Pokémon Streamer Purplecliffe Claims Contract Conflicts and Poor Negotiations Hindered Switch to YouTube
Purplecliffe, a popular Pokémon streamer, recently expressed his frustration with Twitch, stating that contract conflicts and poor negotiations on the part of the streaming giant delayed his transition to YouTube.
The Decision to Leave Twitch for YouTube
In December 2021, Purplecliffe decided to leave Twitch and join YouTube. Surprisingly, he was not offered a contract by YouTube. However, his decision was primarily motivated by the strained relationship he had developed with Twitch over time. Purplecliffe cited issues such as hate raids, discoverability problems, inconsistent bans, and alleged poor partner management as contributing factors to his departure.
Twitch’s Exclusionary Clause and Delayed Response
Purplecliffe claimed that Twitch prevented him from immediately switching to YouTube due to strict contractual terms. Twitch automatically renewed his contract for another year, even after a data breach in October 2021, which he viewed as a breach of contract. However, after Purplecliffe requested to terminate the contract, Twitch took over 10 months to respond. Only then did they inform him of an updated policy allowing partners to stream on other platforms.
Frustration with Twitch’s Handling
Purplecliffe expressed his frustration with the delayed response from Twitch and their failure to terminate the partnership. He also criticized the fact that Twitch continued to earn money from viewers who hadn’t canceled their subscriptions to his channel. According to his calculations, Twitch made approximately $3,000 from his viewers between December 2021 and September 2022.
Additionally, Purplecliffe voiced his disappointment with his partner manager’s behavior, claiming that they unfollowed him, ignored him, and showed little support.
Appealing to Twitch for Charity Donation
Purplecliffe called on Twitch to donate the profits they made from December 2021 to September 7, 2022, to charity, just as he had done with his own earnings. However, Twitch has yet to respond, and Purplecliffe’s channel remains partnered with the platform.