Twitch co-founder, Kevin Lin, has announced his departure from the company; what comes next?
Announced through a post on Thursday, Twitch co-founder, Kevin Lin, will be departing from the company. He has been with the company for a combined 13 years, acting not only as a founder but COO.
Through a blog post on Medium, Lin expressed that he would be leaving the company to focus on himself. He states that it is time for his “next adventure” and wants to be around his friends and family.
Kevin Lin thanks the entire Twitch community for all they’ve done for him. He wrote, “To the Twitch Community: I am forever in your debt.” He also thanks fellow co-founders of Twitch and the entire Twitch staff as well as the entire gaming industry.
In probably the most important part of his announcement, Lin states he hopes to build something “as remarkable as Twitch” again. It isn’t clear exactly what this new venture could be, but based on Lin’s message it will be something impactful in both the technology field and everyday life.
Other Twitch creators include Justin Kan, Michael Seibel, Kyle Vogt, and current CEO, Emmett Shear, who tweeted out the following in response to Lin’s departure:
So what does this mean for the future of the company? Since Twitch was bought out by Amazon in 2017, it doesn’t seem like too much will change.
Although Kevin Lin’s contributions to the company have been undeniable, as Emmett Shear himself even noted. The loss of an original founder may leave fans feeling worried about the platform in general.
Twitch has also been facing criticism in recent months as claims of copyright issues have been made against the company. There have also been claims of racism and sexual assault complaints being mishandled by the company.
We’re not quite sure what this change in leadership means for the company, but we’re hoping to see positive changes and progressions in the coming months.
