One of the most popular Twitch streamers decided she wasn’t interested in it. After a month-long hiatus, Imane “Pokimane” Anys stated that she would stream less on Twitch and instead focus on non-gaming content on other social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and TikTok. She said that she feels like other platforms are more in line with my current lifestyle.
The streamer, 26, who began streaming League of Legends in 2013, said she had lost her love for Twitch. She said, “I hope it doesn’t sound big-headed, but these days when I see things online, it kinda feels as if ‘been there and done that.’
“Streamers are under immense pressure to keep up with every trend to maximize viewership and stream for longer periods …” Pokimane said. It’s a highly competitive industry. But, ultimately, I say it because I am at a point where it doesn’t feel creatively satisfying to feed into this anymore.
Although it is unclear how her 9.2-million-follower streamer will be affected by her new schedule with Twitch, likely, she will not suffer any significant financial loss. Pokimane, who co-founded successful creator collective OfflineTV and is the chief creative officer for the company that owns the EVO fighting game tournament, was financially able to decline a sponsorship deal worth $3 million in 2020.
Pokimane wants Twitch to be “a part of my arsenal”, but she wants to avoid the “pressures” of being a full-time streamer. She said that she didn’t want to wake up and run to the computer to play for eight hours. This sentiment is similar to comments made by other career Twitch streamers, who also spoke of their difficulties when moving to other platforms.
Twitch recently removed the ban on streaming YouTube and TikTok to Twitch streamers partnered with the platform. This may acknowledge that creators need to use multiple platforms to succeed. Data leaked from Twitch’s internal records show that only 0.015% earn a living wage.
Twitch’s most-watched streamers often take breaks due to burnout or waning passion. Pokimane is lucky to be able to stop streaming full-time without losing her audience. But the grind will continue for millions of people who want to achieve even a fraction of her success and make Twitch a meaningful job.
