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Rachell "Valkyrae" Hofstetter, in her latest stream, addressed the backlash she's received regarding her announcement to renew her contract with YouTube. The star announced her decision to re-sign with YouTube on January 31, 2022.
Valkyrae, the owner of esports organization 100 Thieves, posted her decision on Twitter via a well-crafted announcement video. However, a segment of her followers did not appreciate the hype created, given her ultimate decision to remain with YouTube instead of shifting to an alternative platform.
Responding to these opinions, Rae justified her reasoning behind creating the announcement video:
"It was good content."
Valkyrae's return stream on YouTube addresses backlash about announcement video
Referred segment begins at 13:20.
During her first stream since her return to YouTube, Valkyrae was asked by a viewer if she was happy to be back on YouTube. Referring to the renewed contract, she corrected the viewer by stating that she never left.
"I mean technically I never left."
Prompted by the question, Rae then addressed the backlash she received regarding her announcement video. After nearly a fortnight of waiting, several fans seemed disappointed by the suspense created around her possible shift to Twitch. They criticized the video, calling it "overhyped" and "unnecessary" due to her decision to remain on the YouTube platform.
"And I just wanna say, I know there's a lot of people that were like 'why did she even do an announcement video if she didn't go anywhere?'"
Unbothered by these opinions, Rae simply stated that the process for renewing her contract carried potential to become content for her personal brand. As an innovative content creator, she took the opportunity to produce a fun, well-crafted video for her announcement.
"First of all, it was good content."
Rae was straightforward with her point, as she told her viewers that creating the video was fun. She then listed "fun" as the remaining reasons.
"Second of all, it was for fun. *shruggs* And third of all, it was fun. And fourth of all, it was for fun. Fifth of all, it was good content- You know what I mean?"
Later in the stream, Rae asserted that she was allowed to have fun, calling the announcement video the "most extra thing" she could've done.
Fans and fellow streamers congratulate Valkyrae on her renewed deal with YouTube
While some viewers may have felt the announcement video to be unnecessary, the majority consensus deemed it funny and innovative. Rae's tweet announcing her decision was almost immediately flooded with support from her fellow creators and fans. The video's subtle hints at Twitch and Facebook gaming, along with other Easter eggs, were enjoyed by her audience.
Valkyrae's online persona may be undergoing some rebranding as the star changed her Twitter username to "Just Valky." Nonetheless, her decision to remain with YouTube may inspire several streamers to make the switch from Twitch, a move that Rae has been widely advocating.
