Twitch streamer Tolkin is currently the only German-speaking content creator allowed to co-stream the LEC of League of Legends and has replaced many before him. In an interview with him and LEC head Artem Bykov, we talk about their collaboration.
The German Twitch streamer Tolkin is primarily known for his content on League of Legends. When he’s not casting, he’s actively playing with his team NNO and was able to fulfill his dream of competing against the best player in the world.
At the beginning of the year, his channel was announced as the only German-speaking feed for the LEC. This replaced his former employer Freaks4You and the Summoner’s Inn.
In an interview with the streamer and LEC head Artem Bykov, we discuss their collaboration with Riot.
Tolkin was a Perfect Match
In our conversation with Artem Bykov, we asked him why they decided to allow content creators to co-stream the LEC and wanted to understand his reasons. Artem emphasizes that it is primarily about providing the best possible experience for the viewers. He particularly highlights three reasons:
We see co-streaming as a way to attract new fans to the LEC by reaching people who might see the LEC for the first time through the influencers they already follow. Additionally, we want to work more closely with influencers who cover the LEC. LEC teams also have the opportunity to co-stream the LEC, and we want to give them the chance to tell their own story.
We further asked Artem Bykov how the decision came about to choose Tolkin as the only German-speaking feed. He reveals that this was a natural decision for Riot, as Tolkin has been a solid part of the community for a long time:
Tolkin has long been a respected member of our community and enjoys an excellent reputation. He creates exceptional content that we like to see and shows a great passion for the game. Therefore, he was a natural candidate for this program. When we presented our idea to him, we quickly realized that our values and visions for co-streaming perfectly align. It was simply a Perfect Match.
Viewers have higher expectations than before
Tolkin’s viewer numbers have significantly increased since his time as a co-streamer. His average viewers over the last six months have risen by over 45% compared to the previous six months (via Sullygnome).
We speak with Tolkin about what has changed for him since then and whether he has noticed a difference in his viewers, and especially, whether he feels that viewers now have different expectations of him. He can clearly affirm this, even though he sees it as a compliment:
Yes, of course. At the end of the day, you want to ensure that it’s something special for everyone involved. That’s not always easy, and it’s also a significant challenge in terms of volume, as the LEC has three splits and a big final. It should still feel special. Sometimes it can also add a bit of pressure, especially when people ask, “Is there a guest today?” The viewers demand more today than before. That’s a compliment because they are interested in what you’re doing, but it can also create pressure, especially on days when you might not be feeling your best and would prefer to cast from home.
We also discuss with the streamer whether more has changed for him besides the growing community. He honestly reveals that co-streaming can sometimes bring a slight disadvantage, especially noticeable in tournaments:
I play a lot of League of Legends myself, which is good in one way because it can relieve the pressure of having to achieve a really high Elo. On the other hand, it also hurts a bit. We recently had a tournament with NNO, and it showed that when I don’t play much, I’m not that good. But it has also given me new ambition. It goes a bit against my ego when I don’t perform as well as I could. Otherwise, I can stream a lot of LoL without needing to play it myself, which is cool, but it also makes that ambition feel like a disadvantage.
The feeling of not doing enough sometimes
During our conversation with Tolkin, we asked him if there was anything he didn’t expect before supporting the LEC with his co-streams. He tells us that on one hand, he feels honored that viewers have such a strong interest in him and the streams, but sometimes he feels like he’s not doing enough:
Earlier it was like: You turn on the stream and everyone is happy, no matter what comes. Now it’s like people constantly ask: “When is this? When is that?” On one hand, it’s an honor because it shows interest, but on the other hand, it sometimes gives me the feeling that I’m not doing enough at that moment. That’s not what people say, but it sometimes comes across that way, and I didn’t expect that before.
However, when we talk with Artem about Tolkin as a co-streamer, he cannot confirm this. In our conversation, he repeatedly highlights how impressed he is with Tolkin’s commitment, as he constantly takes care of organizing new guests. They did not anticipate this level of involvement:
One of my highlights of this season is how many guests Tolkin has integrated into his co-streams. When we started this program, we knew that guests were of course an option. But Tolkin has regularly invited guests, whether they are other influencers, professional players, or community members. Seeing how often he gives people from the community a voice has been the big highlight for me.
The LEC depends on personalities in the scene
In the further course of our conversation, we asked Tolkin how he influences e-sports in League of Legends through his co-streams. He believes that it is primarily the personalities of the casters and players that bind viewers to the LEC and that interaction with the audience is important:
I feel that much of the LEC depends on the personalities, which have diminished over the years – some players and casters are gone. We have also experienced a development in the German scene where many have left. That viewers can connect with someone who has a passion for it or with whom they can identify is great. That’s why I think co-streams are generally so successful, even outside of League. I think it’s fantastic to offer people an interactive product because you can read the chat while doing it and respond to the viewers, rather than delivering a TV product where you can’t interact with the chat at all.
In the future, there could be more co-streamers in Germany
Finally, we talk with both about the future of the LEC and the co-streams. We ask if they consider it realistic that there could be another co-streamer in Germany besides Tolkin. Tolkin makes it clear that he would be very happy about this and only sees benefits in having more co-streamers in Germany:
I think more co-streamers could be really cool. People could then choose where they want to watch the e-sports product with which commentary, and the streamers could also work together more. Sometimes I had trouble getting guests because I was the only one and they couldn’t stream themselves. I see no downside to having more co-streamers.
Artem Bykov also does not rule out the possibility of more co-streamers in Germany in the future. However, he emphasizes that they are not under pressure to increase the number of co-streamers and that the right opportunity must arise:
Co-streaming is a success for us. It is an evolving program, and we plan to expand it in the future. We are not under pressure to increase the number of co-streamers year by year. Maybe we will find a market or region where we feel that our fans are underserved. If there is then a suitable creator who is loved and respected by the community, and we see a good match, that could be an option.
For Germany, but also for all other languages, the rule is: all contracts are non-exclusive. So we can decide at any time whether we want more co-streamers for a country or not. If we feel that a great opportunity arises to showcase a new face, that’s definitely an option.
Tolkin has already been allowed to co-stream other e-sports events before his co-streams of the LEC. One of the biggest matches last year pushed him to his limits. Which match it was and why it made Tolkin tremble, you can read here: LoL: The biggest game of 2023 brings the German caster to Twitch over the limit – “I’m trembling all the time”
