Popular streaming platform Twitch issued a statement on Twitter on January 6, 2021, stating the unequivocal removal of the ‘PogChamp’ emote in the aftermath of comments made on the same social media platform by Ryan ‘Gootecks’ Gutierrez that seemed to propagate or instigate violence.
United States of America descended into chaos on January 6, 2021, as a large mob marched inside the Capitol building in Washington, DC in a saddening yet historic moment.
Why was Pogchamp removed?
Gootecks highlighted gun wounds and injury sustained by a woman during the protest and seemed to ask for justice by hinting at retaliation of some sorts for the woman.
Twitch took a prompt decision to remove the emote and have since been barraged by requests to replace the face of the PogChamps emote with someone else’s, with suggestions pouring in by the minute.
Twitch has come under fire recently by banning words like incel and simp in chat. However, the decision to remove the PogChamps emote, for now, is backed by a solid argument and it will be interesting to see if they do take the up widely agreed public suggestion to replace Gootecks’ face with someone else’s.