Common VTuber caught up in Hogwarts Legacy controversy is retiring
On: March 3, 2023
Common VTuber Amano Pikamee introduced her retirement a number 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), GYARI, stated on a stream at the moment (translated by a viewer) that they mentioned her retirement for “a very long time.” And Pomu Rainpuff, one other VTuber and buddy of Pikamee, stated she realized of her plans 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 choice.
Streaming the game is seen by some as an endorsement of Harry Potter creator J.Ok. Rowling’s many transphobic remarks over time. Streamers like Girlfriend Opinions and VTuber Silvervale have all reportedly acquired harassment for taking part in the game, whereas others, like Hasan Piker, refused to stream it altogether to keep away from criticism.
Pikamee deleted all her tweets in regards to the game, however screenshots of them are nonetheless obtainable. In a single now-deleted tweet, she stated, “Taking part in this game does not imply I am supporting one thing particular. I simply need to play the game, that is all.”
The severity of the harassment Pikamee acquired is nearly unimaginable to confirm. As with different streamers who reportedly acquired harassment for taking part in the game, it is onerous 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 carry up screenshots of tweets that seem like pretty tame criticism and disappointment in her choice, with some heated outliers, however with all the pieces deleted it is tough to know.
Final week, a preferred clip of VTuber Silvervale 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 creator,” and that she’s going to “not be bullied by a bunch of Twitter freaks.” Now, VTuber followers on Twitter have adopted the time period “Twitter freaks,” to harass and threaten others, particularly trans folks in some instances, in protection of streamers like Silvervale and Pikamee.
Pikamee hasn’t straight 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 shall be deleted from her YouTube channel—which is widespread after company-owned VTubers retire.
