Twitch finally has 2019 in their rear-view mirror, pressing onward into a more hopeful 2020. January has already come and gone – and as the story goes – it was not a perfect month for the streaming platform (nor its content creators.) However, aside from dealing with loss and scandals that darkened the month, there still seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Twitch, as long as their priorities continue to stay straight.
Dealing With Loss
Unfortunately, a few surprising deaths dampened spirits on the streaming platform this January. One of the platform’s most beloved and kindest streaming couples – Alec Ludford and his fiancee, Stephanie – have been streaming their time together, often at the hospital during Stephanie’s treatments. Their positive attitude and humor in the face of her diagnosis (chronic myelogenous leukemi) have been universally respected by colleagues and viewers alike. Sadly, Stephanie lost her battle with cancer this month, prompting the Twitch community to rise up in support of Alec and those close to the couple.
The widest-reaching loss this month was that of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. The pair’s unexpected passing affected millions across the world, Twitch’s community no exception. Many streamers took to paying tribute to the NBA legend in their own ways – whether it be through humor or honest reflection.
Competition Heating Up
Twitch also experienced a continued bleed-out in their content creator category, losing stars LazarBeam, Muselk and Valkyrae to exclusive streaming deals with YouTube Gaming. The streaming personalities were known for bringing popular Fortnite content to Twitch, but now the company will have to cut their losses and move on without the trio.
Additionally, Mixer has continued to slowly gain traction in the streaming scene. Twitch still has a significant leg up on the Microsoft-owned counterpart, but their acquisition of Shroud and Ninja has been nothing to scoff at. Ninja is a force to be reckoned with on his own, recently acquiring his very own in-game Fortnite skin. Not only is Mixer securing personalities that were born and bred on Twitch, but they have also recently outdone themselves with an impressive showing at PAX South this January – showing their intention to continue making moves in 2020.
New Scandals
As per usual, Twitch has continued to deal with the seemingly endless and unavoidable scandals that arise from its creators. Perhaps most shockingly, veteran Twitch partner Jenna was recently unpartnered following a leaked set of private messages. In the chatlog, Jenna used a copious amount of offensive and racist language, essentially checking off every no-no in the book.
In the category of bans we have Shybear’s 3-day ban over a hardly harmful butt sketch, ZexRow’s one week ban for “self-harm,” and Onison’s one week ban after his abuse allegations came to light. Other minor incidents on Twitch included Amouranth’s public rebuke for her outfit and NickEh30’s cheating in Fortnite during Twitch’s Streamer Bowl Charity Tournament.
Not all streaming scandals occurred on Twitch this month, however, as Jaystation received a massive wave of criticism following the outing of the classless lie about his girlfriend’s death. The YouTuber decided it would be a good idea to monetize a fake story about his girlfriend’s death, despite her being completely fine. Also, Lia Marie Johnson’s disturbing streaming patterns continued on Instagram, this time revealing the creepy behavior of her music producer, Steven Wetherbee.
The Usual Dose Of Drama
Of course, what would Twitch be without its stories of lighthearted and relatively inconsequential drama? First up, there was the Fortnite player who randomly matched with Pokimane, one of the most popular female creators on Twitch. When the player’s girlfriend found out he was playing with the intimidating celeb, she was less than enthusiastic.
There was also the viral clip of streamer BadBunny’s entitlement-riddled rant about how she deserved more subs and donations for streaming. Needless to say, she was relentlessly mocked by colleagues and Twitch viewers alike. Dr Disrespect may have had the most creative parody of the streamer’s ridiculous demands.
Collaboration, Charity, & Esports
Lastly, there are all of the things that Twitch is doing correctly, which often gets overshadowed. Twitch’s emphasis on community, encouragement for creator collaboration, and monopoly on most esports events coverage each play a vital role in keeping the company at the top. For instance, this January saw a hilarious collaboration between Andy Milonakis and HAchubby, coverage of Fortnite’s debut of “Liferun” at PAX South, and streamed the most well-received AGDQ yet.
On top of all of these elements, Twitch’s creators continue to show their care for those in need. This month, Trainwrecks raised over $40,000 for the fires in Australia, with Lachlan and Ninja also contributing greatly to the cause.
Overall, Twitch went through another spastic month but seems to be putting out fires quicker than before. Although January experienced a lot of soul-crushing events, many were simply out of the hands of anyone. If the company can continue to support its creators and community and capitalize further on what they already do well, Twitch may enjoy a very successful 2020 despite increased competition.
