Iconic streamer Ninja has shifted his allegiance from Twitch to the emerging platform, Kick. This move is noteworthy given Ninja’s exceptional reputation in the streaming landscape, despite several well-known streamers exploring Kick in recent months.
Richard Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has achieved unparalleled recognition amongst streamers in the past ten years. Initially making his name as an Esports professional, Ninja’s meteoric rise came through Fortnite where he was consistently getting over 100,000 viewers per stream every day. In-turn shattering multiple Twitch records along the way. While his current status might not match his peak popularity, Ninja maintains a significant follower base that appreciates his content. A noteworthy development recently took place when Ninja disclosed his intention to broadcast on a fresh platform.
Ninja’s Surprise Announcement: The Move to Kick
On June 9th, Ninja officially announced his switch to Kick via Twitter, stating, “Live on Kick and YouTube today”. Intriguingly, this announcement followed an almost hour-long Twitch livestream on the same day. This carried on from previous days where he was live-streaming on YouTube and telling his viewers how he’s not partnered with Twitch, so he can either stay on there and make no money, or multicast on loads of platforms and make a living.
This decision was a no-brainer! Twitch had forced his hand and the relationship between the two seems to be tainted and over for good. Despite past broadcasts on various platforms, this was Ninja’s inaugural Kick stream. Notwithstanding one apparent disruption, the stream seemed to proceed smoothly, with Ninja exploring Fortnite’s new season. Kick’s official Twitter account soon acknowledged the move, declaring, “Big Moves.”
Ninja’s migration to Kick might not surprise a segment of his fanbase, given his prior endorsement of the platform’s potential for success. Furthermore, Twitch’s recent attempt to modify advertising rules during streams ended up motivating Ninja, who had already expressed dissatisfaction with the Amazon-owned company, to broadcast elsewhere. It’s worth noting that Twitch has subsequently retracted these proposed rule changes. Nonetheless, Twitch’s recent contentious actions appear to have driven certain streamers, including Ninja, to seek alternative streaming platforms.
Fan Reactions to Ninja’s Streaming Platform Switch
Ninja’s announcement that he would be streaming on Kick received quick reactions from fans on Twitter. With over 7,700 likes as of this writing, his move to the competing platform has been met with widespread approval. Some users welcomed Ninja to Kick, whilst others voiced their dissatisfaction with Twitch’s recent policy decisions.
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It remains to be seen how Ninja’s choice to begin streaming on Kick will play out in the upcoming weeks. While the frequency of his appearances on the platform is unclear, his presence could certainly bolster Kick, a substitute competitor to Twitch. Kick has already reported a substantial surge in viewership for the first half of 2023. Whether Ninja’s decision to join the platform prompts more content creators to explore Kick as a streaming platform in the future remains to be seen.
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Stephen is the proud owner of a popular gaming news website GLN, where he provides the latest updates on everything gaming-related. With a passion for video games that dates back to his childhood, Stephen is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with fellow gamers around the world.