Why Ninja Left Mixer and Returned to Twitch: The Inside Story
In a recent interview on 100 Thieves’ YouTube channel, famous Fortnite streamer Ninja spoke openly about his family, career, and the infamous Mixer debacle.
Ninja’s move from Twitch to Mixer in 2019 was a monumental moment in gaming history. It seemed to signal a potential shift in the future of live-streaming platforms, but unfortunately, that never happened. Mixer’s failure and subsequent shutdown last year put Ninja back on the market and ultimately led him back to Twitch.
The Challenges of Mixer
During the interview, Ninja explained that he did his best to bring his community from Twitch to Mixer but was not successful. One of the main reasons for this was Mixer’s clunky user onboarding process.
Mixer required all users to have a Microsoft email to sign up, which was a misstep according to Ninja. Additionally, the platform automatically assigned usernames upon registration, making it difficult for users to choose their own names. Clearly, Mixer’s user experience design needed improvement.
Furthermore, Ninja revealed that there was a disconnect between his team and Mixer. Although his team provided feedback on what was preventing people from joining the platform, Mixer said they would need to run every change by Microsoft, causing delays of up to a year before any improvements could be implemented.
Another hurdle for Mixer was user retention. If Ninja didn’t stream exclusively Fortnite for more than 10 hours in a session, he wouldn’t reach high viewer numbers. Despite doubling the required streaming hours for six months straight, it still didn’t yield the desired results.
The Unexpected Closure of Mixer
Ninja shared that he and his team were not aware in advance that Microsoft would shut down Mixer. They found out only 72 to 48 hours before it happened, leaving them unprepared.
However, Ninja was confident that his legal team would ensure he wouldn’t be penalized for Mixer’s failure. In fact, Mixer’s shutdown turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With an early termination of his contract and financial security, Ninja celebrated the news.
The Return to Twitch
When Ninja decided to return to Twitch, he spent a month and a half debating with his team before making the final decision. While he felt conflicted, knowing that money couldn’t buy happiness, he also recognized that his achievements and experiences had led him to where he is today.
Looking back, Ninja doesn’t have any regrets. However, he admits that he could have streamed more Fortnite when he first returned to Twitch. Despite that, he is content with his current situation.