Why Kai Cenat’s record-breaking subathon was a double-edged sword for Twitch

But although Cenat’s stream was occasionally marked by PG-13 or R-rated behavior, Twitch did not take any public steps to shield its advertisers from his or his team’s more controversial content. The situation highlighted the divergent needs of some of Twitch’s largest streamers and the brands that advertise on the platform. Twitch needs to consider the needs of both its creators and its advertisers — but threading the needle between the two can be a delicate dance.

“Live content has unique appeal because people show up authentically and viewers get to share in an experience that unfolds in real time, with people who share their interests,” said a Twitch representative in a statement sent to Digiday following the publication of this story. “The authenticity and creativity that Twitch streamers bring to their communities have pushed livestreaming and live content creators into the forefront of mainstream culture.”

Only on Twitch

Kai Cenat is one of the most popular streamers on Twitch, boasting a following of tens of millions across social channels. During November’s subathon — a month-long, always-on broadcast featuring Cenat and a rotating cast of guests, with 20 percent of all revenue going toward the construction of a school in Nigeria — he achieved a peak of nearly 730,000 subscribers, bolstered by appearances by celebrities such as Kevin Hart and Chris Brown. A representative of Kai Cenat did not respond to a request for comment.

Cenat also brought advertisers along for the ride, signing partnerships with brands such as McDonald’s and the NBA shortly before the November subathon. Even without sponsorship revenue, the subathon generated millions of dollars for Cenat in subscriptions and donations: the typical cost of each subscription was $4.99, and streamers receive a 50 to 70 percent cut of subscription revenue. For Twitch, which proudly promoted Cenat’s livestream on its official channels, the event was ample evidence that the platform is still the place to be for livestreaming creators.

“Could somebody do that on a YouTube or a different platform? I guess, but it doesn’t seem to be the culture of those platforms,” said Douglas Brundage, the founder and CEO of brand studio Kingsland. “It’s almost like the new late night — it’s evolved into allowing creators to make their own game show or talk show. It feels very modern, and it’s put together in a way that works for this customer, especially Gen Z.”

Brand safety challenges

Record-breaking numbers notwithstanding, Cenat’s November subathon came with some challenges for Twitch as well. The event was marked by content that occasionally appeared to skirt the platform’s rules, with Cenat and his guests setting off reports of drug use, homophobia and platforming controversial celebrities such as Brown, who admitted to assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. In one clip, the rapper Sexyy Red appeared to inhale a powdered substance while onstream, though she later claimed that she had been rolling a blunt. In another clip, Cenat appeared to make fun of two male friends after seeing one of them sit on the other’s lap.

In spite of the purported drug use, Twitch did not take any actions to punish Cenat during his month-long livestream, aside from a six-minute suspension on Nov. 3 following a swatting incident unrelated to any of Cenat’s actions. In the broader landscape of online creators across Twitch, YouTube and other platforms, Cenat is not remarkably controversial or incendiary. He avoids political commentary and is known for broadcasting motivational speeches to his fans. But he is Twitch’s most prominent creator, and any potential missteps he makes are inherently more visible than those of his peers.

When reached for comment following the publication of this story, a Twitch representative pointed to the company’s community guidelines, which they said apply “objectively” to all creators.

A look at the numbers makes it clear why the platform may have wanted to avoid taking Cenat’s channel down. Last month, Cenat’s channel alone accounted for nearly 5 percent of all watch hours on Twitch, according to data from the stats and analysis platforms SullyGnome and Twitch Tracker, which track the performance and activity of streamers on the service.

Without Twitch, it’s possible that Cenat might never have achieved his current level of fame. But now, Twitch relies on top creators like him to keep viewers engaged and active.

As Cenat’s brand safety challenges build, however, Twitch’s biggest star could risk becoming a liability to the platform as it looks to build out its advertising arm. This situation is a microcosm of Twitch’s broader struggle as the platform continues to build scale. The company’s entire content and business model relies heavily on creators, opening Twitch up to brand safety risks that are difficult or even impossible for the platform’s leaders to control.

“The potential risk with a live environment is that unless you are controlling it — like if it’s a premium, Amazon-produced livestream, unlocked by ad buys — you don’t have that white-glove service and all the different levers of moderation,” said Overwolf director of brand partnerships Chad De Luca, who helped lead commercialization for Twitch Properties (Twitch’s owned and operated offerings like Twitch Rivals and TwitchCon) between 2019 and 2024. “If you’re just running ads without the proper brand suitability controls or just working with a streamer directly, there are so many ways a stream can go which inherently opens up the probability for a streamer to slip and say or do something they can’t take back and may regret.”

What comes next

At the moment, Kai Cenat’s stock is at an all-time high, even if he has brand safety challenges lurking in the wings. And although the streamer has already turned down multi-million-dollar offers to jump ship from Twitch to rival streaming platforms such as Kick, it’s only a matter of time until he looks to expand his presence beyond livestreaming and into the broader culture. The writing is already on the wall: during his appearance on Cenat’s stream last month, Kevin Hart announced that he and the creator were planning to collaborate on film and TV projects.

Cenat’s ascension — and his impending jump from Twitch into other platforms and entertainment channels — demonstrates a potential weakness of the livestreaming platform. It’s a tremendously useful springboard into cultural relevance, but once a creator builds a presence on Twitch, there’s nothing stopping them from bringing both their audience and advertisers elsewhere. 

“Kai must strategically broaden his horizons beyond the Twitch platform to continue his ascent,” said Scotty Tidwell, a longtime esports executive who led the creator divisions for companies such as G Fuel and Enthusiast Gaming. “The next logical step for a creator of his caliber would involve diversifying his presence in mainstream media. This includes pursuing opportunities in television and film, where his energetic persona and comedic timing could be well-suited for roles that capture broader demographics.”

Editor’s note: This story has been revised to include a statement sent to Digiday by Twitch and more accurately describe Twitch’s objective approach to content moderation.