A streamer popularized by Destiny fears that a new feature from Twitch could completely annihilate his hard-earned free time.
Professor Broman is his stream name. In real life, his name is Ben Bowman. He became popular by streaming the MMO shooter Destiny on Twitch. It even earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of Records. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at a professional streamer for the U.S. site Polygon. And that look is frightening.
“Always be online,” his mentor ManVsGame advised him when he started on Twitch, Bowman recalls. And he was indeed almost always online.
168 hours are in a week. Bowman is expected to be online most of that time. He quickly noted that this was the key to a successful streaming career. Only by always being online and pushing himself to the limit could the hope of “the dream” come true. The hope of being able to live off Twitch.
Go online immediately and stream!
At first, he streamed 12 to 16 hours a day. 7 days a week for two years. Only in this way could he maintain the growth of his channel, Bowman says. He spent every waking hour streaming, except for time in the gym and when he was making himself something to eat. He lost contact with friends and family. The stress drove his mentor ManVsGame to speed.
Only later, when Bowman had 400,000 followers, did he allow himself to take Saturdays off. He thought he had earned that day. But every statistic and his ambition screamed at him: “Your channel is collapsing. Go online immediately and stream. You’re throwing away your hard work!” Because Bowman was losing followers during that time.
In the first months with the free day, it was mainly about fighting against that inner voice that prevented him from shutting down.
Me: Work life balance is important in all jobs including streaming.
Viewer: You’re just afraid to work hard, you’ll be gone soon pic.twitter.com/YHP1TmhHrb— ProfessorBroman (@Professorbroman) January 11, 2017
Now Boman is working on a new idea from Twitch. “IRL” – this is a new category where streamers can still live stream in a vlog style while on the go. This is meant to allow fans to follow their favorite streamers even when they are not sitting at the computer, but out and about.
Bowman believes this is dangerous. It would have tempted him back then to “work” during the little time he wasn’t streaming, and to stress himself further if he had to entertain fans in the gym or while preparing a meal.
Bowman struggles with the work-life balance on Twitch. He fears that a new generation of streamers might grow up without the free hours he still had left.
Bowman explains that the mantra “Always be on Twitch, always be live” is powerful and the best way to reach and grow an audience. The only one who can ultimately turn off the camera is also the one who benefits the most from having the camera always on.
If you turn your hobby into a profession, then you don’t have to work a day – Not true
Schuhmann says: For many people, it’s certainly hard to understand how Twitch can almost consume someone like Bowman. But when your life and gaming become your profession – where are the boundaries? Where is time for private life? For many, it is certainly a dream to turn a hobby into a profession. Then you wouldn’t have to work a day, they say.
But: If your life is your job, then you work around the clock.
Professor Broman had his big appearance in Destiny in May 2015, during a memorable livestream for “Prison of Elders” at the Bungie studio.
Destiny reveals Prison of Elders on Twitch, we are covering it live in German
In September 2015, Broman was part of the team that first defeated Oryx worldwide:
Destiny: Three chests found, final boss dead – that’s how the new raid King’s Fall is
