Pikamee, a popular VTuber signed with talent agency VOMS, has requested to leave the organization following controversy after she expressed a desire to stream Hogwarts Legacy.
Hogwarts Legacy has sparked an avalanche of debate ever since its launch on February 10. Fans of the Harry Potter franchise have both praised and criticized the title, largely due to comments made by the series’ author, J. K. Rowling, regarding trans people.
Upon its launch, a slew of streamers were faced with backlash for broadcasting the game — not the least of which were VTubers, creators who use virtual, anime-inspired avatars to represent themselves on-screen.
Most notably, popular VTuber Silvervale ended one of her streams in tears after coming under fire due to Twitch’s auto-mod program, which had automatically banned the word “trans” in her chat due to the possibility that it was being used for harassment.
Although Silvervale promised to push through in spite of the backlash, another VTuber has made the decision to step away from creating content after undergoing harsh treatment online from critics of Hogwarts Legacy.
Pikamee chooses to ‘graduate’ VOMS after Hogwarts Legacy backlash
Amano Pikamee is an OG VTuber who garnered a dedicated fan base due to her upbeat personality and humorous gaming streams. She, like many other streamers, wanted to broadcast Hogwarts Legacy upon release, and was met with a wave of criticism and harassment that ultimately prompted her to go dark for several weeks.
On March 1, 2023, VTuber agency VOMS released a statement via Twitter claiming that Pikamee has decided to “graduate” from their organization.
“We regret to inform you that Amano Pikamee, a member of our group, will graduate from the group and terminate her activities as of March 31, 2023,” the statement reads.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
“We discussed this with Pikamee herself and in respect of her wishes, we have decided to ‘graduate’ in a positive way.”
Important Notice pic.twitter.com/oASH3igb6k
— VOMS Project (@VOMS_Project) March 1, 2023
The statement went on to explain that Pikamee will continue streaming until March 31, after which her content, memberships, SNS, and VOMS Project products will come to a halt.
Pikamee speaks out amid decision to graduate from VOMS
Pikamee also uploaded a YouTube video explaining the situation, where she thanked fans for the “love and sweet words” they had given her during her time at VOMS.
“I am so sorry for shocking you guys like this,” she said. “Despite all the sad things, I still have a month left, so I hope we can have a lot of fun times.”
Thus far, Pikamee’s fanbase has been showing an outpouring of support for the VTuber amid this latest news.
I just saw the Pikamee announcement and it felt like a punch in the chest… I legit wanted to cry. Watching Pikamee was like watching a little sister. It made me feel great hearing her kettle laugh and seeing her having a good time… and now she's graduating. It fucking hurts.
— Timid 🇻🇳 (@SilentAsami) March 1, 2023
Luckily, Pika herself seems to be taking her graduation with lighthearted spirits, as seen in a Tweet she posted the day of the big announcement.
This is the latest installment in the ongoing drama surrounding streamers playing Hogwarts Legacy after critics brought ‘Girlfriend Reviews’ to tears after she and her fiancé decided to broadcast the title shortly after release.