Can IShowSpeed get unbanned on Twitch after latest Streamy Awards request to Twitch CEO?

Discussion surrounding IShowSpeed's potential return to Twitch became one of the biggest highlights of the Streamy Awards last night after big creators such as Kai Cenat himself confronted CEO Dan Clancy after the ceremony. Kai, who won the Streamer of the Year Award yet again, has been a longtime friend of Speed, and this isn't the first time he has raised concerns about unbanning his co-host from the Kai N' Speed Show on Rumble.

Like his friend, Darren "IShowSpeed" also came out of this year's Streamy Awards with an award after bagging Variety Streamer of the Year. Following the win, Kai Cenat and Darren confronted Dan, and clips of the incident have been going viral ever since.

In it, Kai can be heard saying:

"You got to unban him. Unban him, please."

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy, smiling and looking quite happy, avoided the question directly, saying he did not have the application on his phone as he had just got a new one. The interaction has left many fans hoping for the streamer's return to the purple platform after being indefinitely banned from Twitch in 2021.

While it remains unclear whether Dan will actually take steps towards unbanning IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat's insistence and his own reaction to encountering the 18-year-old streamer have made many believe a comeback is possible. It's not unprecedented for indefinitely banned streamers to get their accounts back, with IndieFoxx coming back as JenFoxxx after being banned for two years. However, streamers such as JiDion have remained banned even after sorting out the scandal involving Pokimane.

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Why was IShowSpeed banned from Twitch, and will he be returning soon?

While JiDion and many other creators have talked about being discriminated against, there was ample reason for IShowSpeed's suspension following his highly suggestive and problematic statements on a talk show hosted by Adin Ross.

The dating show, as the name implies, basically allows streamers and content creators to talk amongst the participants on livestreams to find potential partners. In a particular round, while talking to a woman, the then 17-year-old streamer asked a question that was out of line and insinuated that he would force himself on her in a hypothetical scenario where the world had ended and they were the only survivors.

Twitch swiftly banned IShowSpeed following the incident, and his most vocal supporters attribute his crass statements to his young age. That said, he also got into trouble afterward, going on a misogynistic rant while playing Valorant after moving to streaming on YouTube, leading him to get banned from all Riot Games and issuing an apology.

However, his recent win at the Streamy Awards and rising popularity with a focus on more footballing streams have helped change IShowSpeed's image. At a time when rival platforms such as Kick and Rumble are signing creators in droves, a comeback to Twitch may not be such a far-flung idea.