Ninja returns to stream on Twitch, but is he back for good?

Olivia Richman Published 05/08/2020

Ever since Mixer shut down, Tyler “Ninja” Blevin’s fans have been wondering what the Fortnite superstar was going to do next.

Ninja has been busy since Mixer’s shutdown. The streamer revealed that he was pursuing a career in Hollywood. His fans also appreciated Ninja’s new shoe line with Adidas. But they still had a burning question: where was Ninja going to stream now? Would he return to streaming at all?

A few weeks ago, Ninja hosted a stream on YouTube that saw many of his followers tuned in to watch him play Fortnite with some of his streaming friends. But despite rumors that Ninja would sign a deal with YouTube Gaming, Ninja never announced a partnership with the platform.

Ninja streams on Twitch with Dr Lupo

Yesterday, Ninja hinted that he would be streaming with Benjamin “Dr Lupo” Lupo in the early morning, but didn’t mention where.

Early on the morning of August 5, Ninja surprised his fans again by tweeting out a link to his Twitch channel. The reaction from his fans was immediate.

Despite Ninja’s sudden announcement, the stream hit over 100,000 viewers in its early hours. It currently has over 70,000 viewers and Ninja’s usual, active chat.

Even though fans were quick to tune in to the surprise stream, some questioned his return to Twitch. Many of his followers recalled Ninja’s reasons for leaving the platform to begin with, including restrictive contracts and the toxicity of the Fortnite community in his chat. Ninja’s wife, Jessica Blevins, has also opened up in interviews about the negative aspects of partnering with Twitch, mentioning very restrictive outside brand deals that didn’t allow her husband to grow outside of streaming.

“With the wording of how that contract was going, he wouldn’t have been able to grow his brand much outside of gaming,” Blevins had told Business Insider when Ninja first moved to Mixer.

Is Ninja back on Twitch for good?

Even though Ninja had a lot of viewers on his return stream, there’s no proof that Ninja will stream consistently on Twitch in the future. While it’s possible, Ninja has yet to announce any sort of partnership. There’s also no streaming schedule outlined on his Twitch channel.

Ninja has already reportedly turned down Facebook Gaming’s alleged eight-figure offer after Mixer’s shutdown, leaving Twitch and YouTube as his most likely options if Ninja decides to stream full-time again.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile

Read Also

Fortnite

Fortnite is finally giving Sidekicks a purpose with a new game mode Zachary Roberts Sidekicks have been one of the most fun, if largely meaningless, additions to Fortnite. Officially launching in November 2025, this update gave gamers a chance to have a little partner in their Battle Royale. They don't do anything, but some players quite enjoy having SpongeBob, Groot, Bonesy, Pink Pony, Ace the Bat-Hound, and others by their side. Finally, though, there is going to be a reason to have sidekicks. Epic ...

Fortnite

Fortnite x Obsession collab could be in the works as teaser drops Zachary Roberts Nowadays, anything popular ends up getting a Fortnite crossover. Even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. There's an American Dad crossover, a Game of Thrones collaboration, and so much more that at one point would've been totally shocking to a gamer. That includes popular movies. Even before it truly hit theaters and took off, there were skins for The Odyssey in the Item Shop. Similarly, another 2026 smash ...

Fortnite

Fortnite adds over 30 AI voices to skins for Creative mode Zachary Roberts Fortnite has come under fire recently for its usage of AI, with one collaboration immediately reexamining the partnership after that revelation. Generative AI usage in games is generally frowned upon by gamers, although game developers are more commonly using it now. That, of course, includes Epic Games, which has just sort of doubled down on the AI usage in Fortnite. However, instead of the normal gen AI, Epic has assigned ...

Fortnite

Fortnite Hot Bat Summer: Release time, skins, and more Zachary Roberts The Fortnite Hot Bat Summer is upon us. Every year, there is an update for the summer that brings in beach settings, swimsuit-wearing characters, and more. This year, it's got a DC tilt, with some of the most iconic superheroes and villains taking a load off to cool down in the heat. Here's what you need to know about it. First and foremost, you need to know what characters are ...

Fortnite

Fortnite collaboration in danger after generative AI revelation Zachary Roberts Fortnite has crossovers with so many different things. If Epic Games wants something in the game, it usually happens. Whether it's Darth Vader, Spider-Man, Batman, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Sabrina Carpenter, or Khaby Lame, anything the developers want usually ends up in the game. It's rare for a collaboration to end up cancelled, but there's real danger of that happening right now. Vampire Survivors was supposed to have a collaboration ...

Fortnite

How to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Zachary Roberts Wondering how to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite? You're not alone. The streamer is the latest high-profile collaboration in the game, but it's a little different this time. Instead of being a skin or an NPC, the streamer is a Sprite. These are relatively new to the game, so if you're wondering about that or where TheBurntPeanut is, we've got you covered. TheBurntPeanut is one of the most unique crossovers in ...

Fortnite

When does the current Fortnite season end? Zachary Roberts When does the current Fortnite season end? This is a question that's always important to know the answer to. For one thing, many elements of the season, such as the items and characters, will go away at that time. That is also when players will no longer be able to earn battle pass rewards. So, when does the current Fortnite season end? Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 just began, but ...