New Streaming Platform Kick Welcomes Chess Grandmaster Hikaru on Non-Exclusive Deal
Kick, the new streaming domain, caught the attention of the gaming community with the recent announcement that renowned chess grandmaster and celebrity Hikaru has joined the platform. The deal is non-exclusive, allowing Hikaru to continue streaming on Twitch if he chooses to do so.
Fellow Twitch star xQc praised Kick’s approach, contrasting it with Mixer’s failed attempt to poach big names from Amazon-owned Twitch several years ago. During his live stream, xQc commended Kick for doing “the right thing” by not enforcing exclusive contracts.
xQc stated, “People think that it’s bad that these guys are signing dual contracts, guys, I said this years ago that this is the right way to do it. I said this even when Mixer was a thing. One, it’s cheaper, and two, it creates an actual transfer. It creates an actual transfer that is gradual.”
Related: Twitch vs. Kick: A Comparison of Guidelines
In 2019, Mixer signed exclusive deals with two major Twitch streamers, Ninja and shroud. However, Mixer struggled to retain the viewership these streamers had on Twitch. For example, Ninja’s viewership decreased by 33% after he left Twitch for Mixer. xQc pointed out that Kick is enabling a smoother transition, unlike Mixer, which ultimately closed its doors in 2020 and partnered with Facebook Gaming, losing stars like shroud and Ninja.
It’s not just Mixer; exclusivity deals have become commonplace across several platforms, including Twitch and YouTube Gaming, currently the most prominent gaming streaming platforms.
It remains uncertain whether Kick will thrive, generate profit, and retain the content creators it has signed. Hikaru is the latest streaming sensation to join the platform, following the footsteps of advisor Trainwreck and Adin Ross. According to Train, five more personalities are set to sign with Kick in the coming days, fueling rumors that Amouranth might be among them.