Twitch bans Ryan Haywood after talk of his return to streaming

Olivia Richman Published 22/01/2021

After shunned ex-Rooster Teeth employee Ryan Haywood announced a possible return to streaming, Twitch has permanently blocked him from the platform.

The news was first shared by esports insider Rod “Slasher” Bresleau. He tweeted that Haywood was “indefinitely suspended/permanently banned” from Twitch. The company itself offered no comment on the subject, but it seems the streaming platform may have been listening to the backlash it received after not banning his account following some serious allegations that were made against him.

Twitch has indefinitely suspended/permanently banned former Rooster Teeth personality Ryan Haywood, who returned to Twitch last week, following several allegations last year ranging from sexual abuse to statutory rape, per source. Twitch’s official statement to me: “no comment”
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) January 21, 2021

Twitch permanently bans Ryan Haywood, but some say it’s too late

Haywood was let go from Rooster Teeth after multiple women accused the popular content creator of grooming and statutory rape, as well as sexual assault. This came to a head in October 2020.

Haywood went silent after his alleged victims shared screenshots of him flirting with them while they were underaged. A spreadsheet was also widely shared around that showed other concerning allegations, including Haywood having sex with underage fans and sometimes secretly taking off his condom during intercourse, which is considered sexual assault.

But Haywood decided to make an announcement that many found concerning at the start of 2021. He told his followers that he was planning some type of potential return to content creation. Some of the women he abused and groomed came forward to make videos explaining why this was problematic and concerning to them. Most of the streaming community agreed with the sentiment.

While Haywood was not welcomed by the majority of Twitch users, the resentment over his return was directed more at Twitch itself than at the disgraced content creator. Many wondered why Twitch hadn’t permanently banned Haywood when he was first accused of grooming and assault, given the evidence that was presented in support of the allegations. Others feared he would use the platform to again draw in more victims.

It seems that Twitch may have heard these concerned voices and listened. Haywood is now permanently banned from making any content on the popular streaming platform.

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.

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