Ninja, Twitch's Biggest 'Fortnite' Streamer, Goes Exclusive With Microsoft's Mixer

Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, the Fortnite streamer who rose to mainstream prominence on Twitch, is leaving the streaming platform to broadcast exclusively on Mixer, an oft-ignored streaming platform that was acquired by Microsoft in 2016, and which so far hasn't been unable to contend with the likes of Twitch and YouTube.

"I know this may come as a shock to many of you, but as of today, I will be streaming exclusively on Mixer," Ninja said in a fake press conference clip posted to Twitter. "It's the same me, just a different platform."

In a short follow-up post, Ninja said he'd been "holding onto this [news] for quite some time," noting that his streams will remain "the exact same" as they typically are on Twitch. Despite that, Ninja did say that the switch to Mixer will help return him to his "streaming roots."

He elaborated in a press release: "My roots as a gamer started with Halo, so working with Microsoft and coming over to Mixer felt like a natural next step."

His first stream is scheduled for August 2 during Lollapalooza 2019 in Chicago. Ninja will also attend gaming events "in support of Mixer," according to a press release. Terms of the deal—including length and financials—have not been disclosed.

“We’ve loved watching Ninja on Twitch over the years and are proud of all that he’s accomplished for himself and his family, and the gaming community," Twitch told VICE in an email. "We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”