Ninja Contemplates Leaving Twitch After Contract Ends Due to New TOS
Ritika
Prominent streamer, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, has hinted at a potential departure from streaming platform Twitch once his existing contract concludes. This comes in the wake of a new Terms of Service (TOS) update from the platform that prohibits multi-casting on other platforms.
In a series of tweets, Ninja shared his disapproval of Twitch's new policy, stating that it only hurts the platform and the creators. This change to the TOS means that streamers, including both partners and affiliates, can no longer multi-stream on other platforms while using Twitch. Failure to adhere to this policy could lead to the suspension of the user's account due to policy violations.
For the record I have a couple of streams scheduled on Twitch, due to a contract I signed previous to the new TOS. Those streams will continue to go live until the contract ends and the State Farm show ends.
— Ninja (@Ninja) June 13, 2023
"For the record I have a couple of streams scheduled on Twitch, due to a contract I signed previous to the new TOS. Those streams will continue to go live until the contract ends and the State Farm show ends," Ninja tweeted. Gaming journalist Jake Lucky responded to this tweet, asking Ninja if he planned to leave Twitch after his contract ends, to which he cryptically replied, "We will see."
We will see. https://t.co/3RdCsY3JoC
— Ninja (@Ninja) June 13, 2023
While the change in policy appears to be the primary reason behind Ninja's potential departure, it should be noted that the streamer had previously announced he was no longer a Twitch partner or affiliate, and had plans to stream on multiple platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Reminder that twitch not allowing multi-casting (not only for me but all people including partners and affiliates) only hurts their platform and the creators on their site.
— Ninja (@Ninja) June 12, 2023
Exclusive contracts are different of course and should be handled on a base to base, but overall it’s…
"Reminder that twitch not allowing multi-casting (not only for me but all people including partners and affiliates) only hurts their platform and the creators on their site," Ninja added in a tweet. He further pointed out that while exclusive contracts should be handled on a case-by-case basis, the power should ultimately return to the creators.
After the policy changes Ninja recently also started streaming on Kick. It was not his best experience but he averaged about 5k live viewers.
Ninja's potential exit from Twitch could trigger a significant shift in the streaming industry, especially given his extensive influence and large follower base. With the new policy changes and possible repercussions for creators, Twitch may need to reconsider its strategy to avoid a potential exodus of talent.
The developments and Ninja's final decision remain to be seen.