Twitch
Twitch
How X is seemingly reshaping monetization to focus on livestreaming
Khizar Mundia
X Head of Product, Nikita Bier, has recently been pushing creators to multistream, and new reports suggest the platform will rework monetization for original livestream content. The recent drama in the streaming space surprisingly involved IRL YouTuber Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkin Jr. and Nikita Bier. iShowSpeed requested X not to remove its community, but this led to Bier apparently talking down to the streamer, and it became a whole controversy. Nikita …
League of Legends
Jynxzi gets LoL ban, Riot steps in and gives him free creator account
Khizar Mundia
In a surprising turn of events, massively popular streamer Nicholas ”Jynxzi” Stewart faced a League of Legends ban, but Riot Games responded by giving him a creator account. Here’s why Jynxzi was banned in the first place and why Riot decided to show leniency and give him a free account. Jynxzi started his content creation journey in 2019, with a handful of viewers. The streamer consistently created unique content, slowly …
Twitch
Polish streamer Łatwogang breaks MrBeast’s record with charity livestream
Khizar Mundia
Patryk “Łatwogang” Garkowski recently broadcast a nine-day stream that peaked at approximately 1.5 million viewers, and set the record for the largest charity livestream ever. Łatwogang is a popular Polish streamer known for his viral challenges and collaborations with celebrities, which have earned him a loyal following. The streamer typically produces content that engages his fans while also having the chance of going viral. He primarily uses YouTube for his …
Twitch
Nikita Bier pushes creators to use X streaming after facing backlash
Khizar Mundia
X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, was in the news recently because of the hate he received for apparently talking down Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., and he is now in the limelight again for trying to convince streamers to multistream on X. Social platform X recently announced that it was shutting down its community feature. iShowSpeed was one of the first to react, stating that X community is how he …
Twitch
ExtraEmily announces break from streaming — here’s why
Khizar Mundia
Popular streamer Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang has announced that she is taking a break from streaming following viewbotting allegations. ExtraEmily began content creation with IRL, JustChatting, and gaming streams, quickly gaining attention and she was also associated with the content organization One True King for some time. While she eventually left the organization, ExtraEmily continued solo content creation and has maintained a consistent viewer base that regularly watches her streams. ExtraEmily …
Twitch
Ludwig announces CS Minor tournament — here are the full details
Khizar Mundia
Ludwig Ahgren is back with another event, and this time, he is hosting the CS Minor tournament, where fans will see some familiar esports personalities and other creators. The American streamer, caster, and host is famous for the events and other collaborative gatherings he holds. Ludwig’s last event that went viral for all the wrong reasons was Mogul Moves, where Super Smash Bros. Melee player Joseph “Mang0” Marquez had too …
Twitch
Here’s what we know about iShowSpeed’s Caribbean Tour
Khizar Mundia
Popular IRL YouTuber Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. is on the move again, and this time it’s a tour of the Caribbean. iShowSpeed is massively popular because of contagiously high-energy broadcasts, which helped him become the most-subscribed streamer in the world in 2025. He focuses heavily on IRL streamers, but unlike many IRL streamers, iShowSpeed travels the world. This helps him engage with different cultures and showcases everything to his viewers. …
Twitch
How much money did the Sidemen raise in the 2026 charity match, and did iShowSpeed play?
Khizar Mundia
The Sidemen had a successful 2026 Charity Match and raised significant money, but many fans were more worried about whether Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins would make an appearance on the pitch. The Sidemen is one of the most popular content creation organizations, and it holds an annual Charity Match that many creators participate in. All proceeds are given to charity organizations, and fans pour their support yearly. This year, fans were …
Who is MAUSchine? The player who struck an opponent at CAGGTUS Leipzig LAN
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
A local German Counter-Strike 2 LAN tournament turned ugly after semi-pro player MAUSchine struck his his opponent on camera, casting a shadow over what should have been a celebration of grassroots competition. CAGGTUS is Leipzig’s premier gaming festival, bringing together esports fans since 2023. While primarily rooted in the local German scene, the event is making headlines worldwide for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the CS2 LAN …
Asmongold’s estimated net worth as IRS bill surfaces on stream
Khizar Mundia
Kick
The former OTK streamer Zach “Asmongold” Hoyt surprised his viewers when he received a certified IRS notice during a recent livestream, and this has started a discussion on the creator’s potential net worth. Asmongold has been streaming on Kick, Twitch, and YouTube, his multistreaming ensuring he gets the best of all three major platforms. The content creator has shared his high Kick earnings several times, which is why viewers were …
Here is how to play the Content King game
Ben Boland
Casino Streamers
Content King has become one of the must-play games to try if you are a Windows PC owner. The unusual content-creator dynamic has proven to be a smash hit both with players and with streamers, some of whom canvassed to have their own voices and likenesses used in the game. The game has earned a myriad of positive reviews from players on the Steam platform since it was released by …
QTCinderella announces Streamer Awards 2026 — here’s what to expect
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
Blaire “QTCinderella” has revealed in a stream when The Streamer Awards 2026 will take place, with further details around the event now public. The Streamer Awards are always a highly-anticipated event, which is attended by some of the top content creators. There are numerous categories that various streamers are nominated for, and Kai Cenat set the record for winning the most awards in multiple categories in 2025. QTCinderella founded the …
ExtraEmily accused of viewbotting, Mizkif brings receipts
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang has come under fire for apparently leaking that she is viewbotting, and Matthew “Mizkif” Rinaudo has also weighed in on the situation, claiming he has proof. Viewbotting has become a huge issue in the streaming industry, with creators inflating their views to gain more notoriety and views, potentially leading to higher payouts. The bots aren’t always used by streamers, and bad actors can also abuse them to …
Sykkuno responds to cheating allegations, announces streaming break
Fariha Bhatti
Twitch
Twitch streamer Sykkuno has broken his silence after fellow content creator HemoMalVT published a detailed public document last week alleging that he engaged in a years-long pattern of manipulation, and infidelity toward multiple women in the community. On April 16, HemoMalVT came forward with a detailed document accusing Sykkuno of manipulating multiple women into romantic and sexual relationships while concealing the fact that he had been in a committed relationship …
xQc and Pokimane caught in Sykkuno allegation drama
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
There seems to be a new drama in the streaming scene every other day, and this time it’s Felix “xQc” Lengyel and Imane “Pokimane” Anys feuding because of the allegations leveled against Sykkuno. The streaming industry thrives on constant drama and controversies, as these elements are a good way to farm engagement and increase popularity. While some feuds are light-hearted, others are more serious. The allegations against American streamer Thomas …
Here’s everything about the 67 challenge — including best streamer times
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
The 67 challenge is the latest rage among streamers, and we can now reveal the top scores by some of the most popular content creators. Streamers are always trying to go viral, and what better way to do that than by taking part in something that is already trending? The 67 challenge is relatively new, but it gained substantial notoriety, and several content creators tried the challenge. Content creators have previously …
Johnny Somali’s case ends with streamer being found guilty
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
Ramsey “Johnny Somali” Khalid Ismael has been involved in a legal battle in South Korea for years, and he has now been found guilty of multiple offenses. Johnny Somali is an IRL streamer who is infamous for being more of a nuisance than a content creator. He has butted heads with the public and authorities of multiple countries, including Japan and Thailand. He has done everything from playing racist songs …
Ethan Klein sues Noah Samsen, here’s what we know
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
H3 Podcast streamer Ethan Klein is back with another lawsuit, and this time, he’s suing Noah Samsen for defamation. Ethan Klein is a veteran content creator who has amassed a large fan following. The streamer’s H3 Podcast is where he broadcasts his political content, which has led to him butting heads with other creators. He has even had to sue some of them because of how bad the situations got. …
Khanada gets a massive 8,000x max win on Juicy Fruit Multihold
Hannan Mundia
Big Wins
The Twitch streamer and professional Fortnite player Khanada couldn’t sit still when he got the max win when playing the Juicy Fruit Multihold slot. The online gambling space isn’t just limited to dedicated gambling streamers anymore. Instead, all sorts of streamers like to dabble in it, hoping to get some viral clips while potentially making money on the side. This is the case with the Khanada, the professional Fortnite player …
IShowSpeed is getting his own anime series — here’s what we know
Khizar Mundia
Twitch
Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins is arguably YouTube’s biggest and most recognized streamer, and he is now expanding his brand with an anime series. IShowSpeed is known for his energetic streaming style and IRL content, where he visits various countries and interacts with fans. The content creator became the most subscribed streamer in the world in 2025 and was also crowned Streamer of the Year at The Streamer Awards 2025. The American’s …
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.
