The Canadian Félix “xQc” Lengyel is the big winner on the streaming platform Twitch in recent months. At just 24 years old, the former Overwatch pro has become the most-watched streamer on the platform. He streams around 10 hours every day. Twitch is his life. But that comes at a price.
xQc’s success: While xQc has “only” 3.2 million followers, he is consistently among the most-watched streams. Currently, thanks to Fall Guys, he is ranked No. 2 among the most-watched streamers in the last 7 days, with only the comeback of shroud ruining his chance for the top spot on Twitch.
What’s astonishing is how quickly his channel has become so successful:
- In 2018, xQc was not yet playing in the top leagues on Twitch, even though he had already streamed for 3000 hours. But he had an average of only 9,609 viewers.
- In 2019, xQc doubled his viewership. Now he had 17,823 viewers on Twitch.
- In the last 365 days, xQc had an average of 27,716 viewers.
- Looking only at the last 180 days, that average jumps to 34,518 viewers. He is in the running for the “biggest streamer of 2020” against summit1g.
xQc is live every day for between 9 and 11 hours. He puts in an incredible amount of work. During that time, he usually plays lesser-known games, comments, reacts to other videos, and constantly interacts with his community, the “Twitch chat.”
What problem is he facing? xQc recently released a storm of tweets that he later deleted. They provide insight into what is currently bothering the Twitch star:
- He says the whole sphere of live streaming is “wrong and synthetic.” There are lies everywhere, and people only see a facade. Everyone looks away. And now people are attacking him?
- People think they can reach him with their comments, but they have no power over him. They believe their opinions matter – but they don’t.
- People throw out “passive-aggressive insults” and mask them as criticism and fool everyone. They make up lies just for a bit of internet fame.
- He sees only hate and anger directed at him. Even on the nicest days, people attack him, just for a few clicks on a video, a few upvotes, or comments. What does that bring?
xQc feels unjustly portrayed as the scapegoat of Twitch
What does he mean by that? xQc is seen by other streamers as someone who, through his streaming style, appeals to a particularly young and immature audience, which then goes out and causes trouble elsewhere. While streamers like shroud or summit1g are known for entertaining a calm, reasonable audience, that is not the case for xQc.
He is also currently incredibly successful – which brings criticism. xQc is frequently the subject of internet comments and videos from others that are not exactly gentle with him. xQc seems to have seen some videos or comments that critically address him. This seems to have led to these tweets.
xQc struggles with the unfriendly comments that flood towards him, but also from his own channel. He has asked his viewers not to “harass other streamers.”
However, he feels he is treated unfairly. When he admonishes his viewers, no one talks about it. Other streamers present themselves in a better light. But when he visits their channels, he also reads many insults against everything, even against him.
xQc apparently feels like a scapegoat, who cannot control “his community.”
In another clip, xQc promises to moderate his chat more strongly and pay better attention to his own behavior. Because if he is toxic, then his chat will be too. But the changes will take time.
The Twitch chat eats its young
What’s behind it: xQc was previously an Overwatch pro. However, he lost his job due to his vocabulary and lack of impulse control. Both are not exactly “brand-safe” and did not fit into the Overwatch League.
Back then he said: He is indeed a “child of the Twitch chat”, he grew up with this language that is not politically correct.
Now, xQc is no longer the “child of the Twitch chat” but one of the most important streamers on the platform, and it shows what struggles come with constantly interacting with the “Twitch chat” and the culture of the platform.
Especially when streaming so much every day. xQc’s success comes at a high price.
One problem with Twitch is that streamers think they need to be on air for as long as possible. There are no restrictions: Streamers like xQc often believe that as soon as they take a vacation or even just a day off, they will lose viewers. Therefore, successful streamers tend to exploit themselves ruthlessly.
One of the most beautiful scenes of xQc occurred back in 2018. He was still relatively at the beginning of his streaming career and had not figured out some details yet. Even back then, however, he streamed an incredible amount, so much so that food was handed to him during the stream, but apparently, he had asked his mother not to come into the picture:
