Popular video game streamer Pokimane expressed her disbelief at live streaming platform Kick after it was revealed they tried to exploit fellow streamer Kyedae’s cancer.
Back on June 17, 2024, a former employee named Melissa uploaded a lengthy video on why she had to leave Kick, detailing the extremely hostile work environment she endured during her tenure. During the video, she claimed that Kick tried to exploit a streamer battling cancer.
Ex-Kick employee reveals company tried to exploit creator battling cancer
While no names were mentioned, Melissa claimed Kick attempted to offer the streamer less money because “she probably thinks she’s gonna die soon and she’ll want to leave money for her family.”
It did not take long for people to figure out who this content creator was. In fact, a day after, fellow streamer xQc linked the story to Kyedae, who revealed she was battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2023, but he claimed Kick never reached out to the star.
However, on June 19, Kyedae revealed on stream that she received an offer from Kick. Explaining why, Kyedae told viewers, “I decided that morally, I didn’t really want to go over to Kick.” Kyedae commented that it was weird how they wanted to offer her cheaper rates, subtly noting that it must be about her since no other streamer announced they were publicly battling cancer.
However, she didn’t seem too bothered by it, saying, “It doesn’t really matter, because that platform is f***ing dying.” She added that she believes the claims made by Melissa are true, pointing out that she had no reason to lie.
Pokimane speaks out against Twitch trying to lowball Kyedae for her cancer
During her June 18 livestream, Pokimane reacted to Melissa’s video. Hearing the story about Kick trying to exploit a streamer with cancer left the star speechless. After a pause, she stated, “That’s like, evil.”
Pokimane talked about how surprising it is to know real people think like this, saying, “I think the thing that freaks me out the most is, these people are probably all in their twenties, thirties, and forties, and this is behavior that’s happening in an office. You know, sometimes you see this kind of sh** happen in video games, with kids trying to get a reaction out of people. But like, grown men with jobs?”
During that same stream, Pokimane noted that Kick isn’t “booming” right now. This is not the first time she has shaded the company, previously stating she thought the site was “shady” after rumors circulated she would sign with Kick after her departure from Twitch.
Published: Jun 25, 2024 12:30 pm