Tyler “Ninja” Blevins officially breaks his streaming hiatus as he announced returning back to Amazon’s Twitch with an exclusive multi-year deal.
After the return of Shroud to Twitch, the gaming community wondered when will Ninja follow suit. Just last weekend, he expressed wanting to go back to streaming “ASAP” and that he did today.
A new chapter, only on @Twitch pic.twitter.com/cv2qFFFI0p
— Ninja (@Ninja) September 10, 2020
Ninja and Twitch relationship
Last August 2019, Ninja officially announced leaving Amazon’s streaming platform, where he dominantly grew as a gaming personality. His move to Microsoft’s Mixer wasn’t just because of the financial aspect.
According to a previous report from The Verge, there were contract concerns that pushed Ninja further out his Twitch exclusivity. It reportedly has something to do with the contract’s restrictiveness hindering the 29-year-old to grow outside his “gaming personality on the platform.”
Nevertheless, it looks live he and the platform have since made up. In a statement from a The Hollywood Reporter exclusive, Ninja had all good things to say about Twitch:
“I really took my time to decide which platform was best and Twitch has been supportive throughout this process and understanding my overall career goals. In this next chapter, I’m going to make it a point to elevate and bring more eyes to underrepresented creators. I am looking forward to working with Twitch to demonstrate how this amazing community of gamers can make a meaningful impact.”
The streaming superstar’s return has, of course, thrilled Twitch. According to Michael Aragon, the platform’s senior VP of content:
“Tyler is an iconic force in the gaming community, and it’s been amazing to see the impact he’s made on the industry and broader culture. Gaming — and the people who love it — are being recognized by a broad mainstream audience now in part because of Tyler, and we know he’s just getting started.”
Back where he belongs.@Ninja pic.twitter.com/hTns6WwD8C
— Twitch (@Twitch) September 11, 2020
Ninja’s return Twitch is a win for Amazon
CNN Business quotes StreamElements CEO Doron Nir that Ninja’s return to Twitch is a “flex” of its “leading status in the livestreaming space.”
Ninja has 15 million followers on Twitch. Despite leaving the platform last year, The New York Times notes that he is still the “top streamer.” There’s a significant six million margin between Ninja and the runner-up streamer.
As described the Fortnite master has an “almost unparalleled ability to draw a following.”
Currently, the famous streamer is deep in playing Among Us with other known streamers. His first stream back happened on Thursday at 3:00 PM ET.
Featured image courtesy of Ninja/Facebook