Gaming streamers are becoming the new entertainment superstars. This means that just as television networks and movie production companies do battle to sign the best talent, streaming platforms have begun to do exactly the same, fighting to have marquee streaming names on their websites and apps.
This process really heated up in the summer of 2019 when the biggest streamer of them all, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, decided to sign with Microsoft owned Mixer, for whom he know streams content exclusively.
A rash of similar moves followed suit and have not let up, with multiple streaming platforms getting in on the act.
In this crazy and unpredictable world of one-man-band-entertainers, there are new controversies and scandals unravelling on an almost daily basis, with many leading to top streamers jumping ship.
In this article we look at the high profile moves streamers have made from market leader Twitch, to the likes of Mixer, YouTube and Gosu Gamers.
Ninja Followed by Shroud
We have of course already mentioned Ninja’s defection from Twitch to the rival platform Mixer, but following close behind is one of the most respected gaming streamers Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek, who is seen by many as a fountain of knowledge when it comes to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
With the lure of being able to give more input as to how the streaming platform operated, and how his contract was drawn up, Shroud followed the same path as his pal Blevins, with both now only streaming their content on Mixer, or Facebook Gaming as it is now known.
Which Other Big Names Could Be Next?
With Ninja and Shroud gone, and plenty of others too, you would think that Twitch would be struggling, but that is far from the case, with the platform still outperforming its rivals in almost every way.
One eSport or online game that is streamed almost exclusively on Twitch is that of poker, with many of the world’s biggest online crushers streaming high stakes tournaments live, often garnering sponsorship deals from online gaming sites in the process.
In 2020, poker has as a streaming category been flying up the charts on Twitch and some of its biggest names may well begin to be courted by the likes of Mixer. Lex Veldhuis is one such player, because his channel has become the biggest for a solo streamer of the game. We will watch this space to see if leading figures in the game such as Veldhuis are tempted elsewhere.
Jack “CouRage” Dunlop Goes a Different Route
While most high-profile defections have been made from Twitch to Mixer, there are other routes opening up all the time as well, with one of these being to YouTube Gaming.
One of the first to do this was Jack “CouRage” Dunlop whose large following was developed during his days as an eSports commentator for tournaments like the FIFA 20 Global Series.
While most streaming platforms tend to opt for silently going about their business, upon signing Dunlop the YouTube team made a public announcement that was tantamount to a statement of intent; that they wanted a much larger piece of the games streaming pie. It remains to be seen if they have what it takes to snatch it from their main Amazon-owned rival.
DrDisRespect Suffers Acrimonious Split with Twitch, But Has Never Looked So Good
The most recent big news to come out of the online streaming realm is that the two-time Blockbuster video gaming champion DrDisRespect, without warning, was booted from the Twitch platform.
According to the mullet wearing Adonis no reason has ever been provided for this knee-jerk reaction, although some commentators suspect it is part of some kind of unspoken three strike rule, with the Doc previously having fallen foul of certain content creator regulations on the platform.
After a period of deep self-reflection, the Doctor decided to return on YouTube, going back to his roots. He now spends his time building his VIP club (The Champions Club) and can be found playing everything from FIFA to Fall Guys, although he specialises in Call of Duty.