Twitch Bans Streamer For Playing Forspoken

Forspoken is an open-world RPG from Square Enix that essentially comprises parkour wizards. The game was delayed several times, but it was finally released on January 24, 2023.

Regional time differences can make it challenging to maintain a game’s global release date, as one Dutch streamer discovered personally. Gtamen was banned for 48 hours for streaming Forspoken before its official release. Even though it was already available in several parts of the world.

Twitch, the live-streaming platform, recently banned streamer Gtamen after he streamed an unreleased game, Forspoken. This is the first case of a streamer being banned for playing an unreleased game, and it has caused a stir in the streaming community.

Gtamen had been streaming on Twitch for several years and had built up a substantial fan base. He had been streaming Forspoken, an upcoming game from Square Enix, on the platform for weeks before he was banned. He had no prior violations and had been an exemplary streamer. 

Although the game had not yet been released in the United States, it had already become available in certain regions of the Southern Hemisphere.

A Dutch Twitch streamer known as Gtamen was able to obtain a copy of the game early and streamed some of it on his channel. However, Twitch intervened and issued a 48-hour ban for streaming the game before its official release. Gtamen expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation in a tweet, where he shared the email notification of his ban and the reason given for it.

Banned for 48hrs for streaming a game that's been officially released and legally bought. Cool. pic.twitter.com/lOMjctFAx7

— Gtamen (@Gtamen) January 23, 2023

Overall, this incident highlights the need for clearer policies when it comes to streaming unreleased games. It highlights the need for streamers to have the freedom to stream what they want, as long as it’s within the rules.

What are your thoughts on this? Should Twitch unban Gtamen as the game was officially released for him? Do let us know in the comments down below.