YouTube signs Twitch video-game streamer Dr Lupo

Ben "Dr" Lupo, who reportedly signed a multi-million dollar exclusivity deal with Twitch in 2019, will now stream exclusively on YouTube.

The American, 34, known for playing Fortnite, Destiny, Escape from Tarkov and Among Us, has the 26th most followers on Twitch, at 4.5 million.

Twitch said it wished him "nothing but the best in everything that comes next".

He made the announcement in a glossy promotional video complete with computer graphics and welling orchestral music.
 

As a creator, a gamer and a father, you’re many things to many people.

Above all, @DrLupo, you’re someone who works hard to put good into the world.

We wish you nothing but the best in everything that comes next. pic.twitter.com/pkUCoX1dWe

— Twitch (@Twitch) August 30, 2021

Like many popular Twitch streamers, Dr Lupo already uploads archives of live broadcasts and highlight reels to YouTube, where he has 1.75 million subscribers.

But changing platforms, or even games, can lead to a large loss of followers.

In 2019, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins signed an exclusive deal reportedly worth millions of dollars with Microsoft's streaming service Mixer.

• Twitch loses streaming star Ninja to Microsoft's Mixer
• YouTube signs three top gamers away from Twitch
• PewDiePie signs live-streaming deal with YouTube

Less than a year later, Microsoft announced Mixer was shutting down and encouraged its partners to move to Facebook Gaming.

But, like YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming is comparatively small in the livestreaming space compared with Amazon-owned Twitch, which dominates.