Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is returning to Twitch exclusively after the closure of Mixer. He previously left Twitch, seemingly on bad terms, after accepting a deal from Mixer. However, when Microsoft’s streaming provider went defunct, Ninja went on hiatus.
When Ninja streamed on YouTube in July, many assumed that he would be making that platform his new home. He also returned to Twitch for last month’s Fortnite update, but at the time he was not a Twitch partner or endorsed by the company in any way. However, it seems like the rift between Ninja and Twitch is over. According to Engadget, Ninja has signed a multi-year exclusive contract with Twitch, which went into effect at 3 PM ET today when he began his first stream as a reinstated Twitch Partner. In a statement about his return to Twitch, Ninja said:
“I am excited to get back to streaming full-time and connecting with my loyal fanbase. 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.”
A new chapter, only on @Twitch pic.twitter.com/cv2qFFFI0p
— Ninja (@Ninja) September 10, 2020
Ninja’s return to Twitch isn’t an isolated incident
Ninja departed Twitch last year alongside some other high-profile influencers as a result of increased competition amongst game streaming services for top talent. It looked like there might be a shakeup in 2019, but the industry has mostly returned to the status quo. With Mixer’s closure and the lackluster adoption of Facebook Gaming and YouTube Gaming, Twitch remains the most successful service by far.
It can be assumed that we’ll continue to see high-profile streamers that left Twitch continue to trickle back to the fold. The service really doesn’t have any real competition in the streaming arena. If a giant corporation like Microsoft threw in the towel, it’s doubtful any other entity will throw their hat in the ring.
