Pokimane is starting a talent management company for streamers
It can be difficult to ‘make it’ as a full-time streamer, but Pokimane (aka Imane Anys) thinks there’s a better way to nurture budding internet broadcasters. The well-known Twitch personality is co-founding RTS, a talent management and brand consulting company that plans to fix “what is broken” for both game streamers and esports. The firm will rethink management to help creators run a “stable business” that survives in the long run, and to support game developers and other brands wanting to make a significant impact.
Pokimane saw RTS tackling the problems she and others faced getting started. There are plenty of talented streamers who are “spinning their wheels on basic stuff” and forging partnerships that don’t work for either side, she said. Ideally, her new company will reflect her experience and give rookies the support they need to avoid many of those early headaches.
The startup will include a slew of game industry veterans, not to mention some major customers. Twitch and Endeavor veteran Stuart Saw will serve as CEO, while the remaining executives include alumni from Twitch, Blizzard and PAX. The board includes Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, PUBG Corp’s Americas head Brian Corrigan and Endeavor Executive VP Karen Brodkin. RTS will work with Pokimane as well as Epic Games and Facebook. It will own and co-manage the Evo fighting game tournament.
It could take a while before it’s clear how well RTS fares compared to existing online talent management outfits. However, it’s notable that Pokimane and her team are focused on growing small-time streamers rather than courting big names can already fetch major deals. While this certainly won’t guarantee fame, it might lead to more people pursuing streaming as a job (if not a full-fledged career) instead of a hobby.
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