Streamer Tim “TimTheTatman” Betar (31) has signed an exclusive contract with YouTube. This means Twitch loses one of the top 10 streamers on the platform. TimTheTatman rose to fame with Fortnite and became even bigger with Call of Duty: Warzone. After YouTube had already poached streamers Courage, DrLupo, and Valkyrae, TimTheTatman is likely the most painful loss for Twitch, according to MeinMMO editor Schuhmann.
This is the situation: In December 2019, 3 major streamers signed a contract almost simultaneously that kept them exclusively on Twitch: 2 of the 3 streamers have now almost simultaneously switched to YouTube.
Following DrLupo, TimTheTatman is heading to YouTube. He signed an exclusive contract there, as he announced in a Twitter video (via twitter).
The details of his contract are not known. However, it is assumed that TimTheTatman is being well compensated for his move.
This is TimTheTatman on Twitch:
- The streamer has 7 million followers on Twitch. He has been on the platform since 2012 and achieved early success. He finally broke through in 2018 and 2019, gaining 1 million and 1.8 million new followers by stumbling through Fortnite. He was part of Ninja’s clique and played the role of the good-natured punching bag, regularly hearing from the hyper-competitive Ninja what he did wrong again.
- Unlike many other Fortnite streamers, his channel continued to grow steadily in the following years: A switch to Call of Duty: Warzone led to significant channel growth in 2020 and 2021. During this time, TimTheTatman acted like the “nice streamer next door,” complaining that he is getting older, going bald, and being bullied by younger players.
- TimTheTatman averages 37,300 viewers when he streams. He is live every weekday for 6 to 8 hours. He takes the weekends off. With the switch to YouTube, he aims to take it easier and spend more time with his family.
This is what TimTheTatman says about his move: In an interview with Business Insider, the streamer talks about his motives for the transition.
His friend and colleague DrLupo switched to YouTube a day before him. He especially emphasized the financial security that the exclusive contract offers. It’s a life-changing amount of money.
TimTheTatman is significantly larger than DrLupo and is represented by a major agency: One can assume that the 31-year-old is getting even more money for the switch than DrLupo.
However, TimTheTatman focuses in the interview on spending more time with his family:
When I started streaming, I had no family commitments. I could stream for many hours. Today I have my wife and son, and it is hard for me to stream as much as I used to.
TimTheTatman, Streamer
According to TimTheTatman, people frequently streamed on Twitch for 200 to 250 hours a month – on YouTube, people would spend less time live. This way, he wants to achieve a better balance in his life.
He apparently has no fear of losing many viewers due to the switch, as happened to shroud and Ninja when they switched from Twitch to Mixer.
On YouTube, TimTheTatman already has over 4 million followers and is often referred to as a “YouTuber” in everyday life.
That he is now going to YouTube is clearly a shift. While many people fear a switch and reject change, TimTheTatman says: “Sometimes a change turns out to be the better alternative in the end.”
TimTheTatman is the 3rd streamer cashing in on his Ninja time
Here’s the background: TimTheTatman is the third streamer from Ninja’s group who is now switching exclusively to YouTube. Before him, Jack “CouRage” Dunlup and Ben “DrLupo” Lupo have switched.
TimTheTatman fits perfectly into YouTube’s acquisition pattern:
- He is a family-friendly streamer, easily marketable, and does not scare away advertising partners
- He already has a large fan base on YouTube, where he previously secondarily used his Twitch clips
In contrast to other acquisitions made by Twitch, they have secured TimTheTatman, a pillar of Twitch, who is still at the height of his success and whose channel continues to grow.
In the past, streamers who switched were often those who were already trending downwards, such as Ninja or DrLupo. This is not the case for TimTheTatman. He has a stable fan base and viewership. Hence, the switch especially hurts Twitch.
TimTheTatman, known as the “friendly streamer next door,” was a fixture on Twitch and deeply rooted in the platform. With TimTheTatman, Twitch loses a valuable streamer who impresses not with his gaming skills but with his personality. He was also able to cater to a somewhat older target group.
As painful as the loss of TimTheTatman may be, for Twitch, in retrospect, only the departure of Rachel “Valkyrae” Hofstetter may match this: she then really took off on YouTube and unleashed her full potential to become the largest gaming streamer in the world.
4 major shooter streamers are now on YouTube
Slightly bitter will be the latest transitions of the streamers for “DrDisrespect.” He was invited by CouRage yesterday to play Call of Duty: Warzone together with DrLupo, TimTheTatman, and him. However, DrDisrespect declined:
- The Doctor had to switch to YouTube after being banned by Twitch. Ultimately, he had no choice but to stream on YouTube.
- The other three certainly signed well-paid exclusive contracts with YouTube.
DrDisrespect and TimTheTatman are friends, bantering and teasing each other regularly on social media. Twitch streamers are prohibited from appearing with people who have been banned from Twitch, so there will likely be more action between TimTheTatman and DrDisrespect on YouTube:
Dr Disrespect challenges TimTheTatman to a $500 bet in Fortnite, but talks a big game
