Why Pokimane Is Taking a Hiatus

By Ashley Turner

Popular Twitch streamer Imane "Pokimane" Anys announced a break from streaming this month. A Twitter post from the content creator announced that she was taking a hiatus on July 19. "I've been feeling in need of a mental reset & some time to focus on myself," she said. 

"[In my opinion] proper breaks are essential to one's health [and] career longevity, and I'm so grateful for the support y'all have shown me over the years. Thanks for putting me in a position where I'm able to take time off like this," Pokimane said of her decision. "Looking forward to coming back refreshed and ready to make more content. Take care, stay hydrated, and see you soon!"

Despite having over nine million followers on Twitch, the Legacy Streamer of the Year has faced her fair share of controversies – such as copyright-claiming YouTube videos that were critical of her content, with fellow streamer PewDiePie calling her out for it.

However, this time around, the Moroccan-born gamer is being scrutinized for allegedly using the N-word while livestreaming. Earlier this month, a clip of Pokimane allegedly using the derogatory term during an anime broadcast went viral, drawing criticism online. In the original July 9 clip, Pokimane is playing the game Valorant and laughing with teammates, saying, "Like… like who asked?" The clip that went viral was only 14 seconds long, trimming out the first "like" of her statement, possibly causing it to be misconstrued as a racial slur.

According to some, Pokimane had only named one of the other players during the conversation. There is also the belief that the Twitch streamer used the controversial term but cleverly concealed it behind the phrase. 

In 2020, Pokimane apologized for using a racial slur on a stream over eight years prior, saying, "I'm sorry if I hurt anyone by what I said. I hope that my behavior regarding language for the last couple of years speaks for itself."

Pokimane is one of the most popular streamers on Twitch. As of this writing, her Twitch and YouTube channels have over 6.6 million subscribers and 9.2 million followers, respectively. She attended TwitchCon in Amsterdam and documented her trip to Korea on her channel before announcing her leave. TwitchTracker's statistics indicate Pokimane streams five days a week on average. She streamed an average of 76.7 hours per week in June and, in certain months, over 100 hours. Additionally, she maintains a YouTube channel, where she uploads clips, vlogs, and other content related to her work.

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