If you are following Twitch, you might have noticed that Pokimane’s fans tend to be on the clingier side. She recently had to let go of a video editor after his “addiction” to her content led to major workflow issues.
In her latest Twitch stream, the 26-year-old said her ex-editor confessed to spending an inordinate amount of time watching her videos, to where he fell weeks behind schedule on editing tasks.
“It wasn’t just that he was watching as a fan, but it was to a point that it was incredibly odd,” Pokimane explained. “I was very confused because that’s not the type of relationship I have with my editors. I never want them to feel like they need to watch me or be a fan.”
The behavior left Pokimane feeling uncomfortable and with no choice but to cut ties with the editor. She acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation, saying, “I felt bad because I don’t think he realized how much he was struggling with that obsession.”
It’s not a secret that Pokimane’s fan base is home to a bunch of viewers that would be considered as ‘simps’ in other parts of the streaming world. Poki knowingly caters her content to some of these desperate souls, but it is understandable that she avoids any professional relationship with them.
“Why would you ever tell her that? Unless you are seriously that far out of touch,” one Twitch commenter mused. The story illustrates how Twitch has also become a space for parasocial relationships among viewer and creators. Not always to the benefit of either.
Pokimane, a popular female streamer with millions of followers, is used to managing dedicated fans. Perhaps she can hire someone from Twitch’s former Safety Advisory Team. They should be available after getting dismissed by Twitch’s leadership last Friday.
