Twitch
Twitch
“I’m coming for you”: xQc exposes haters after react-gate
Olivia Richman
After getting all but humiliated in a livestream debate with Ethan Klein, Felix “xQc” Lengyel has now threatened to expose a lot of the haters that have jumped at his throat for making bank on reaction videos. React-gate has become the biggest controversy in the streaming world over the past month, with big streamers getting called out for “lazy” content that doesn’t transform the clips they are reacting to. Many …
Twitch
React-gate drama explained: xQc and Ethan Klein argue over stolen content
Olivia Richman
Ethan Klein, H3H3 podcast host, has been in an ongoing beef with Felix “xQc” Lengyel after he called out the popular Kick streamer for stealing content. xQc and other content creators have been under fire for “reaction videos,” with others accusing them of using other people’s videos to get clicks without adding any substance of their own. The latest person to agree with this sentiment and openly discuss it is …
Twitch
Kai Cenat arrested, being charged with inciting a riot in NYC
Olivia Richman
Another day, another controversy for Kai Cenat. This time, the popular influencer has been charged with starting a riot in New York City. Kai Cenat has become one of the largest streamers on Twitch, building a huge following of young fans thanks to his loud outbursts, celebrity guests, and over-the-top antics. When Cenat told fans to join him for a live stream in New York City, he probably should have …
Twitch
Kick vs. Twitch: xQc shares his preference
Olivia Richman
Felix “xQc” Lengyel recently signed a non-exclusive deal with Kick that allows him to continue streaming on both platforms. But he recently shared which one he prefers. Kick started gaining traction in 2022 as an alternative to Twitch for those who wanted more freedom to do controversial things like gamble and adult content. It seemed like a gimmick at first, but then the platform started sniping big names from Twitch, …
Twitch
“What triggers people like you so much?”: xQc reacts to hate
Olivia Richman
Streamer Felix “xQc” Lengyel has fought back against haters who feel he is taking away from the work of smaller creators. xQc is one of the biggest streamers in the world and he’s massive on YouTube as well. He currently has over 2.32 million subscribers on YouTube, where he often posts videos reacting to TikToks, streams, television shows, and other content creators. While this type of content has proven to …
Twitch
MrBeast surpasses PewDiePie in total views on YouTube
Olivia Richman
YouTuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson has reached another milestone, beating Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg at yet another record. PewDiePie “retired” from his YouTube career a few years back, using the platform for vlogging and meme content in a more casual way while he focused on his growing family. While he once dominated the YouTube scene, his decision to remove himself from the rat race left room for big names like MrBeast to …
Twitch
Asmongold argues with viewers over Twitch ban policies
Olivia Richman
Asmongold shook the streaming community by stating that streamers shouldn’t be banned unless they break the law. Twitch has been under fire over the past few years for its inconsistent punishments and strict regulations. It often seemed like some streamers were favored for their appearance while others were given punishments that the community felt was harsh for the crime. This became especially clear when Twitch started cracking down on gambling …
Twitch
AI xQc gains 1500 live viewers, here’s why
Fariha Bhatti
There’s an AI Félix “xQc” Lengyel online that viewers prefer to watch because it’s easier to understand. xQc is known for his hilarious reactions, terrible skills in CSGO, and epic GTA role-play. Despite being a streaming icon, fans barely understand what xQc is saying half the time, but they still watch. He talks too fast and often mixes up his words. This is something he’s also realized recently while watching …
Dr Disrespect pulls $16,000 knife in CSGO
Olivia Richman
Twitch
YouTube streamer Herschel “Dr Disrespect” Beahm has finally unboxed a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive knife — and it’s a goodie. Content creators have been rushing to CSGO to stream matches and gamble on skins ahead of Counter-Strike 2’s launch. One of those influencers is Dr Disrespect — the man, the mullet, the mustache. He has been on a long search for a knife, gambling a hefty amount of money to get …
What are NPC streams, the new trend on TikTok Live?
William Davis
Twitch
NPC Streamers on TikTok Live is the most recent trend taking the internet by storm. While it might be difficult to understand at first and just recently became mainstream, this type of content is not new. If you see your favorite content creator live on TikTok repeating phrases like “Ice cream so good” and “Gang gang”, don’t be surprised. This is the most recent trend that is taking over social …
Who is PinkyDoll? The NPC stream girl on TikTok
Fariha Bhatti
Twitch
The NPC stream girl PinkyDoll may seem bizarre to some, but a good chunk of viewers on TikTok are sending her real money for the unique content. If you use any form of social media, you’ve likely come across clips of the NPC stream girl repeating “Ice cream so good” in a cutesy voice. Fedha “PinkyDoll” Sinon pioneered what we know now as the “NPC (non-playable character) stream” on TikTok. …
Amouranth banned on Twitch despite twerking on Kick
Olivia Richman
Twitch
Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa has been mysteriously banned on Twitch. Amouranth announced that she was joining Kick in June, seemingly inspired by Felix “xQc” Lengyel’s $100 million non-exclusive deal with the controversial platform. Despite doing most of her streams on Kick since then, the OnlyFans model found her Twitch account was banned earlier today. On July 18, 2023, Amouranth was hit with a ban on Twitch. While she is no stranger …
PewDiePie banned on Twitch again, but why?
William Davis
Twitch
Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg has earned another strike on Twitch, as his channel has been unexpectedly banned for the second time. This is PewDiePie’s second ban on the platform, with a third ban potentially leading to being permanently booted from Twitch. Here’s what we know about the ban, what it means for the channel, and why some fans think it happened. The ban was revealed on July 17, 2023 during one …
Amouranth shares how much she earned from investing in Activision Blizzard
Olivia Richman
Twitch
Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa is known for her smart investments just as much as her risque content. This time, the controversial Kick streamer revealed how much she made by investing in Activision Blizzard. Amouranth has made a massive amount of money on OnlyFans and beyond. She often uses the millions she earns a month towards investments and projects. This includes Activision Blizzard. Last year, Amouranth told fans that she was going …
MrBeast loses millions on latest YouTube video
Olivia Richman
Twitch
YouTuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson is known for his extravagant videos and his sizeable net worth. But he shocked fans when he revealed exactly how much he earns from ad revenue on YouTube. MrBeast has recently created a ton of high-production videos that have cost him millions, including recreating Squid Games and, most recently, crashing trains and other vehicles to do some of the most “insane experiments of all time.” The …
Kai Cenat reveals plans after streaming, leaving fans shocked
Olivia Richman
Twitch
Kai Cenat recently discussed his career plans after streaming, and some fans may be surprised. Cenat has become one of the largest streamers on Twitch. He beat all types of subscriber records after his controversial subathon and has gone on to keep making comedy and IRL content for viewers. Despite his massive success, Cenat is already looking at possibilities for life after streaming. The boisterous streamer recently appeared on the …
Hershey’s might be threatened by MrBeast Festables chocolate
Olivia Richman
Twitch
Hershey’s may be threatened by Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson’s Feastables chocolate bar line. MrBeast is known for his massive presence on YouTube, where he creates larger-than-life videos that change lives. But he has also used his giant net worth for a variety of other endeavors, including his fast food restaurant and Feastables chocolate bars. While MrBeast has since announced that he’s probably moving away from his burger business, it seems like …
PewDiePie and Marzia announce the birth of their first child
Olivia Richman
Twitch
YouTuber Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg is now officially a father. PewDiePie and wife Marzia welcomed a baby boy earlier today. He posted pictures of his newborn son on Instagram after sharing updates throughout her pregnancy. When the due date became closer, PewDiePie took a break from posting on YouTube. The famous YouTuber first revealed the pregnancy in February 2023. In the video, PewDiePie told fans he had been “keeping a secret” …
“Constant state of paranoia”: Dream on return of the mask
Olivia Richman
Twitch
Minecraft streamer Dream recently took back his infamous face reveal and is now donning the mask again. But in a recent interview, Dream said he doesn’t regret showing the world his face. Dream is known for his Minecraft speed runs (as well as cheating allegations) but he is just as well known for his smiley face mask. In the fall of 2022 after much teasing, Dream finally showed the world …
YouTube star RiceGum signs with Rumble over Kick
Fariha Bhatti
Twitch
YouTuber star Bryan “RiceGum” Quang Le has found a home at Rumble, meaning the rapper is formally entering the world of live streaming. RiceGum is primarily known for his beef and controversies with other creators, often leading to viral diss tracks. The unforgettable Jake Paul vs. RiceGum drama birthed many iconic diss tracks that fans still obsess over. Now, the YouTuber is switching lanes, entering the streaming world with a …
Twitch is the largest of all the major livestreaming platforms in and around the gaming world, but it wasn’t always that way. Th platform’s history dates back over many years and to a form of the service that had little to do with gaming. So how did it arrive to the top of the gaming marketplace from those humble beginnings?
Twitch transcends justin.tv, is acquired by Amazon
Twitch was originally born out of justin.tv, an early livestreaming website that focus more on general lifestyle streaming than on any one particular niche, gaming included. justin.tv, named after co-founder Justin Kan, was launched in 2007 and went on to feature multiple categories of streaming options. Among these was gaming, a category which quickly outpaced the growth of platform’s other categories.
Responding to this growth, justin.tv spun out its gaming section in 2011 into a new service called Twitch.tv, and that is the true starting point of Twitch as it exists today.
It would still be some time before Twitch would resemble its modern-day operation. The biggest move towards that progression came in 2014, when the streaming platform was purchased for just shy of $1 billion in cash by services and technology giant Amazon. That move transitioned the company being a private operation largely funded by private investment and internal revenues to one of many arms of one of the world’s largest and richest companies.
Twitch dominates gaming livestreaming
The growth of Twitch largely coincided with the growth of livestreaming the world over, and gaming was a key driver of that growth as audiences flocked in droves to watch charismatic personalities play through their favorite games both new and old. Some of those personalities would become so popular that they would rival mainstream celebrities in notoriety with younger audiences, from Tyler “Ninja” Blevins to Imane “Pokimane” Anys.
Some of those personalities would be poached by rival streaming platforms that cropped up in response to the runaway popularity of Twitch. Microsoft’s Mixer and YouTube’s YouTube Gaming both signed streamers with massive audiences to exclusive streaming deals via big-money contracts. But Twitch proved resilient; no matter how popular the streamers were when they were signed away, someone else seemed prime to fill their spot. Twitch had become more than just a vehicle through which popular personalities could stream. It was itself a destination for its audience.
Twitch does still continue to compete with rival platforms. Kick is perhaps its biggest competition today, offering generous
subscription revenue splits
in an effort to sway streamers away from Twitch. But Amazon’s platform remains the most popular.
Twitch finds controversy over moderation, censorship
Given the nature of the Twitch platform, one that is entirely reliant on user-generated content, it should come as no surprise that moderation and censorship have long been hot topics of conversation. Consistency, or lack thereof, is often cited as Twitch’s biggest issue as its moderation team struggles to pass judgments across a litany of streamers producing a great variety of content.
Those content types have only grown over time. While Twitch found massive popularity by moving away from the greater variety of justin.tv and focusing specifically on gaming, the platform has ironically pushed back into other categories in more recent years, attempting to find additional growth by emphasizing the streaming of art, music, and its popular “just chatting” content that sees streamers talking directly to their audience without any particular activity driving their engagement.
But while Twitch is now a lightning rod for controversy and discussion given its great size and breadth, that controversy has shown no real risk to lessening its grip on the livestreaming industry. Twitch has become the dominant name in its category, and with its biggest streamers continuing to
set new records, all signs point to that dominance continuing for the foreseeable future.
