How did Pirate Software become so popular? Twitch streamer and YouTuber's career explored

Jason "Thor" Hall, the CEO of Pirate Software, has knocked it out of the park on Twitch, smashing the Hype Train world record by reaching level 106 on April 2. As of now, he has a staggering 74K subscribers, placing him in the top three most subscribed streamers on the platform, just behind Nicholas "Jynxzi" (175K subscribers) and Kai Cenat (111K subscribers).

For those who may not be aware, Hype Trains, a feature launched by Twitch in 2020, are akin to an event that hits a channel when there's a surge in Bits or subscriptions, surpassing a threshold set by the streamer.

---

Who is Thor aka Pirate Software on Twitch? Exploring streamer's career

On Twitch and YouTube, Thor aka Pirate Software has a diverse professional background. He previously served at Blizzard Entertainment as an offensive security specialist and later transitioned to Amazon Games Studio as a Python developer.

Notably, during his tenure at Amazon Games, he was enlisted by the US government for his expertise in hacking to assist in fortifying security measures for power plants across the United States.

While at Amazon Games, Thor created indie games alongside his corporate work. His first project, Champions of Breakfast, a small shoot 'em up made in GameMaker, didn't see significant success but helped him acquire skills.

Thor then began work on his dream RPG, Heartbound. After popular YouTuber Sean "Jacksepticeye" played an early build, Thor was encouraged to leave his corporate job to focus solely on Pirate Software (his gaming studio).

The streamer recently garnered recognition at the 2024 Streamer Awards, hosted by Blaire "QTCinderella." They clinched the title of Best Software and Game Development Streamer, further solidifying their reputation in the streaming community.

---

"It's time to believe in yourself again" - Pirate Software's message after breaking Twitch Hype Train record

Thor aka Pirate Software shared his reaction to breaking the Twitch Hype Train world record on his X.com account. This record, previously set at level 55 by himself, was surpassed with ease. Reacting to the feat, he said:

"The new World Record #Twitch Hype Train has just finished. Level 106 at 47% over the course of roughly 3 hours. I cannot express my gratitude enough and there are no words to thank you for what you've done here."

He further encouraged his followers to pursue their passions, stating:

"So many of you are afraid to break out and make something for fear of rejection, ridicule, or hate. Don't be afraid. Go make things. It's time to believe in yourself again. I can't wait to see what you do."

Streamer shares words of encouragement to his viewers following latest achievement (Image via X)

---

During the Hype Train period, users who donate subscriptions and bits receive exclusive emotes. For example, the recent world record of reaching level 100 enabled users to access the KappaInfinite emote for the first time.

Regarding Pirate Software's Twitch channel, the monetary breakdown for Hype Train levels is as follows - currently, reaching level 10 requires $400, level 25 requires $5,000, level 50 requires $40,000, and it's estimated that reaching level 100 would require approximately $500,000.