Markiplier GoPro news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Markiplier bought an 8.5% GoPro stake, then GoPro merged with Starman Optical for $285 million.
The timing raises suspicion, but Markiplier says he knew nothing about the merger beforehand.
Background
GoPro, a struggling action-camera maker, had been facing severe financial difficulties, with declining revenue and a going-concern warning from its auditor. YouTube star Markiplier disclosed an 8.5% stake, becoming its largest individual shareholder, which sparked a massive stock rally. Days later, GoPro announced a merger with Starman Optical, leading to questions about the sequence of events.
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2026Markiplier filed a Schedule 13G disclosing an 8.5% stake in GoPro, becoming its largest individual shareholder.
- Aug 27, 2026Markiplier posted a sponsored review of GoPro's new Mission 1 Pro ILS camera on his YouTube channel.
- Aug 30, 2026Bloomberg reported Markiplier's investment, causing GoPro stock to surge.
- Sep 1, 2026GoPro announced a merger with Starman Optical for $285 million, and the stock continued to climb.
- Sep 2, 2026Markiplier expressed sadness about the merger and denied any prior knowledge, addressing fans on a YouTube stream.
Who’s saying what
- Markiplier
- He said he was 'genuinely sad' about the merger and had zero knowledge of it before the announcement.
- Analysts
- Some observers noted the timing of the investment and merger could raise suspicions of a pump-and-dump scheme.
- Public
- Retail investors on Reddit cheered the rally, with one saying the momentum came from a creator who actually uses the product.
Still unverified
Markiplier's claim that he had no prior knowledge of the merger is unverified, though he stated it publicly.