Hosting is a fabulous feature on Twitch, as a way for bigger streamers to promote smaller channels. However, Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyell explained why death threats and fear of punishment means he no longer hosts other channels.
Hosting is a major part of Twitch streaming. It used by individual streamers as well as organizations – for example, Riot Games will host the broadcast of a minor LoL region to boost their audience and exposure. The host feature sends viewers of any channel to another channel, boosting the recipients live viewership.
In the past, hosting has also been a major part of boosting players’ profiles. One of the most notable examples is FaZe Clan’s Ew0k, who rose in popularity after being hosted by the likes of TimtheTatman and Mizkif.
On stream, one viewer asked xQc why he doesn’t host anyone, and he gave a fairly surprising explanation.
xQc explains why he doesn’t host anymore
xQc explained how a combination of death threats and fears of breaking the Twitch Terms of Service (ToS) discourage him from hosting smaller channels.
“When I became a bigger streamer, I started getting a lot of backlash for hosting, and it made me feel bad,” xQc said.
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“There’s a couple of instances where I’ve gotten death threats for hosting, because people said the community sucked and that I intoxicated their chats.
“Then they put a new ToS in where, if I host somebody, and viewers do something anti-ToS, that could get me into trouble.”
The Twitch community guidelines state: “Creators are role models and leaders of the communities they create or foster around them.
“Creators should consider the consequences of their statements and actions of their audiences; we ask that you make a good faith effort to quell any efforts from those in your community to harass others.
“Twitch should not be used to incite, encourage, promote, facilitate, or organize hateful conduct or harassment, whether on or off Twitch. We will suspend communities, organizations, and individuals that do so.”
Several prominent steamers have picked up bans in the past for violating the Twitch ToS, notably Forsen and xQc himself, so it’s not surprising he wants to steer clear of their wrath.