The Internet Reacts To Ninja's New Sneaker
It's not uncommon to see shoe companies collaborating with athletes, but video game streamers? That's new. Tyler "Ninja" Blevins has been working with Adidas since the end of August, and the two recently unveiled the design for his official sneaker line: the Ninja x adidas.
If anything, the news of the first gamer getting an official, branded pair of sneakers should be exciting for everyone involved, as it puts Ninja on the same level as NBA superstars. However, not everyone shares that sentiment when it comes to these shoes. Some don't like the design, and they aren't afraid to let the internet know about it. Even Dr Disrespect commented on the shoes, although he may have regretted it afterward.
The line goes live on Dec. 31, which is exciting news for any fan of the sometimes blue-haired gamer. But whether you like or hate the shoes, the internet has its opinions, and we've gathered them up to get a clear picture of how everyone feels about Ninja's new Adidas sneakers. We hope you're sitting down, because this won't be pretty.
Dr. Disrespect disses Ninja's shoes
When Adidas dropped the new design on its digital storefront, Ninja tweeted about it with a gif of him posing with the shoes. One of the top replies comes from none other than Dr Disrespect, the controversial Twitch streamer who's had his fair share of troubles.
Dr Disrespect had a quick but snarky response: "Cute design." Attached to the tweet was a picture of the New Balance 574s, which bear a slight resemblance to Ninja's Adidas shoes. Ninja fired back, though, asking, "Whens your shoe coming?" We have to admit: that was a pretty righteous burn.
However, the best comeback came from Ewok, a 14-year-old deaf Twitch streamer who piled onto Ninja's response.
"[H]e's trying to figure out how to waterproof it for the next time he films in a public restroom," she tweeted.
Ewok is, of course, alluding to the infamous E3 fiasco where Dr Disrespect streamed from the bathroom and eventually got his Twitch account banned. The ban, of course, was later lifted, but he did apologize for the incident.
The pro gaming community likes Ninja's new kicks
It's not all disrespect and sick burns though. Ninja has received an outpouring of support from fans and colleagues alike. @Slacked, captain of the Seattle Surge esports squad, congratulated Ninja, calling him "a legend." Esports hall of famer Chris Puckett commended Ninja as well, along with TSM's Slappie.
@RYANHADJI, the professional photographer who captured Ninja's moments with the legendary Mark Hamill, also expressed his support.
Overall, the sentiment seems to reflect that this is a good thing for the industry. It lends legitimacy to gaming in the wider scope of mainstream media. Even YouTuber KEEMSTAR, known for his Drama Alert series, emphatically patted Ninja on the back.
"No matter what anyone says @Ninja has done more to push Gaming forward than anyone in the space over last 2 years!" KEEM tweeted.
For the most part, the pro gaming community rallied around Ninja. Beyond them, a certain segment of fans seem pretty happy with the sneakers, as well. There exists a contingent of Ninja's fan base, however, that isn't thrilled about Ninja's move into footwear. So let's talk about them for a moment.
Fans, however, weren't as accepting
Speaking holistically, fans haven't been as supportive of Ninja's new Adidas sneakers. Some were diplomatic about it, like Redditor MrSnow702, who wrote, "I wanna buy this shoe but I cannot shake the feeling of that only 12 year Olds will wear this." That idea — that the shoes look like they were designed for kids — showed up quite bit online. Twitter user @UnitedDayz claimed the sneakers sent him on a trip down memory lane — in an unflattering way.
"Colors a little childish for me and I think the words on the side make me feel like i'm wearing my spider-man shoes from the 1st grade," they tweeted.
Other people, however, were downright mean about the shoes. Some hated the color scheme or the words on the sides, while others simply found the concept of Ninja-branded sneakers revolting.
On this Reddit thread about the joggers, users banded together in an overwhelmingly negative chorus. Phrases like "hard pass" and "cringe" circulated around. Perhaps the most hurtful comment we've come across, though, is one tweeted by @nacholeebre.
"Would rather be seen wearing crocs, and that's saying something," they wrote. Ouch.
We'll keep an eye out for more news on Ninja's sneakers and let you know if anything changes.