Fans “lost their minds” over Ninja playing Fortnite on YouTube—showing how much power influencers have in the video game industry. Our State of Gaming report told you that Tyler Blevins, known as Ninja, is a gamer influencer that brands should know. When he was left “without an online home” after Mixer shut down last month, the popular gamer livestreamed himself playing Fortnite for the first time on YouTube— bringing in more than 160,000 users and accumulating 24 million subscribers on his channel. While many were excited about his arrival on the platform, others begged him to “come home” to Twitch, which he previously used. If Ninja were to officially sign with YouTube, it would give the platform a “boost” for their “gaming push,” and further prove how the “power in the livestreaming gaming industry has gradually shifted from the platforms to the creators” (NYTimes, ESPN)
