At one point, Dr Disrespect was among the most viewed and most popular streamers on Twitch. But a sudden and unexplained ban in June 2020 saw Doc removed from his longtime streaming platform.
The official reason for Doc’s permanent ban from Twitch is still unknown, with neither party nor any outside sources giving any indication as to why the former face of Twitch saw an untimely forced departure. But as of June 2024, after years of silence, the situation has seen multiple developments.
How it all started – June 2020
It all began when Twitch banned Dr Disrespect on June 26, 2020 ahead of a scheduled stream. In a statement provided to Shannon Liao in 2020, the streaming platform vaguely claimed Dr Disrespect violated either the site’s community guidelines or Terms of Service and remarked on the general applicability of its policies. “As is our process, we take appropriate action when we have evidence that a streamer has acted in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service,” Twitch said. “These apply to all streamers regardless of status or prominence in the community.”
This was not Dr Disrespect’s first ban. He was previously suspended from Twitch after bringing his camera crew into an E3 bathroom. Doc’s ban also came at a time when a significant number of streamers were being suspended for DMCA violations. But given the severity of Doc’s punishment, it’s unlikely this was the case for him.
Though Doc saw a successful move to YouTube, the streamer made it clear his forced transition to a new platform came at a cost. The former game developer said on stream he was only making a quarter of his previous earnings on Twitch and that the vague nature of his ban led to frayed relations with former sponsors, such as EA and Activision.
The Doc expresses his intention to sue – August 2021
On an Aug. 24, 2021 stream, Dr Disrespect revealed he knew the reason behind his permanent ban and intended to sue Twitch for damages to his reputation. “A lot of people ask, ‘do you know the reason?’ I do know the reason why now,” said the former streamer of the year. “I’ve known for months now, the reason why. I’ll just say this right now champs, there’s a reason why we’re suing the fuck out of Twitch.”
While Dr Disrespect made his stance against Twitch public, often referring to the site as “the purple snake,” the livestreaming platform made no acknowledgment of the ongoing situation.
The “legal dispute” comes to an end – March 2022
On March 10, 2022, Dr Disrespect announced that his legal dispute with Twitch had come to an end. In his ominous statement, he said “I have resolved my legal dispute with Twitch. No party admits to any wrongdoing.” Now “moving on” from the situation, Doc made it clear he had no intention of returning to Twitch.
Allegations resurface – June 2024
On June 21, 2024 ex-Twitch employee Cody Conners posted to X (formerly Twitter) how an unnamed streamer was banned from platform after “sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product.” He then claimed this streamer attempted to meet up with the minor in question at a TwitchCon event.
Dr Disrespect responded to the allegations, denying any wrongdoing. On June 22, he tweeted, saying “all of this has been probed and settled” and that nothing illegal had occurred.
During a June 24 broadcast, however, Midnight Society, the gaming studio co-founded by the streamer, came forward with a statement saying it was cutting ties with Dr Disrepect. “We assumed his innocence and began speaking with parties involved,” the statement reads. “And in order to maintain our principles and standards as a studio and individuals, we needed to act. For this reason, we are terminating our relationship with Guy Beahm immediately.”
Shortly after, Dr Disrespect—who had been streaming on YouTube when Midnight Society’s announcement hit live feeds across the globe—said he was “feeling a little fatigued” and burnt out. He then ended the stream, suggesting he would be taking an extended break from streaming.
“Maybe it’s time to start something new, something different,” Dr Disrespect said. “Challenge those creative senses, a desire to explore different realms, if you will. But I think first and foremost, though, I did have a planned vacation coming up, and I think I may just extend that, starting now.”
