While Facebook allegedly offered Tyler “Ninja” Blevins a significant contract, the streamer has yet to officially announce where he will go following the end of Mixer. There has been a lot of speculation, but it seems that Ninja might be moving to YouTube. Ninja scheduled a test stream on the service on July 7th at 11:32 a.m., but quickly deleted it after it went viral. The streamer likely intended to make the test stream private, but this possible slip-up has resulted in rumors about the streamer’s future. Until Ninja makes an official announcement, it’s all just speculation, but it’s certainly a big hint!
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Microsoft announced the end of Mixer on June 22nd, much to the surprise of the streaming and esports community. Microsoft had intended to transition most of the service’s talent to Facebook Gaming, but Ninja and Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek both accepted buy-outs from Microsoft, instead. Since then, the two have been quiet regarding their next moves, but some assumed the pair might return to Twitch.
If Ninja does end up with YouTube, the platform will likely have to pay a pretty penny to secure him. According to esports consultant Rod Breslau, Ninja made approximately $30 million at Mixer, while Shroud made approximately $10 million. Given Ninja’s popularity, it seems likely that his next contract could prove even more lucrative. Of course, if Ninja does sign with YouTube, it will be interesting to see if he brings Shroud with him. Shroud has been noticeably quiet on social media since the end of Mixer.
Regardless of where Ninja decides to sign, it could have a major impact on esports and the streaming community as a whole. Ninja is easily the most recognized face in professional gaming. Since 2009, Ninja’s career has significantly grown, building a massive and faithful following. Ninja already has more than 23 million followers on YouTube, so the transition would make a lot of sense, and it seems more than likely that the site would make an effort to make it his permanent home. With Mixer officially shutting down on July 22nd, it seems likely that fans won’t have to wait much longer to find out!
Do you think Ninja is planning to sign with YouTube? Where do you want to see the streamer end up? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
