Amouranth Creates Drama with Pokimane over Her Critique of Kick
Pokimane, the biggest name on Twitch, finds herself in the center of a blowout with Amouranth over Kick, the new platform that brought both xQc and the streamer to Twitch in a high-profile deal. In the ongoing Pokimane vs Amouranth feud, everyone seems to be in the wrong. Pokimane is portrayed as stuck-up and aloof for not joining the Kick bandwagon, while Amouranth is labeled as an attention seeker for embracing her big sponsorship. But, it's probably not as simple as that. Let's take a closer look.
When news broke that xQc, formerly the biggest Overwatch player, was making the move to Twitch alongside Amouranth, it marked a seismic shift in the platform's balance of power. Twitch had acquired two of the biggest names in esports and MOBAs, areas where it is generally seen as trailing behind YouTube. Twitch is now struggling to keep up with its competition.
Amidst internal drama and poor business decisions, Twitch's shortcomings have opened the door for a new platform to emerge. Kick has eagerly stepped through that door, securing the owners of Overwatch League's Dallas Charge and Cloud9, which is a massive win for Kick. Furthermore, Kick's ideology appeals to both creators and fans alike.
While Twitch does have its loyal users, its ideology fails to resonate with many creators and fans. Pokimane represents the Twitch old guard and remains unaffected by Kick's allure to gamble for viewers. Her statements regarding Kick are relatively mild. In contrast, Amouranth holds nothing back.
Everything That Happened between Pokimane and Amouranth in the Twitch Scandal
The controversy began when a fan in chat asked Pokimane if she would consider joining Kick. The fan posed a hypothetical scenario, asking, 'If Kick offered you ten million dollars, would you at least consider it?' Pokimane did not take kindly to the question, as she has been skeptical of the new platform from the start.
Her initial response was clear and straightforward. 'No,' she said. 'And it's not because I have ten million dollars, it's because I'm content with where I am.'
This response aligns with Pokimane's usual stance. She is not driven by money and believes that happiness can be found in contentment. She prefers to stay on Twitch, a platform she knows well, rather than moving to an unknown platform like Kick.
However, Pokimane makes a slight misstep by suggesting that it 'actually makes more sense' for xQc to join Kick, given both the Overwatch pro's background and the platform's ties to gambling. 'But it just seems like a desperate move,' she adds, explaining her satisfaction with her current position on Twitch.
Amouranth's Decision on Joining Kick
This is where Amouranth enters the picture. The livestreamer, known for speaking her mind, wastes no time in responding to Pokimane's mild criticism of Kick.
Amouranth reaffirms her support for Kick and suggests that it is Pokimane who is desperate for not joining the platform. She insinuates that Pokimane is aimlessly 'drifting' and even goes so far as to call her a 'hypocrite' for implying that she does not gamble during her streams, when she has displayed her CS:GO and Paladins skin collections in the past.
Since Pokimane's scathing response, the drama between her and Amouranth has subsided on Twitch. However, there's no denying that this is a significant story. It highlights how, on Twitch, monetization takes precedence over everything, including morals. As a result, Amouranth is not without fault either.
