One of the most popular streamers on Twitch, Pokimane announced today that she will be leaving the platform. It's unclear whether she's quitting content creation entirely or moving away from Twitch to other platforms. "Twitch has been my home for ten years," Pokimane wrote on X, "but now it's time to say thank you for all the memories and love in League, Fortnite, and the days between us."
In 2021, when Twitch streamer payment data was leaked, Bojman, whose real name is Imane Anys, was the highest-paid female streamer on the platform. When she left Twitch, she had 9.3 million followers, making her the tenth most followed user. In a male-dominated gaming culture, Pokimane was one of the first women of color to make a name for herself on Twitch, and her impact is clear.
"What an incredible journey this has been!" Twitch's X account responded to Pokimane's statement. "We are so proud of your achievements and future growth. Twitch will always be your home, Poki."
Over the past few years, many top streamers have left Twitch for exclusive deals with other platforms, such as YouTube or the newer Kick. Kick provides creators with 95% of subscription revenue, which is a big increase from Twitch’s 50-50 split bottom line; streamers in Twitch’s PartnerPlus program can get a 70-30 split.
Twitch is in a tumultuous period. The Amazon-owned platform has carried out multiple rounds of layoffs over the last year as it struggles to become profitable - in 2024 alone, Twitch laid off 500 people, accounting for 35% of its workforce. The company shut down its service in South Korea, one of the world's largest esports markets, and sowed discord within its community over a confusing and ever-changing pay structure.
While Kick offers creators a better revenue share, Kick is notoriously lax when it comes to content moderation, and it has become the new home for some streamers who have been banned from Twitch. One of them is Adin Ross, who uses Kick to stream pornographic content and provide a platform for self-proclaimed neo-Nazis. Some streamers are also turning to Kick because it allows gambling content, which Twitch banned last year.
Pokimane is unlikely to bring her talents to Kick, though. In June, she said in a stream that profiting from Kick would compromise her "morals and ethics."
Maybe it's time for Pokimane to leave the internet. Recently, a number of high-profile YouTube creators, such as MatPat and Tom Scott, have announced their retirement, sparking discussions about how creators decide when it's time to continue creating.
With no further news from her at this time, it's hard to know what's next for Pokimane, but her departure from Twitch is another monumental moment for the struggling platform.