Professional streamer Ben Lupo, known as DrLupo, announced he will begin live streaming exclusively on YouTube Gaming. His first YouTube livestream will take place tomorrow, August 31.
Twitch tweeted following DrLupo's announcement, wishing him all the best as he moves on from the platform.
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
On Twitch, DrLupo has 4.5 million followers. He's gained popularity streaming games including Fortnite, Destiny, Escape from Tarkov, and more. He also famously streamed with Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat, in what was dubbed as a "Battle for Global Supremacy." DrLupo is also known for his charity streams, which have raised millions of dollars for St. Jude.
He's moving over to YouTube, where he currently has about 1.7 million followers. DrLupo says the move to YouTube will allow him to expand his philanthropic efforts, saying, "through this partnership, YouTube will help me as I expand my brand through other entertainment initiatives. I am excited to bring my fans on this journey with me."
DrLupo is not the first big streamer to move from Twitch to YouTube Gaming. Jack “CouRage” Dunlop made the move back in 2019. Ninja also left Twitch in favor of Mixer in 2019. But after Microsoft shut Mixer down, he moved over to YouTube for a brief stint before returning to Twitch late last year.
All of this is part of a broader effort by the biggest streaming platforms to lock down talent as exclusives, similar to how various streaming services boast exclusive shows and movies.
For more, read about how 2020 was YouTube's biggest year ever in terms of video games, with over 100 billion hours spent watching gaming content on the platform.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
(Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)