"We're not talking!" - EsfandTV intervenes as controversial Kick streamer DBR666 accuses Twitch CEO Dan Clancy of not paying employees

Kick streamer DBR666 was in attendance at the ongoing TwitchCon 2024 in San Diego. During his latest IRL stream, he confronted Dan Clancy, the current CEO of Twitch (who was also present at the event). DBR666 bluntly approached the latter, accusing him of not "paying" his employees and making them work for "free." The Kick streamer declared:

"Hey Dan Clancy, nice to meet you. I just want to talk to you about something if you have a minute. I need you to pay your employees."

Clancy was with One True King (OTK) member and Twitch streamer Tim "EsfandTV" at the time, who interjected:

"We're not talking!"

DBR666 retaliated, asking EsfandTV not to touch his streaming equipment:

"You can't grab my equipment, that's assault. Get off my stuff, don't touch my stuff, I didn't touch you."

He reiterated his pleas, stating that Dan Clancy should pay his employees. The Twitch CEO responded:

"We don't have employees that work for free...you're not an employee."

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What are the allegations against Twitch CEO Dan Clancy?

Twitch has faced criticism over the years for various moderation-related issues and payment discrepancies concerning some of its streamers. However, it's currently unclear what specific issues DBR666 was referring to.

There have been instances where reports suggest that certain employees are either underpaid or not compensated at all. For example, Polygon.com reported in October 2023 that Twitch moderators often work for free. The story read:

"A lot of these moderators are really doing it because of the joy they get from shaping a social space for people like them, and that’s not the type of joy that would be likely to survive corporate control."

(Note: These moderators are typically associated with the individual Twitch streamers, and not with the company itself.)

Twitch’s Partner Plus Program has also come under scrutiny since it only offers streamers a 70/30 revenue split (in favor of the streamers). In comparison, Kick (the Stake.com-owned streaming platform) offers 95/5 in favor of the creators.

Earlier this January, Twitch reportedly laid off over 35% of its staff, which amounts to over 500 employees, due to its lack of profitability (according to Dan Clancy). This decision attracted further criticism towards the company.

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Following the confrontation, Kick streamer DBR666 didn't provide specific details about the nature of his allegations. He made headlines after being removed from the TwitchCon convention center for alleged disruptive behavior.