several weeks after they had already made the decision to divorce. Commenters were understandably distraught and many questions were raised about the future of their business partnership and content.
Since the split both Patrick — who goes by Pat — and Jen have gotten remarried. Jen has since deleted her Instagram and stopped posting on YouTube in 2021, likely in favor of a more private life with her husband. While Jen has seemingly moved on with her life away from the spotlight, Pat has entered the spotlight even more.
PopularMMOs controversies explained
Pat began posting fitness content on his Instagram page and has continued to post gaming content on YouTube with his new girlfriend — now wife — for several years until stopping abruptly in 2021. The same year, they were both arrested for domestic battery and released on a bond. He later took to his now-deleted Twitter page to address his arrest and accusations.
In November of 2022, the 33-year-old was arrested again for attempting to run onto Jaguar’s football field during a game with two other men. He was charged with breach of peace by three or more persons and criminal conspiracy and served two days in jail. His last Instagram post was in appreciation of his wife, posted in early 2022, although it seems that it has now been deleted.
For a while, it had become pretty evident that PopularMMOs had become a dead channel. Pat no longer had an Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube presence — although, fans still took to his Instagram and YouTube comments to speculate about his absence and even ask him to make a comeback to the gaming space.
Is PopularMMOs returning to the internet?
Although there was no PopularMMOs presence online for a while, it seems like he may be trying to make that comeback. He returned to YouTube for the first time in over a year and posted a video called “I went to jail”. His return has spawned very mixed reactions, with some fans delighted to see him back on the Internet and others appalled that he is showing his face after all that has happened.
A Reddit user shared “He is making himself look worse, and I can’t help but wonder if maybe this is who Pat really is, and popularmmos is just his gaming persona, and Pat’s just a bad person.” Other viewers, though, don’t share this sentiment.
One YouTube viewer commented: “im happy to see that hes still here and hearing his voice again after years unlocked another door of memories. After hearing that they went to jail broke my heart but knowing that Pat was the one that jumped in chilled me, also knowing that cloud is still here seeing his furry face made me smile <3”
As of now, it’s unclear as to whether or not this video was a one-off. PopularMMOs may have just wanted to show his remaining fans that he’s okay or he may be trying to begin his return to YouTube. Either way, it is clear that he still has work to do in the court of public opinion as not everyone is willing to forgive and forget.
