Pokimane responds to Twitch hack earnings leak in the best way possible

Popular Twitch streamer, Imane "Pokimane" Anys was among at least a hundred prominent streamers, including xQc and Asmongold, who had their gross and monthly payouts leaked following a massive cyber breach at Twitch that occurred on 6th October.

The breach also resulted in the leak of user passwords, stream keys, source code and other intellectual properties belonging to Twitch, including an unreleased Steam competitor, codenamed "Vapor."

Pokimane responds to Twitch streamer earnings leak

Pokimane subsequently responded to the Twitch hack in a post on Twitter, where she did not appear to sound moved at all. "At least people can't over-exaggerate me 'making millions a month off my viewers' anymore," she said in apparent jest.

Pokimane subsequently followed this tweet, saying that she had capped her donations since last year because she felt that she was "at a point where sponsors, investments and exclusive contracts" could sustain her financially.

i capped my donations a year ago since i'm now at a point where sponsors, investments, and exclusive contracts can sustain me.
transparently, subs + stream ads are the lowest part of my income and i want you guys to continue keeping that money in your pocket. TREAT YOURSELVES ☺️

— pokimane (@pokimanelol) October 6, 2021

"Subs and stream ads are the lowest part of my income and I want you guys to continue keeping that money in your pocket. Treat yourselves," Pokimane concluded.

• Read more: Pokimane wants xQc and Trainwrecks to stop promoting gambling sites

According to the leaked earnings reports, Pokimane racked up $ 1.5 million in streaming revenue between August 2019 and October 2021, placing her 39th on the list of at least 100 other streamers.

One user on Twitter criticized her comment, asking whether it would be "ethical for millionaire streamers to receive any monetary donations" from their viewers, who arguably earn "like $30k a year."

Several other Twitter users subsequently defended her, by saying that she only began to cap her donations from 2020 and that an updated leak would surely put her under the Top 50 earners on Twitch.

No. There is no one forcing any viewer to donate money or sub to a streamer. People do it either because they want to support the creator or they have no self-control. None of that is the streamer's responsibility. This is also a business as much as it is entertainment.

— Nicholas Lawrence Carter (@therewillbenic) October 7, 2021

Moreover, it was noted that nobody forced viewers to donate or sub to her in the first place. "None of that is the streamer's responsibility," a Twitter user said before adding that streaming is as much a business as it is entertainment.

The majority of Pokimane's fans certainly support her sentiment and I respect her for the honest hustle. I am, however, curious to know what Pokimane's earnings would have been in the event that she didn't soft cap her donations.

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Featured image courtesy of Twitch / Pokimane.