The platform Kick tried to poach Europe's biggest Twitch streamer and supposedly made him a crazy offer.
Ibai Llanos Garatea is the biggest European streamer on Twitch. In the world of gaming streamers, only American creator KaiCenat surpasses him. Ibai is a passionate League of Legends player and even owns his own esports team.
Last year, Ibai streamed for more than 1,500 hours, racking up 104 million watch hours. In July, he made headlines when 3.8 million viewers tuned in to his boxing event, which even attracted Will Smith.
This massive popularity has made Ibai a target for rival platforms, including Kick. Earlier this year, the 29-year-old said he would consider an offer from Kick if, in two years, they were ready to pay him "an indecent amount."
According to Ibai, that offer arrived about a month ago:
Kick came at me with everything about a month ago. Knekro already knows the offer they made me. I nearly crapped myself—my hands were shaking.
While Kick’s offer seems enticing, there are significant drawbacks to consider. Despite the platform's "non-exclusive contracts" allowing streamers to remain on Twitch or YouTube, Kick likely imposes requirements, such as a minimum number of streaming hours and promoting gambling within streams.
With his focus on esports and sporting events, Ibai seems like a strong fit for Kick, given the platform’s emphasis on gambling. However, the potential damage to his image could be a dealbreaker. Kick is not known as a reputable platform, and moving there could force Ibai to give up his current business relationships, likely replacing them with Stake, a crypto-casino.
This could also align him with controversial figures like xQc, Adin Ross, and Amouranth, streamers who don’t have the same reputation to protect.
Given the downsides mentioned above, it seems unlikely that Ibai will accept Kick’s offer, even if it matches the reported $100 million deal xQc received for switching.
What are your thoughts on Kick? Should Ibai consider making the move?
