Is Pokimane leaving Twitch?

Pokimane has remained one of the main faces of Twitch since exploding in popularity in 2017, sticking with the platform while other creators moved and signed deals with other streaming websites. That might be changing, however, as the most followed female Twitch streamer could be moving. 

With over 9.3 million followers on Twitch, Pokimane stood firm while YouTube, Facebook, and several other competitors swooped in to offer lucrative deals to her fellow top streamers—signing her own exclusivity deals to remain with the purple-colored website. With Twitch loosening its hold on creators and those big creator contracts drying up, however, it looks like her time sticking to one platform may be coming to an end. 

Is Pokimane leaving Twitch? Where could she stream next?

After serving as one of the faces of Twitch for more than six years, Pokimane appears to be moving on from the platform to chase new horizons. 

In a cryptic Tweet on Jan. 30, Pokimane said this was “the end of an era,” noting that she has seen Twitch as her content home for more than 10 years but that it is now “time to say thank you for all the memories and love during my League, Fortnite, & Among Us days.” She did not immediately clarify what this means, but the wording makes it seem like she will no longer be broadcasting on Twitch—or at least not in the same way she had before this announcement. 

To further add fuel to the fire, Twitch responded shortly after the post went live: “What an incredible journey it’s been. We’re so proud of everything you’ve accomplished and what’s ahead in the future. You’ll always have a home on Twitch, Poki.” 

No further confirmation on what is next for Pokimane has been shared by the streamer, her management, or any other platform just yet. Despite that, it looks like the most likely move would be her signing a deal with either Kick or YouTube. 

Kick CEO Ed Craven has gone on record that he and his team have wanted to sign Poki to the platform before. That doesn’t seem like a move Pokimane would want to do, though, considering she openly pushed Twitch to ban gambling and had a decisive stance on Kick, which has “tarnished” the brand of other streamers like xQc. It is more likely she will make the safer move for her brand, jumping to YouTube as the Google-run company continues its efforts to expand into the livestreaming space. 

This article will be updated as we learn more about Pokimane’s future in the streaming space.