US politics isn't just rocking Washington – it's turning Twitch into a battleground.
As the real world struggles with the latest power shift, two streamers from opposite ends of the political spectrum are cashing in on the chaos.
Twitch’s Political Circus: Asmongold vs. HasanAbi
Once an MMORPG legend, Asmongold ditched his main channel in 2022 to escape the spotlight. Spoiler: It didn't work. Streaming under the name 'zackrawrr', he has just as many viewers as before. But instead of fighting raid bosses, he's now dissecting Donald Trump's latest antics and ranting about the state of the world.
Does he play? Occasionally. But 85% of his streams now fall into the 'just chatting' category, averaging 55,000 viewers. That's a stadium full of people watching him analyse (or lose his mind over) the news. In the last two weeks alone, his viewership has skyrocketed by 130%.
Another streamer, HasanAbi, who has been covering politics on Twitch for years, accused Asmongold of creating a "safe space for Nazis" with his vague comments about the Holocaust. Asmongold fired back, and his editor even went after HasanAbi, accusing him of trivialising terrorism.
HasanAbi sees Asmongold as someone reveling in his newfound relevance. Asmongold thinks HasanAbi is taking himself too seriously.
From Raid Boss To Political Rant: How Did We Get Here?
HasanAbi's political focus has been steady, but Asmongold's shift came via a more unexpected route: internet drama. The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial showed him how lucrative reaction content could be. Years later, Depp-related clips are still among his most-viewed videos.
His recent Twitch ban for comments about the Gaza conflict forced him into a brief period of "self-reflection" – or so he claims. Whether his content actually changes remains to be seen.