After more than 16 years as CEO of Twitch, Emmett Shear is stepping down from his position. The news was announced via a Twitter thread posted today.
Shear explained that the birth of his son made him pause and reflect on his future at Twitch. He wrote: “Twitch often feels to me like a child I’ve been raising as well, and while I will always want to be there if Twitch needs me, at 16 years old it feels to me that Twitch is ready to move out of the house and venture alone. So it is with great poignancy that I share my decision to resign from Twitch as CEO.”
The current president of Twitch, Dan Clancy, will serve as CEO effective immediately and Shear will work at Twitch in an advisory role.
The Origins of Twitch
Shear had initially founded the platform in October 2006 as a 24/7 reality show named Justin.tv, named after co-founder Justin Kan. The show’s initial purpose was to document Kan’s daily life.
However, as time passed, Shear decided to grow Justin.tv in 2013 into Twitch, a site where streamers can broadcast gameplay to millions of people.
Twitch has been known for helping streamers like Ninja and Pokimane grow into famous internet personalities. It’s also helped popularize Fortnite and is considered a go-to platform for streamers.
Twitch has had many issues and controversies in the past, but it has remained a pivotal component of the gaming world.
Want more DZSH with you? Sign up for our newsletter today for fun games, updates, and more!
Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
