How The Olympics Got xQc Banned From Twitch

Controversial streamer xQc is no stranger to being suspended. From being booted from the NoPixel "GTA Online" server multiple times to experiencing a slew of Twitch bans, the former professional "Overwatch" player has a history of bending rules and facing the consequences. His latest Twitch ban, however, might just be one of his most unexpected yet.

During a July 28th stream, xQc (real name Felix Lengyel) decided to watch highlights from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. According to Dexerto, xQc was promptly banned mid-stream while showing his viewers clips of a judo match between Austria and Japan.

The sudden ban, which must have confused Lengyel at first, prompted the streamer to post a tweet speculating about what had happened. He wrote, "I think I got my channel live-DMCA'd. I took necessary precautions and thought it would be fine. Really didn't expect it, but I could've easily avoided this." In other words, xQc is pretty sure he was suspended for streaming copyrighted material; i.e., the Olympics footage.

xQc added, "Sorry for everyone involved including the viewers. I'll be better/smarter next time and follow guidelines more strictly."

Fortunately, xQc's Twitch ban lasted a mere four hours and 55 minutes according to the StreamerBans Twitter account. This latest Twitch ban might not have been too severe, but it's hard to imagine that xQc isn't starting to get fed up with his frequent bans — which just might make a fellow content creator's idea worth exploring.

xQc and his fans were likely shocked at the popular streamer's sudden ban, considering how innocent his offense was — and another popular streamer seems to agree. Fellow streamer and YouTuber MoistCr1TiKal (a.k.a. Charlie White) believes that xQc should rethink his relationship with Twitch — and that he should move his streaming presence to YouTube. 

During a July 28 "Pokemon Unite" stream, Moist claimed that he didn't understand how the "biggest streamer on [Twitch]" could get banned so often. He admitted, "That's f***ing crazy to me. I can't believe they actually do that, especially for really trivial things." Acknowledging how it's "even crazier" that he was banned for watching Olympics highlights rather than something more serious, Moist added, "He really should just accept a YouTube streaming offer for a couple million." 

Speculating that xQc could "easily get a $15 or $20 million deal with YouTube," Moist explained how, in contrast, xQc "takes a risk" when he streams on Twitch, since they seem to ban him over seemingly minor offenses. 

While MoistCr1TiKal makes a strong argument, it's hard to imagine that xQc would relocate from Twitch to YouTube on a whim — especially considering his popularity on the platform. Still, other streamers have had hugely successful streaming platform moves, with Dr Disrespect's YouTube debut being a stand-out example. 

Whether or not xQc follows Moist's advice, it doesn't seem like his overall popularity is taking any hits any time soon — and his fans will likely follow him no matter where he decides to stream.