On Twitter, a Twitch streamer attracted attention by allegedly streaming from his prison cell. You can find out what it’s all about on MeinMMO.
What kind of streamer is this? John “ChoseN” Rinella is an American Overwatch player who has been playing as a supporter for Boise State University since 2021 (via liquipedia). On his Twitch channel, he also shows almost exclusively Overwatch 2 via (sullygnome).
However, he did not attract attention with his gaming skills, but rather with his living circumstances.
What is the streamer’s version? On August 26, a clip from the Twitch channel chosen_ow went viral on Twitter. The footage shows him in a small, rather sparsely furnished room, which is supposed to be a prison cell. Particularly amusing for viewers: The content creator seems to care more about his hairstyle than about his situation.
The streamer himself informed his viewers via a chat command that he is currently incarcerated in the “Idaho State Rehabilitation Prison” for auto theft related to gang crime. Streaming was permitted to him as an “enrichment” activity (via Twitter). The US Navy does something similar with sea lions.
But what’s the truth behind the story?
Twitch streamers often come up with crazy actions to entertain their viewers:
Prison streamer looks more like a poor student
What’s the truth behind the story? As amusing as the idea of a state-funded program for incarcerated Twitch streamers is, there are some gaps in ChoseN’s story. There is no trace online of the prison where the streamer is allegedly serving time.
Also, the “PrisonToPartner” program from Twitch, which ChoseN supposedly streams from prison, seems not to exist.
The “prison cell” that the streamer shows in a video on Twitter looks more like a sparsely furnished student room, and the “rat” he shares his cell with bears a suspicious resemblance to a cat upon closer inspection.
An update on my situation. https://t.co/XrqNxnI2k2 pic.twitter.com/xouMPWvsg2
— chosen (@chowosen) August 26, 2023
Everything suggests that ChoseN has pulled a prank.
What has the action brought him? The original Twitter post was viewed more than 4.3 million times and shared over 2,500 times (as of August 28, 2023). However, the streamer himself received only a small share of this attention.
On his Twitch channel, he saw a small push: he gained 174 new followers and reached a peak of 284 viewers, while otherwise, only a maximum of 20–35 people usually watch him. However, by August 28, most of these new viewers seemed to have evaporated again (via sullygnome).
So, ChoseN hasn’t had his big breakthrough with this action yet, but the story of a Twitch streamer who streams from prison could still linger in social media for quite a while.
As an aspiring Twitch streamer, it is not so easy to be discovered by your potential audience. Going viral on another platform can give you the necessary boost. But then, viewers also have to be kept entertained.
