xQc challenges Twitch as WoW streamer C9 Ziqo gets banned for “no reason”

Update (Monday, January 26 – 7 PM PT): After a week of confusion, Twitch has reversed its decision to ban Ziqo’s account on the platform, restoring his access on January 26. 

After a confusing week for the popular WoW streamer, Ziqo now has access to his Twitch account once again. The initial ban came through without a proper explanation and the situation has now been resolved without a proper explanation as well.

Thanks to support from the community, including the likes of xQc, Ziqo is now back on Twitch.

The original story continues below.

Félix ‘xQc’ Lengyel has challenged Twitch over a potential inconsistency in their banning protocol, angered by the news that fellow streamer C9 Ziqo was suspended without explanation and couldn’t stream for a few days as a result. 

Ziqo’s ban was announced on January 19, but after almost a week passed by without any confirmation about the time he could return to playing for his audience, xQc has decided back him publicly with a message to decision makers.

Of course, the former Overwatch pro has been in this difficult situation a number of times, having been banned more than once on Twitch. Most recently, he was banned in November 2020 for cheating at a Twitch Rivals event.

Twitch

This is how the channel looks, following the ban.

Twitch urged to take action over WoW streamer ban

After seeing World of Warcraft fans were still waiting to hear more from C9 Ziqo, on January 25 he urged Twitch to make a move and “stop stalling” on his case.

• Read More: Twitch accused of hypocrisy after perma banning streamer over account age

In a tweet, the Canadian posted: “IF I GET A VOD TIMESTAMP WHEN I GET SUSPENDED, HE SHOULD TOO,” tagging Twitch Support in his message. “PLEASE GIVE THIS MAN A TIMESTAMP OR FIX. STREAMERS LOSE TRACTION OVERNIGHT, STOP STALLING.”

https://twitter.com/xQc/status/1353680336518049792

The argument he’s making, that streamers can lose traction overnight, is certainly a valid one. With a player unable to stream, viewers – in turn – also are unable to watch, living off snippets of information posted to Twitter during the ban.

There is no guarantee that the viewership will be of the same size following the ban, xQc argues.

C9 Ziqo opens up on his Twitch suspension

C9 Ziqo confirmed he would be making a YouTube video explaining everything, and that’s since been released. It’s included in the tweet xQc responded to, and shows the streamer revealing everything we knows so far about his suspension.

• Read More: Twitch slammed for failing to moderate their own channel’s chat

During the video, he says it was a violation of Twitch TOS, but the specific issue wasn’t confirmed. In a tweet, he revealed his own suspicion that something has been misheard during a stream. He has since launched an appeal.

“It could be anything honestly in that policy,” he said in his YouTube video.

Clarity is something Ziqo will want himself, but more broadly speaking fellow streamers and his fans would prefer to know why this has happened in the first place.

https://youtu.be/AOGH1Yu0EJw

Whether or not the process of lifting the suspension will be accelerated following the message from his fellow streamer remains to be seen.