CoryxKenshin

Horror games with a signature style.

Cory DeVante Williams (born 9 November 1992), known online as CoryxKenshin, is an American YouTuber from Detroit, Michigan, best known for horror-focused Let's Play videos. He began uploading in 2009 and moved to pursue YouTube full-time in 2015, building a fanbase he calls "The Samurai." His content centers on horror games such as Five Nights at Freddy's, Bloodborne, and The Mortuary Assistant, delivered in a comedic style. Known for taking frequent breaks from the platform, including a 17-month hiatus across 2023 and 2024, he had reached 24.5 million subscribers and about 9.9 billion views by June 2026.

Biographyedit

Early life and educationedit

Williams was born on 9 November 1992 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University from 2010 to 2012 as a media arts major before transferring to the University of Michigan, where he studied computer science from 2012 to 2015, taking a gap year in April 2015. He was born with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affects the growth of teeth and hair.

YouTube careeredit

Williams established his YouTube channel in 2009. He gained early traction in 2014 with Five Nights at Freddy's gameplay, and in 2015 moved out of his dorm to pursue YouTube full-time, that year playing Bloodborne. In 2021 he was ranked the fourth-fastest-growing U.S. creator by subscriber growth. He surpassed 20 million subscribers by December 2024 and reached 24.5 million subscribers and roughly 9.9 billion total views by June 2026.

Content and styleedit

CoryxKenshin is best known for horror-focused Let's Plays, covering titles such as Five Nights at Freddy's, Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Friday Night Funkin', and The Mortuary Assistant. He also produces a horror-film reaction series called "Spooky Scary Sunday." He refers to his audience as "The Samurai," and his videos are characterized by comedic commentary and frequent references to his Christian faith.

2022 YouTube moderation disputeedit

On 24 August 2022, Williams posted a video titled "YouTube: Racism and Favoritism," alleging that YouTube had age-restricted his video of The Mortuary Assistant while leaving identical content from larger creators unrestricted. After he referenced a Markiplier clip, YouTube removed the restriction on his video but then restricted all videos of that game. The video reached number one on YouTube's trending list, and creators including Jacksepticeye, Ludwig, Philip DeFranco, and Cr1TiKaL voiced support.

Hiatuses and mental healthedit

Williams is known for stepping away from YouTube for extended periods, which he has attributed in part to mental health. He took a four-month break in 2018 and a hiatus in 2020 amid anxiety and depression, describing 2020 as "the worst year of [his] life" and citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd. His longest absence was a 17-month hiatus spanning 2023 to 2024.

Film and other venturesedit

Beyond gaming videos, Williams appeared as Cabbie in the 2023 film Five Nights at Freddy's and was scheduled to return in its 2025 sequel. In December 2024 he announced a manga series, Monsters We Make, published through New Edyn Press and IDW Publishing. Around 2019 to 2020 he also appeared on Disney XD's Player Select.

Personal lifeedit

Williams resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and is a devout Christian, a theme that recurs throughout his content and public persona. He has been open about his mental health, citing anxiety and depression as factors behind some of his breaks from YouTube.

CoryxKenshin: quick facts

How old is CoryxKenshin?
CoryxKenshin is 33 years old, born Nov 9, 1992.
What is CoryxKenshin's real name?
CoryxKenshin's real name is Cory DeVante Williams.
Where is CoryxKenshin from?
CoryxKenshin is from United States.
What is CoryxKenshin's net worth?
CoryxKenshin has an estimated net worth of $4 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026). Net-worth figures for creators are estimates and are not officially confirmed.
When did CoryxKenshin start streaming?
CoryxKenshin has been active online since 2009.
What is CoryxKenshin known for?
CoryxKenshin is known for Horror game Let's Plays, Five Nights at Freddy's, Comedy gaming, and "The Samurai" fanbase.
What platform is CoryxKenshin on?
CoryxKenshin primarily streams on YouTube.

Compare estimates on the richest streamers ranking.

Career timelineedit

  1. 1992-11event
    Born in Detroit
    Cory DeVante Williams was born on 9 November 1992 in Detroit, Michigan.
  2. 2009platform
    Channel created
    He began uploading videos to YouTube.
  3. 2014career
    Five Nights at Freddy's
    He featured Five Nights at Freddy's gameplay that boosted his profile.
  4. 2015career
    Full-time YouTuber
    He left his dorm to pursue YouTube full-time and played Bloodborne.
  5. 2018event
    Four-month break
    He took a four-month break from the platform.
  6. 2020event
    Mental health hiatus
    He stepped back from YouTube amid anxiety and depression.
  7. 2021event
    Top U.S. creator growth
    He ranked fourth among U.S. creators by subscriber growth.
  8. 2022-08controversy
    YouTube dispute video
    He posted "YouTube: Racism and Favoritism," which topped trending.
  9. 2023release
    FNaF film role
    He appeared as Cabbie in the Five Nights at Freddy's film.
  10. 2023event
    17-month hiatus begins
    He began a 17-month absence from YouTube lasting into 2024.
  11. 2024-12project
    Manga announced
    He announced the manga series Monsters We Make.
  12. 2024-12platform
    20 million subscribers
    He surpassed 20 million YouTube subscribers.

Collaborations & communitiesedit

Content & loreedit

Community

  • The Samurai — the name for his fanbase
  • The Shogun — nickname fans use for Cory himself
  • Join the Samurai — his invitation to subscribe
  • Samurai and shogun branding — features prominently on his merch

Catchphrases

  • Samurai, slice that like button! — signature request to like the video
  • Subscribe today to join the Samurai
  • Until next time, my brothas and sistas — outro sign-off
  • Bible verse endings — closes videos with a passage of scripture

Signature games

  • Horror games — the genre he is best known for
  • Happy Wheels — early flash game that helped launch his channel
  • Five Nights at Freddy's — recurring horror franchise
  • Undertale — a fan-favorite playthrough series

Triviaedit

  • He calls his fanbase "The Samurai."
  • He was born with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder affecting teeth and hair growth.
  • His 2022 video "YouTube: Racism and Favoritism" reached number one on YouTube's trending list.
  • He studied computer science at the University of Michigan before pursuing YouTube full-time.
  • He played Cabbie in the 2023 Five Nights at Freddy's film.
  • He took a 17-month hiatus from YouTube across 2023 and 2024.
  • He runs a horror-film reaction series called "Spooky Scary Sunday."
  • In December 2024 he announced a manga series titled Monsters We Make.
  • He surpassed 20 million subscribers by December 2024.

See also

References

  1. 1.↑Celebrity Net Worth
  2. 2.↑CoryxKenshin — Wikipedia (accessed 2026-08-02)
  3. 3.CoryxKenshin — official YouTube channel — YouTube (accessed 2026-08-02)
  4. 4.CoryxKenshin — photograph — Wikimedia Commons (accessed 2026-08-02)