Popular Twitch streamer Mitch Jones has decided to permanently leave live streaming.
Jones recently released a YouTube video titled “Treading New Waters” that announced his decision to leave Twitch for good and to pursue another career path entirely. Jones, a World of Warcraft streamer, explained that he no longer feels happy when he streams. This was mostly due to it reminding him of his friendship with fellow WoW streamer Byron “Rektful” Bernstein, another popular streamer who committed suicide in 2020.
“Live streaming has been very good to me and I’ve met a lot of cool people. But for some reason, my heart isn’t in it anymore. Every time I stream, I’m reminded of all the times that will never happen again. I had some magical moments as a streamer but those days are over,” Jones said.
According to Jones, every day that he continues to stream feels like an attempt to relive the days when he lived with Rektful, playing Pokemon GO and “vibing every day.” For Jones, those were the “best memories of [his] life.” This has made it hard for him to stream now, since it makes him remember his old friend each time.
For Jones, it’s been hard to continue streaming ever since Rektful passed away last year. He was visibly shaken in his new video, holding back tears and apologizing for his need to cry.
Still, Jones has continued to stream off and on over the past year. He even hit an all-time subscription peak. Jones noted that many people will think he’s “crazy” for wanting to leave Twitch, but he just doesn’t have the motivation or passion for it anymore.
“I’ve been streaming for 10 years. It reminds me of the times in the past. Every time I go live, I’m reminded of everything and it’s hard for me to have this permanent reminder of the past and the friends you’ll never see again,” Jones said.
According to Jones, his goal is to pursue a career in music.
“I’m not sure how it will go,” Jones admitted. “I might fail. But that’s part of life. Sometimes you have to go out on a whim.”
Jones added that streaming would be the “safe route,” since he’s had a successful career in this field. But his heart has told him it’s time to “stop taking this seriously” when it comes to “streaming stuff.”
Jones told his fans in “Treading New Waters” that he might still stream occasionally but it’s not a guarantee. For now, Jones said, he wants to try something different.
Jones thanked his followers, subscribers, and viewers for their support. He also thanked them for being there for him and having positive feedback when he created a tribute to Rektful. It’s probably difficult for Jones to leave his community altogether. But for now, Jones is stepping away to try out music.
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