Twitch Is Finally Responding To Mixer's Moves
When it comes to retaining talent, Twitch hasn't shown much of an interest these past few months. In fact, you could say Twitch has been getting its clock cleaned by a number of competitors who've signed former Twitch stars to deals on their respective platforms. Tyler "Ninja" Blevins famously went to Mixer during the summer. Mike "Shroud" Grzesiek joined him a few months later. Jack "Courage" Dunlop found a new home over on YouTube. And Jeremy "Disguised Toast" Wang inked a contract with Facebook Gaming.
Now it seems Twitch has grown tired of seeing big-name streamers go elsewhere. In what appeared to be a coordinated release of videos on Twitter earlier today, three Twitch streamers — Lirik, DrLupo, and TimTheTatman — reaffirmed their commitment to Twitch and to the fan bases they've built there over the past several years.
These three streamers, at least, will not be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
We know Twitch was likely behind these videos today, and we know why the platform probably felt it had to send a message not only to its competitors, but to the streamers that currently remain. Twitch wants other services like Mixer, YouTube, and Facebook gaming to know that it's willing to throw some money at those it wants to keep. And as for those streamers still on Twitch? The platform wants to let them know a mass exodus is not taking place. Sure, a few big names left. But a number of big names are still sticking around.
Here's what those big names had to say about their decision to stay with Twitch.
Lirik remembers
Out of the three videos that popped up on Twitter, Lirik's was the shortest and the most direct. In it, he asked one simple question, "Do you remember where you were when these clips happened?"
Excited to continue my partnership with @Twitch pic.twitter.com/gU0BvvlKEL
— Lirik (@LIRIK) December 10, 2019
What followed was nearly two minutes of footage from Lirik's Twitch channel, showing him playing a variety of games — from UFC to Apex Legends to Red Dead Redemption 2. Afterward, Lirik summed it up by briefly answering his own question.
"I remember where I was. I was on Twitch — and that's where I'm staying."
Lirik got his start on Twitch back in 2011, according to Polygon. Now his fans will be able to continue enjoying his content in the same place they always have, without having to worry that the streamer will up and go for a better deal. Lirik — for as long as his deal lasts, at least — is streaming exclusively on Twitch.
DrLupo is securing the bag
DrLupo's video was less a rundown of past clips and more a stroll down memory lane with the man himself. He spoke about how important his community was to him; how some had been around before his son was born, and how they'd collectively come together to help raise money for those in need. And he thanked everyone for their support.
Then DrLupo pivoted to the future of his channel.
— DrLupo (@DrLupo) December 10, 2019
"What's next?" DrLupo asked. "Well, if I have my way, nothing but more of the same. Aggressively mediocre gameplay. Terrible jokes. And helping those in need in the most effective way that I possibly can. The best part is that I'm not gonna make it any harder for you, because I've officially re-signed with Twitch. Same platform, same channel, same me."
Lupo went on to explain that Twitch had the most viewed streaming hours of any other platform, which made sense from a fundraising perspective, as he could get the causes important to him in front of more people. But there was one other reason the streamer was convinced Twitch should remain his home.
"The second [reason], something that everyone is after: financial security for myself and my family," DrLupo said. 'Cause in the end, there's nothing wrong with trying to secure the bag. No shame in that."
TimTheTatman thought about it... and he's staying
Talk about a blast from the past. TimTheTatman's video started out by showing the streamer back in his earliest days; the days when he had much longer hair and a much shorter beard. Then came a minute of memorable moments from the streamer's time on Twitch, showcasing some of his more exciting (and loud) clips on the platform.
Finally, TimTheTatman addressed his fans and discussed where his career was headed.
I have an announcement... pic.twitter.com/2B9xhWdl7l
— timthetatman (@timthetatman) December 10, 2019
"I just want to say up front, without any of you, this would not have been possible. So thank you so much for all the support over all these years," TimTheTatman said. "Now, a lot of people have been talking about platform deals and this and that. Where is TimTheTatman gonna end up? After a lot of thought and a lot of consideration, I am happy to announce that I will be staying on Twitch.TV/TimTheTatman."
The streamer then backhanded a stuffed penguin as he screamed excitedly.
"You hear that, Kevin? We're not going anywhere!"