Zack “Asmongold” Hoyt was previously the leading MMORPG streamer on Twitch, but has increasingly attracted controversy in recent years due to his statements. After particularly difficult remarks about the Gaza War, the streamer is now presenting himself as remorseful.
Update 18.10.2024: While Asmongold’s apology video was overall well received, a Reddit post by the streamer has left a sour taste among users on social media. We have covered the discussion in an article: Asmongold impressively apologizes to 2.4 million people on YouTube, then ruins everything with one sentence
Original report:
What is the reason for the ban? Asmongold was temporarily banned from Twitch on the night of October 16, 2024, after making statements about the Gaza War. Many found his remarks to be dehumanizing.
As a result, a founding member of his organization One True King (OTK) distanced himself from Asmongold, and a partner ended their collaboration with his PC brand Starforge. We reported on MeinMMO about the statements and the resulting outcry on social media.
Now the Twitch streamer is taking consequences. A roughly 20-minute video by Asmongold is roughly divided into two halves. In the first half, the streamer addresses his statements and reflects on his transformation over the past two years. He then talks about how he plans to move forward.
Asmongold admits he has become increasingly mean-spirited in recent years.
Asmongold calls his own statements “terrible and disgusting”
What does Asmongold say in retrospect? The Twitch streamer describes his comments on the Gaza War as “disgusting.” He spoke about the death of innocent people. That was terrible, disgusting, and spiteful.
Although Asmongold makes it clear that he wants to neither sugarcoat nor excuse anything, he provides additional context to his statements. The streamer explains that although he was raised Roman Catholic, he has always been an atheist.
He is against religious extremism, and that is what he actually wanted to criticize with his comments, Asmongold continues. However, it was wrong to associate all people in Palestine with these groups and not differentiate. He feels like an “absolute jerk.”
After his comments, it was Muslim individuals and people with relatives in Palestine who approached him, offering conversations. The confrontation with Muslim individuals has evidently made Asmongold think a lot.
You can watch the entire video here:
Streamer reflects on his transformation over the last two years
The Twitch streamer characterizes his comments as part of a development he has undergone over the past two years. He explains that he has evolved into the “meanest, most unfriendly, nastiest, simply the most heartless and psychopathic version” of himself.
While he previously was considered an authority on MMORPGs and was mainly associated with WoW, Asmongold has recently attracted attention mainly for controversial statements. These often struck an “anti-woke” tone and appeared to be colored by the culture war in the U.S.
- 26-year-old beats 9 men in the Streamer of the Year election – Asmongold rants: “Just because she is a woman”
- Asmongold tells viewers: The BKA is investigating in Germany and you can go to jail if you call a politician from the Greens fat
- Conflict over Black Myth: Wukong escalates – Asmongold calls out a freelancer from IGN
While the Twitch streamer says that he wasn’t on the wrong track with everything over the last two years, he admits he has gone astray.
Asmongold says he consumed the wrong media and lost touch with reality
He discusses the types of media he has consumed, stating that they have conveyed certain predispositions and prejudices to him, for which he has no context from his own life experience.
Asmongold also describes himself as being so hyper-focused on receiving feedback that he lost touch with the world and reality. The events of the past few days have shed new light on everything.
Additionally, he states that streaming has consumed his entire life; it is his entire existence. For him, that is very unhealthy and has made him into such a one-dimensional person that he is hardly even a person anymore.
Now he needs to get himself together, control his mind, and get his life in order because it is in shambles.
Organization and PC company part ways by mutual consent
What consequences is Asmongold drawing? The Twitch streamer is stepping down from his leadership positions by mutual agreement, both at his organization One True King and the affiliated brands, including the PC line Starforge.
It has all become too much for him for a while now, according to the Twitch streamer.
OTK labeled the statements in a post on X as “disgusting and repulsive,” stating that they condemn any form of discrimination and violence. Starforge also adopts a similar tone in another statement on X.
Previously, content creators had distanced themselves from Starforge and dissolved their partnership with the PC brand (via X).
Asmongold’s search for his old self
This is how it should continue: Asmongold says that when he learned of his ban, he first relaxed. He felt like he finally had room to breathe, to think. After that, he wrote a long list of things he wants to do with his life.
He says he wants to return to streaming after his ban ends, but take it easier and maintain a more consistent schedule, not only with streaming but also regarding his sleeping times.
Moreover, he wants to have more fun, to laugh with people instead of at them. He wants to work on his overall tone. In his stream recording, he sounds like a terrible person, and he no longer wants to be that person.
Furthermore, Asmongold explains that he wants to broaden his horizons, travel to the Middle East, and make his own judgments.
Asmongold wants to atone by cleaning his house
In addition, the Twitch streamer wants to tidy up at least some part of his house. He does not want to hire cleaning staff but wants to do it himself. For him, this is a form of atonement. He needs to take responsibility for the bad things he has done.
In a post on his Subreddit, Asmongold specifies that upon his return, he will not be promoting the consulting firm Sweet Baby Inc., which he heavily criticized, or playing Dustborn; he simply wants to be more positive and less spiteful.
He promised a fan in a comment under the thread that he would respond to a “DEI = DIE” gaming video in his first stream after his return. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and refers to a philosophy that places a focus on equal opportunities and participation for all.
However, in anti-woke circles, the acronym has established itself as a kind of battle cry and is blamed for the “death” of video games. It thus seems that Asmongold does not want to stray too far from his previous content.
Just a few weeks earlier, Asmongold had spoken in a surprising video about his past, particularly about his childhood and youth as well as the very difficult year 2021 for him. In it, the streamer provided insights into his mindset and behavior. Asmongold finally explains why he is the way he is
