Ninja Released from Mixer Contract After Service's Facebook Gaming Partnership

Internet streamer and gamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is about to become a free agent.

The Verge's Bijan Stephen reported Microsoft is shuttering its streaming platform and shifting some of its streamers to Facebook Gaming. Notable gamers such as Blevins, on the other hand, will be free to explore other possibilities.

"It's up to them and their priorities," said Vivek Sharma, who's in charge of Facebook Gaming.

Blevins announced in August 2019 he was leaving Twitch to stream exclusively with Mixer. CNN Business' Shannon Liao wrote in January the deal was potentially netting him between $20 million and $30 million.

To some extent, Blevins is getting to enjoy the best of both worlds now.

By going to Mixer, the 29-year-old maximized his earning power but risked losing some of the audience he built through his Twitch streams. Stephen noted he "saw a huge decrease in viewership" and that "his follower count dropped by more than 10 million."

In the wake of Mixer's demise, it's safe to say the gamble was a failure. Now, Blevins will have the opportunity to move to a platform that will increase his reach once again.

According to Rod "Slasher" Breslau, Facebook offered nearly double the contract Blevins had signed with Mixer, but he chose to become a free agent instead.

That perhaps speaks to his focus as he weighs his next move.