Standard VTuber Amano Pikamee introduced her retirement (opens in new tab) a couple of weeks after sparking controversy for planning to stream Hogwarts Legacy.
The founding father of the corporate that owns Pikamee’s 2D likeness (like J-Pop idols, some VTubers are strictly managed by expertise companies (opens in new tab)), GYARI, stated on a stream immediately (opens in new tab) (translated by a viewer) that they mentioned her retirement for “a very long time.” And Pomu Rainpuff, one other VTuber and pal of Pikamee, stated she realized of her plans (opens in new tab) to retire earlier than she went on break in mid-January, earlier than Hogwarts Legacy’s launch.
Regardless of this affirmation that Pikamee wished to graduate earlier than she introduced her plans to stream Hogwarts Legacy on February 6, many VTuber followers nonetheless imagine the supposed harassment she acquired was what prompted her resolution.
Streaming the sport is seen by some as an endorsement of Harry Potter creator J.Okay. Rowling’s many transphobic remarks over time (opens in new tab). Streamers like Girlfriend Critiques and VTuber Silvervale have all reportedly acquired harassment for taking part in the sport, whereas others, like Hasan Piker, refused to stream it altogether to keep away from criticism.
Pikamee deleted all her tweets concerning the sport, however screenshots (opens in new tab) of them are nonetheless out there. In a single now-deleted tweet (opens in new tab), she stated, “Taking part in this sport doesn’t suggest I am supporting one thing particular. I simply wish to play the sport, that is all.”
The severity of the harassment Pikamee acquired is sort of unimaginable to confirm. As with different streamers who reportedly acquired harassment for taking part in the sport, it is laborious to know if it was a coordinated effort or a part of a wave of responses on social media and of their chats. Twitter searches deliver up screenshots of tweets that appear like pretty tame criticism (opens in new tab) and disappointment in her resolution, with some heated outliers, however with all the pieces deleted it is tough to know.
Final week, a preferred clip of VTuber Silvervale (opens in new tab) explaining why she’s going to proceed to stream Hogwarts Legacy circulated on Twitter. In it, she stated she does not “condone the beliefs of this writer,” and that she’s going to “not be bullied by a bunch of Twitter freaks.” Now, VTuber followers on Twitter (opens in new tab) have adopted the time period “Twitter freaks,” to harass (opens in new tab) and threaten others, particularly trans individuals (opens in new tab) in some circumstances, in protection of streamers like Silvervale and Pikamee.
Pikamee hasn’t instantly addressed the controversy since making her announcement, however stated she’s going to proceed to stream till her final day on March 31. When that occurs, all the movies and VODs from her two years of streaming will likely be deleted from her YouTube channel—which is frequent after company-owned VTubers retire.