In the last week, controversial streaming platform, Kick, has signed two massive creators – xQc and Amouranth. Primarily known for streaming on Twitch, both xQc and Amouranth are at the top of their respective games at present, raking in millions of dollars in revenue while broadcasting content to tens of millions of viewers. As Kick goes on the offensive and signs these monumental creators, it’s showing that it isn’t afraid to break the bank to get them on the platform and away from Twitch.

Bizarrely, these acquisitions tend to go hand-in-hand with a non-exclusivity clause. That means that these top-tier creators are free to remain on Twitch if they so desire. Last week, xQc announced that he’d be joining Twitch, and his manager confirmed that the deal carried with it a $100 million price tag – one of the biggest ever seen in the world of entertainment. It’s a perfect indicator of the lengths that Kick is willing to go to to secure talent.

Bringing a Ready-Made Audience

For Twitch, growth came over a series of years, with some of the biggest streamers in the world making their name on the platform over a long period of time. Now, Kick is storming in to snatch up those very same streamers, hoping to claim their audiences for themselves without needing to spend years building up that community. If they’re able to sign a user with ten million followers, then there’s a fair chance that a sizeable portion of that following will migrate to Kick – and that’s what’s happening.

It’s a guessing game at this point, with both fans and critics of the Kick platform trying to figure out which streamer will be the next one to migrate to Kick. There are whispers circulating that Ludwig – who once put out one of the longest Twitch streams and racked up 271,000 subscribers – could be next. It could also be one of the hardcore gaming streamers, like Dr Disrespect.

For those that are new to streaming, Kick presents a lucrative opportunity, but it’s misleading. It isn’t logical to believe that a 95-5 split on revenue is sustainable forever, nor is it sensible to believe that everyone who streams on Kick will be successful, which is the picture that’s being painted. Right now, Kick is cutting its teeth, and flexing a large wallet isn’t a sign of long-term sustainability.

What’s Happening to Streaming?

There’s a sore spot for many viewers at present – especially where the Kick vs. Twitch argument is concerned. For the most part, these acquisitions being made by Kick aren’t all that connected to the world of gaming. It’s a platform that’s trying to wipe Twitch off the board without actually doing what Twitch does, and that’s supporting the many millions of gamers that want to broadcast gaming content.

By this point, every big signing has been a Just Chatting streamer – or something similar. Sadly, that’s where streaming appears to be going these days.