The Twitch streamer Andrew “GiantWaffle” Bodine has been streaming for 19 hours a day for some time now. He even trained for it. He himself says he knows it’s unhealthy. But he has a reason for it.
Why 19 hours a day? GiantWaffle is currently trying to break the record for the most stream time in a month. The record currently stands at 569 hours in a month and is held by the streamer JayBigs.
GiantWaffle has set himself the goal of streaming for a total of 570 hours throughout November. To do this, he needs 19 hours a day, sleeps only three and a half hours per night, and has put a large part of his personal life on hold.
You can watch on his channel, which we have embedded here for you:
Watch GiantWaffle’s live video on www.twitch.tv
GiantWaffle knows: “This is not healthy”
This is what the streamer says about the record: For GiantWaffle himself, the record is “absolutely worth” the risk (via Kotaku). Nonetheless, he knows that what he is doing is dangerous:
Streaming for 19 hours a day is not healthy. That’s obvious and I am aware of it. But if you look at it differently, many people who want to break a record push themselves to limits in ways that are not considered healthy. It’s not easy. It should never be.
GiantWaffle via Kotaku.
This is how he prepared: GiantWaffle says he prepared for this record for three months. He trained his body to the new rhythm over time. He feels quite good:
These changes are beneficial and honestly, I feel healthier and happier than ever.
GiantWaffle via Kotaku.
How is the record going so far? By now, GiantWaffle has streamed in this rhythm for nearly two weeks and says it has been a complete success so far. He has four to ten times as many viewers as usual. Data from Sullygnome also shows growth:
He showcases a wide range of games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Death Stranding, Rainbow Six: Siege, or Luigi’s Mansion 3.
The strain on streamers
What does this mean for streamers? Although the record is GiantWaffle’s free choice, it shows that streamers sometimes have to invest a lot of time to be successful or to make a living from streaming.
In 2018, the famous streamer Ninja took two days off and lost $100,000 as a result. While that sounds like a lot of pressure, it is still up to the streamers to decide how much they want to do, says a colleague:
The only one who can turn off the camera is the person who benefits the most from keeping it on.
Ben “Professor Broman” Bowman via Polygon.
Thus, GiantWaffle will likely continue with his record – and hopefully not suffer a tragic end like the streamer Poshybrid. Nonetheless, records seem to be currently emerging through Twitch:
