Less than a week after announcing his lucrative partnership with the new streaming platform, xQc is already openly defying Kick staff and potentially exposing himself and the company to legal consequences. Despite being previously informed that streaming The Dark Knight went against Kick's DMCA policy, he recently went live while watching AMC's Breaking Bad.
Launched just six months ago in December 2022, Kick is a livestreaming service that was established as a direct competitor to Amazon-owned Twitch. As part of its strategy, Kick has managed to entice several prominent figures to leave the established platform, including Adin Ross, BruceDropEmOff, and most recently xQc and Amouranth. These influential individuals were swayed by Kick's multi-million-dollar contracts. Additionally, Kick offers an attractive revenue sharing model, with the platform only taking 5% of the earnings. In comparison, YouTube takes 30% from livestream revenue. While Twitch recently introduced a 70-30 split for select streamers, it reverts back to a 50-50 split for revenue exceeding $100,000.
xQc recently made headlines by signing a massive two-year $70 million contract with Kick, along with the potential to earn an additional $30 million in performance-based bonuses. This deal ranks among the largest in the entertainment industry, putting xQc on par with some of America's highest-paid professional athletes. However, concerns have arisen as xQc appears to be pushing the limits of Kick's DMCA policy. Despite being asked to refrain from streaming The Dark Knight due to DMCA violations, he has now been caught streaming episodes of the popular crime drama Breaking Bad. It is worth noting that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a pivotal 1998 law in US copyright legislation, grants platforms like Kick protection from liability if users upload copyrighted content. Nevertheless, it also necessitates that platforms cooperate with takedown requests from copyright holders. Consequently, platforms such as Kick have strict policies in place to prevent users from uploading or streaming copyrighted material.
xQc initially complied with Kick's request to cease streaming copyrighted content, but he has since resumed this behavior just a few days later. Despite his claim that he moved to Kick to engage in activities not permitted on other platforms, it is important to note that Kick does have its own rules and moderation. Regardless of personal opinions on copyright laws, streaming such content is not desirable for a major streaming site.
Some Twitter users have expressed concern over xQc's actions, questioning whether he intentionally sought suspension. While it seems unlikely considering the financial implications, it is not entirely impossible if xQc has reservations about his contract. However, it is important to clarify that this speculation is purely hypothetical.
