Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., one of YouTube’s most popular content creators, has reportedly received a $600 million exclusive streaming deal offer from Twitch, according to industry insiders. The rumored two-year contract would mark one of the largest creator deals in streaming history, though neither party has officially confirmed the negotiations.

Watkins was banned from Twitch in December 2021 following controversial behavior during a joint stream with Adin Ross (who was reinstated on Twitch earlier this year). Despite being unbanned in October 2023, Watkins has not returned to the platform, instead building his audience on YouTube where he now boasts over 41.4 million subscribers.

European Tour

The timing of these rumors coincides with Watkins’ ongoing European tour, which began on July 7. The streamer has announced plans to broadcast these IRL streams simultaneously on both YouTube and Twitch, marking his first appearance on the Amazon-owned platform since May 2021. The tour will take him through multiple countries including France, Poland, Turkey, Finland, Croatia, Serbia, and Greece.

According to reports, viewer engagement during the European tour could influence final decisions on any exclusive streaming rights. 

For Twitch, securing Watkins would represent a significant competitive advantage in the ongoing battle for top creator talent. The 20-year-old streamer’s previous European tour in 2024 generated over 2.5 billion views across platforms, showcasing his audience draw.

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