Twitch shares tribute to shroud as streamer heads to Mixer

Olivia Richman Published 29/10/2019

Many were shocked when popular streamer Michael “shroud” Grzesiek announced he was switching to Mixer last week.

So far, the move has been a positive one for the former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro. His first new streams saw big numbers, and he received a lot of support from fellow Mixer star Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, who made the move himself in August.

Twitch continued spreading the good vibes by releasing a video on Twitter dedicated to shroud’s time on the top streaming platform. In a tweet that read “GLHF, shroud,” Twitch shared a video that starts with the line “thanks for the memories, shroud.”

The first half of the clip, which has been viewed over 1.27 million times so far, shows some impressive moments within CSGO and Apex Legends as shroud’s Twitch channel grew larger and larger.

The montage then pays homage to shroud’s dedication to the Twitch streaming community. It shows multiple clips of the CSGO legend hanging out with fans at various events, and even hosting smaller streamers on his channel. He even asks his fans to subscribe to a streamer who needs help paying medical bills.

“Look at all the subs. You guys are incredible, dude!” shroud says as his fans subscribe to her channel.

Twitch learns from Ninja’s departure to Mixer

The video got a positive reaction on Twitter, with many fans commenting on how emotional it was to watch. Others pointed out that Twitch has definitely learned from their past mistakes.

This is a reference to how Twitch dealt with Ninja’s departure to Mixer earlier this year. When Ninja chose to switch to Mixer, Twitch immediately used Ninja’s retired channel to advertise other Fortnite streamers on the platform.

Not only was this the first time Twitch had done something like this, but the way they went about it had rubbed Ninja the wrong way immediately. It didn’t help that Twitch’s strategy inadvertantly led to pornographic images briefly being showcased on Ninja’s former Twitch channel.

“I’ve been streaming for eight years to build my brand, to build that channel…Well now, there was a porn account that was number one being recommended on my channel,” Ninja said. “I have no say in any of this stuff…We’re trying to get the whole channel taken down.”

In response, Twitch had offered an apology. The CEO had taken to Twitter to say sorry to the streaming giant, explaining that they had only hijacked his channel in order to “experiment” new ways to ensure Twitch viewers “find great, live channels.”

“This helps all streamers as it creates new community connections,” CEO Emmett Shear concluded.

To fans, however, the decision just seemed petty. This time around, Twitch was most likely hoping to learn from their past mistakes by acting more civil towards a major streamer after his departure.

While Twitch still has big names like Dr Disrespect on their side, many are already speculating as to why streaming stars are opting to switch platforms. According to Ninja’s wife, who currently acts as one of his managers, Ninja was displeased with Twitch’s limiting contracts and a “toxic environment.”

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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