Amouranth's Move to Kick
Twitch, the Amazon-owned streaming service, has recently lost its most popular female streamer, Amouranth, to rival platform Kick. This move further amplifies the concerns raised by Twitch streamers about the platform's business model and potential for profitability.
Amouranth, also known as Kaitlyn Siragusa, was not only Twitch's most popular female streamer but also one of its top overall streamers. The unexpected transition away from Twitch occurred during her seventh anniversary as a streamer on June 2.
Amouranth abruptly went offline during her anniversary celebrations and reappeared shortly after streaming on Kick, indicating her switch to the rival platform. It remains unclear whether she signed an exclusive deal with Kick or made the transition independently.
Regardless, given her extended absence from Twitch and her exclusive streaming on Kick, it appears that she has become dedicated solely to the new platform. The exact details of her contract and whether she has violated any agreements with Twitch are also unknown. It's worth noting that her arrangement may differ from xQc's, who has permission to stream on other platforms.
Twitch's Flawed Business Model
In her announcement about leaving Twitch, Amouranth expressed her dissatisfaction with the platform's management, stating, "Twitch is a flawed business model. It will never be able to achieve profitability as long as it sticks to that model because it works if you get as big as YouTube." These comments were likely prompted by the news of xQc, the second most popular and highest-earning streamer on Twitch, also joining Kick in a deal potentially worth $100 million.
Amouranth also alluded to her history of bans on Twitch, often for unclear reasons, as a contributing factor to her decision to switch platforms. Other streamers, like Adin Ross, who also migrated to Kick, have also faced multiple bans and likely had their own motivations for leaving the platform.
While Twitch has a documented record of banning streamers who violate its terms of service, Ross's associations with controversial figures and the promotion of harmful ideologies were likely part of his violations. The specific details of Amouranth's cases may not be clear, but there seems to be a general sentiment among Twitch creators that the platform lacks transparency and consistency in its policies.
Ripple Effect and Growing Competition
Amouranth's move to Kick is expected to inspire other streamers to follow suit, potentially triggering a mass exodus from Twitch. Creators are actively seeking more flexible and supportive environments that address their concerns.
In the dynamic landscape of online streaming, the competition between Twitch and Kick intensifies as both platforms strive to attract the loyalty of streamers and viewers.
The departures of xQc and Amouranth to Kick signify a significant shift in the streaming industry, underscoring the increasing influence of alternative platforms on Twitch's long-standing dominance as the primary streaming platform.
