2 Of The Top 4 YT Streamers Were Banned From Twitch
Twitch has consistently had viewers who complain about its terms of service over the years, especially when streamers feel like the platform uses double standards to justify punishing some streamers, but not others. Occasionally, Twitch has made an example of popular streamers. For streamers that get permanently banned from Twitch, their options are limited to a couple of different platforms.
For many, YouTube feels like the clear way to go. For the past couple of years, YouTube Gaming and Twitch have been locked in a battle for the ages, with streamers frequently reevaluating their platform of choice and making a switch via elaborate reveals and extravagant contracts.
Despite still hosting a number of high profile streamers, Twitch's viewership declined in 2022. One reason for that decline might be Twitch's own banned streamers. According to research from Stream Hatchet, two of the most-watched streamers on YouTube Gaming were once Twitch stars. Some of the YouTube Gaming stars are streamers that chose to defect from Twitch, like TimtheTatman and Ludwig, but for two gamers, their move was less of a choice. IShowSpeed and Dr Disrespect were both permanently banned from Twitch, and both managed to find a home on YouTube Gaming, building their fanbases stronger than ever before. So who are these streamers, and what makes them so popular?
IShowSpeed is the most watched YouTuber
There's no denying that IShowSpeed had a breakthrough year, gaining millions of subscribers and amassing an audience that enjoyed his high energy streams. IShowSpeed is controversial, to be sure. He came under fire from fans after being banned from "Valorant" in 2022. The streamer made sexist remarks to a female teammate and called another teammate names, resulting in a ban from the game. However, Speed said that the outburst wasn't indicative of his true character, and that he'd endured many racist remarks against himself that day, souring his mood and leading to the incident. A similar fit of disturbing comments earned him a ban from Twitch (via Yahoo Sports).
Of course, Speed just moved his antics to YouTube Gaming. Although he was permanently banned from Riot Games titles, many viewers want to watch IShowSpeed just to see what he'll do in real life. During a July stream, Speed set off "Pokémon"-themed fireworks in his room. The streamer mistakenly set off a firework that shot out a stream of sparks, nearly catching his house on fire. While the situation was horrifying, it apparently made for good content, and viewers took notice of Speed's unpredictable, impulsive behavior.
In August of 2022, Speed fell into hot water for scaring a child on stream when he wouldn't pay his side of a bet. Speed yelled at the kid until he began whimpering, promising to ask his parents for money to pay Speed for the wager. In a stream just days later, Speed was swatted while live, with police officers coming to find him at his home. The swatting incident was anything but clear, but it serves as another example of Speed's popularity and why people keep tuning in. It just goes to show that you never know what will happen during one of his streams.
Dr Disrespect also had a breakout year
Dr Disrespect isn't a new name in the streaming world, but he continues to build a fanbase and get viewers excited about whatever he's working on at the time. Dr Disrespect's journey has been anything but simple, and many thought that his career would be over when he was permanently banned from Twitch in 2020. However, the Doc found a home on YouTube, and he's been thriving there ever since. With over 4 million subscribers, the Two-Time champion is doing just fine on YouTube, but something's strange about his relationship with the platform.
On Twitter, the Doc slammed YouTube for being unsupportive. Though he didn't say it directly, Dr Disrespect seemed to be suggesting that he hasn't received an exclusive contract with YouTube, despite bringing in viewers and earning the platform a hefty sum of money. As of the end of 2022, the Doc hasn't been offered a contract with YouTube, and he's not happy about it. The creator has repeatedly tweeted about his displeasure with the company showing time and time again that fans love him and want to see him solidly tied to YouTube via a contract.
Perhaps ranking in the top streamers for YouTube will help the Doc's chances in securing that elusive contract. Interestingly, both IShowSpeed and Dr Disrespect have managed to thrive on YouTube Gaming after being banned from Twitch, demonstrating that persistence is key in maintaining a fanbase, no matter how long you've been in the game.