Pokimane 'Burnt Out' And Is On The Verge Of Quitting Streaming
She's the biggest streamer around, which might explain while Imane "Pokimane" Anys is feeling the pressure from all sides. Holding her own alongside the likes of Felix "xQc" Lengyel, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, and even Dr Disrespect, Pokimane has paved the way for other female streamers to climb to the top.
From her humble start streaming League of Legends, Pokimane rose through the ranks of Twitch to cover everything from Fortnite to Among Us.
These days, she's firmly the most-watched female streamer on the platform and can now pull in huge numbers just by talking about like. Sadly, Anys says she's feeling "burnt out" - claiming it could be time for a change.
What has Pokimane said about quitting streaming?
Posting on her YouTube channel, a beaten Pokimane admitted, "I know my mind and my heart. Really, really, don't want to admit it, but I think I'm burnt out. Unlike any other way I've been burnt out in the past." She went on to say the game streaming industry is a little "still" right now, and how she finds herself doing things she's not really excited about.
It's not to say Anys isn't grateful for what she's achieved. "I've gotten pretty far, and I'm pretty happy with the life that I have right now", she admitted. "But you can't do the same thing forever, and I just feel like it's time for a change. I think my heart is yearning for the outdoors and for experience and for friendship."
Discussing breaking free from her vicious cycle, Pokimane said her mind and habits are so used to work, it's "really hard to break out of that." It's far from confirmation she's about to abandon her impressive career as a streamer, but wanting change, it's unlikely Pokimane's gruelling schedule will continue for much longer.
Has Pokimane quit streaming before?
Anys' latest stream follows in the footsteps of several others that talk about feeling burnt out. Talking about similar themes on August 7, Pokimane said, "Even though I had such a great day off, there is always a little bit that sentiment of should I stream... And then the comparison of like seeing other people live and being like, 'Ah I should be taking advantage of that too'. It is just so hard to properly enjoy your time off without thinking that you should or could be doing more."
By the sounds of it, Pokimane could be setting herself up for a break. It's important to remember this isn't the first time she's cited her own mental wellbeing as a reason to take an extended hiatus. Last year, Pokimane stepped down from streaming and all social media - when she went on a "burnout break". Although she wasn't gone for long and returned in September after a 40-day absence, it might be time for some more R&R.
There's no denying Anys' meteoric rise to the top. After soaring in the boom of Among Us, she joined the OfflineTV team alongside friends like Jeremy "Disguised Toast" Wang, and has recently added VALORANT to her roster of games. Most of us would struggle to do even half of that and maintain a "normal" life.
Pokimane emphasises there isn't much love for some of her endeavours right now, and while she hasn't officially confirmed she's quitting streaming, we guess a much-deserved break could be on the cards very soon. If she does go for a lie-down, expect there to be a Poki-shaped hole in the streaming community until/if she returns.
