[__flo]

That was a disturbing read. That guy is practically a slave to his followers. There may be money in it, but I have the impression he is beyond the point of no return. Even if he would want to stop streaming, the more sociopathic lot of his "community" will probably sniff him out and expose him.

> “It was just easier to break up with her than to deal with it.”

I don't know whom I find more pathetic, him or his followers. This is just sick.

[wpietri]

A while back I had the chance to watch user research interviews of streamers. People clearly loved doing it, but also struggled to find a healthy balance. Being on camera that much, especially with the expectation of continuous engagement with lots of followers, is an extraordinarily intense situation.

Long ago I was an exchange student in Ecuador, where some workers would still chew coca as they worked, basically the same way people consume coffee. It was normal and boring for locals. Refine that same leaf, though, to cocaine and crack, and you get something so compelling that it becomes dangerous.

I sort of think of streaming as a similar thing: it takes normal human sociality and refines is to a degree previously never seen. I'm sure some people will find healthy ways to deal with it, but I'm not shocked at all that it breaks people.

[rasz]

The problem I keep hearing from gamer streamers is searching for your niche, and stumbling into something you dont enjoy, but suddenly you start making real $$. Jump from streaming for 20-50 people to 2000-3000 does things to you.

[qplex]

I'm pretty sure if he stopped streaming the followers would eventually move on.

Also it's later stated in the article that he didn't actually break up with the girl, it was just a smokescreen to get the community off his back about it.