One of the most popular streamers in the world, Pokimane, has announced that she is leaving Twitch, the platform where she built her gaming career.
The news came as a shock to many fans and fellow streamers, who wondered what motivated her decision. Pokimane explained her reasons in detail on her podcast don’t tell anyone with pokimane, where she revealed her plans for the future.
Who is Pokimane?
Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys, is a Moroccan-Canadian streamer who has been streaming on Twitch for over six years. She has amassed a huge following of over 8 million subscribers on the platform, making her one of the most successful female streamers ever. She is known for her variety of content, ranging from gaming to chatting to reacting to videos.
ALSO READ| Pokimane says goodbye to Twitch after a decade of streaming
However, Pokimane has decided to end her exclusive contract with Twitch, which means she can now stream on other platforms as well. She said that she wants to try new things and expand her horizons beyond streaming. She also said that she is excited to collaborate with other creators on different platforms.
Why Pokimane left Twitch?
“I’ll just be spreading myself out a little bit and I am so excited to, for the first time ever, stream on YouTube, stream on TikTok, stream on Instagram,” she said.
“I could literally sit on Instagram and talk sh** for an hour now and I’ve never been able to do that before.”
She also announced that her first YouTube stream with other streamers will take place on February 1, 12pm PST (February 2, 3am Thailand time).
Pokimane also opened up about her frustrations with Twitch and the streaming community in general. She said that she feels that the streaming culture has “regressed” and that there is a lot of toxicity and negativity online. She said that she noticed a difference between the pandemic period, when more people were watching streams and interacting with different communities, and the current situation, when there is a “rise of so much manosphere red pill bullsh**” that caters to the male-dominated audience of streaming.
She also criticized Twitch as a company, saying that they are “really, really, really messy” in how they handle things. She gave an example of how they changed their policy on “artistic nudity” several times, causing confusion and controversy among streamers. She also said that she feels that Amazon, which owns Twitch, is not doing enough to support the “general infrastructure” and “PR” of Twitch.
ALSO READ| DCU announces TWO mega productions going on floor in 2024, James Gunn says, ‘Superman legacy...’
The Canadian native said that she tried to “beg Twitch to do certain things and they wouldn’t. “I’m done with being emotionally invested in the changes this company is doing,” the streamer said.
Pokimane clarified that she is not quitting streaming altogether, but rather diversifying her content and platforms. She said that she still loves streaming and interacting with her fans, but she also wants to have more freedom and fun.
“I want to feel free to participate in whatever seems fun to me,” she said towards the end.
