Do you want to make money while doing what you love the most? You can do that now. You can make a living by playing video games, for example. And all you need is a Twitch account to do that.
Twitch is a social media platform focused on live streaming. There are a lot of content types you can stream on Twitch. But one of – if not the – most lucrative options is streaming video games. It is practically the Mecca for gaming. Whether you want to watch other people play Minecraft, Among Us, Call of Duty, or any other game, Twitch is the place to visit.
Because of that promise, many people have flocked to Twitch to start their streaming careers. And the most successful ones have garnered over a million followers. New creators come to the account and get themselves started with a nice boost of new Twitch followers for an increased chance of success.
The combination of that follower count and Twitch’s monetization program allows these people to make ends meet.
But what happens when the platform kicks them out? How would one react? We can look at Dr. Disrespect’s story to paint a picture.
Dr. Disrespect
Herschel “Guy” Beahm IV is an American video game streamer. He is better known by his online alias, Dr. Disrespect.
Dr. Disrespect joined Twitch when he was working as the community manager for Sledgehammer Games. Back then, Twitch was still called “Justin.tv.” He then resigned from Sledgehammer Games to focus on his live streaming career.
Dr. Disrespect gained a huge following by playing Battle Royale games. He started with H1Z1, then moved to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Then, he switched to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Dr. Disrespect took a break from streaming to tend to his relationship with his wife. And then he went back on February 5, 2018. That stream peaked at 388,000 concurrent viewers, just shy of beating Tyler1’s record of 410,000.
Dr. Disrespect’s popularity has led to sponsorship deals with Gillette, ASUS, Roccat, and Game Fuel. Also, Creative Artists Agency signed Dr. Disrespect as a client. Then, in March 2020, Dr. Disrespect signed a multi-year deal with Twitch.
Dr. Disrespect had over 4 million subscribers on Twitch.
Twitch Bans Dr. Disrespect
Just months after Dr. Disrespect signed a deal with Twitch, the platform kicked him out. Twitter user StreamerBans made the ban known to the public. The reason behind the ban is still unknown. But Dr. Disrespect was indeed banned.
The PC Gamer reached out to Twitch to know the rationale behind the high-profile streamer’s exile. But the platform refused to provide a reason. Instead, it wrote that they take appropriate action when there’s evidence that a streamer has violated Twitch’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. Twitch says that this process applies to all content creators regardless of status or prominence.
Later that year, it was revealed that Dr. Disrepect’s ban from Twitch was permanent. Streamers ShannonZkiller and Kotaku confirmed that on Twitter.
The former even said that she knows the reason why Dr. Disrespect was banned. However, she wrote that she did not have permission to say it. “But this is big,” she said in the tweet.
Later on, ShnnonZkiller removed the tweet after people accused her of clout-chasing. They were tired of hearing about the ban without getting explanations.
Dr. Disrespect turned to Twitter to announce that Twitch has also not told him why he got banned.
Dr. Disrespect Sues Twitch
Following the news about Dr. Disrespect getting banned on Twitch was a deafening silence. For over a year, no updates on the case came out.
Then last year, the popular streamer announced that he was suing Twitch.
After the ban, the streamer went to YouTube – his other best option. There he gained over 3.5 million subscribers. That is almost as many as his Twitch subscribers.
In a video he posted on the Google-owned platform, he claimed that he was suing the company. Also, Dr. Disrespect revealed that he now knows the reasoning behind the ban.
He said in the video that he only makes a quarter of what he did while on Twitch. And that’s not the only thing the ban caused him. It also affected him from a networking standpoint. Possible sponsors and partners are wary of making a deal with him. They first ask, “Why did you get banned?” And that was not pleasant.
People are still in the dark, though, much to their disappointment. Dr. Disrespect also did not reveal why he was banned.
Dr. Disrespect Settles His Lawsuit With Twitch
A year after Twitch banned Dr. Disrespect, he sued the company. And half a year later, the issue was settled. The streamer posted on Twitter a photo about it. The caption read, “Moving on.” The photo showed a paper with text and the streamer’s signature. It said, “I have resolved my legal dispute with Twitch. No party admits to any wrongdoing.”
Twitch said the same thing. “Dr. Disrespect and Twitch have resolved their legal dispute,” Twitch’s email to PC Gamer said. That was followed by the similarly-worded “No party admits to any wrongdoing.”
So, the issue is now water under the bridge. But still, no one except them and a few know what really happened. So, we cannot say who was on the wrong and who was on the right. Therefore, anyone interested in this issue should also let it go.
But does this mean Dr. Disrespect will be coming back to Twitch? The streamer addressed that in the replies to his tweet. “The doctor will not return to Twitch,” he wrote.
He may not be making as much on YouTube, but at least he can stream there without trouble. So, you can see where he is coming from.
Critics may not let this go as easily, though. Transparency is important to social media platforms followers. It is not as controversial as Twitter or YouTube banning or suspending Donald Trump. But still, the people deserve an explanation.
That will help the content creators avoid actions that could lead them to the same fate.