The Story of Ninja and How to Follow His Journey to the Top

With Mixer shutting down in July, it is no surprise that questions have been raised about the future of Ninja, who back in August 2019 announced his move to the platform in a lucrative multimillion-dollar deal. But where did this journey begin? We take a look at his story, the factors that made him stand out among the streamer crowd and got Ninja to the top of Twitch.

Ninja, aka Tyler Blevins, is an unusual character, albeit a somewhat tame one, judging by all the sponsorship deals resting on his shoulders nowadays. His venture into the world of streaming began a decade ago, yet it wasn’t until the release of Fortnite that his channel gained momentum, attracting in excess of 100,000 viewers a day. His early days on the game were characterised by his witty humour, slick skills and – occasionally – energetic outbursts, well documented across multiple platforms. Little did he realise that his life (and demeanour) would completely change in just a few months.

Baby Steps

Ninja’s baby steps on Fortnite were characterised by his expletive-laden vocals and questionable attitude at times. Nonetheless, Epic Games quickly realised how much traction the game was gaining thanks to his engaging persona. The once foul-mouthed streamer turned into a prominent figure idolised not only by his followers but also their parents as a role model for their kids. That unquestionably had an impact on his behaviour while on-stream, not least because of the brands that expected an ambassador for their products.

March 2018 was a defining moment in Ninja’s career: his stream attracted over 600,000 concurrent viewers. The likes of Drake and Travis Scott tuned in to play some games with the blue-haired streamer in front of a diverse audience. This amalgamation of two different industries – music and gaming – combined a fan base that introduced many of its followers to the world of streaming for the very first time. Brands didn’t take long to react to this new marketing opportunity, with names such as Red Bull, Uber Eats and NZXT capitalising on the opportunity to reach new user bases.

One could conclude that Ninja’s steaming empire was built with a mixture of both luck and skill. His streaming persona has blossomed into a mature, well-balanced gamer. An advocate for respect online. As with anything in life, getting the stars to align in your favour helps a lot and backing it with some solid foundation can make or break a streaming career. We take a look at some of the things that helped Ninja reach his peak at the top of Twitch.

Pick up a Fresh Game and Become Its Ambassador

Before Ninja joining Twitch and Fortnite becoming a really popular game, he tirelessly streamed it day in, day out. This helped him build up his fan base quickly. But the reverse was also true – during Tyler visit to E3 he remained offline for 48 hours. And it lead to a loss of 40,000 subscribers. If you want to be big, you gotta work for it. While there are many streamers out there who play a mix of games (Sodapoppin being among my favourites), Ninja reached critical mass by being the go-to streamer whenever one wanted to indulge in some Fortnite. If someone thought Fornite, they thought Ninja. The two became inseparable.

Get Good, or Die Trying

There are successful streamers who don’t even play games on Twitch. Yet a significant number of viewers come on to watch a streamer play in order to understand the game better, harness some ticks and tricks and improve their personal gameplay. Fornite introduced some groundbreaking mechanics into the game that gave Battle Royale its momentum. Ninja quickly capitalised on his skill set, often winning his matches in style. Viewers wanted a piece of that pie – to get good at this new genre. Ninja’s stream was the perfect stage for this.

Don’t Just Engage Through Your On-Screen Skills

Ninja wasn’t only good – he was also entertaining. He would pick up various discussions with DrLupo with whom he often partnered. As well as other gamers (such as the aforementioned Drake). His witty sense of humour, social awareness and common knowledge gave rise to a wide ranging spectrum of discussions that did not feel recycled. Having such a broad arsenal of topics at disposal while streaming will build your user engagement.

“I remember watching a Slender Man stream where the streamer would scream his butt off every time his end was approaching. At the time, it was amusing. But perhaps a questionable approach to build a viewerbase that will want to stay on your stream for a little longer.”

Unite, Instead of Divide

Being controversial can sometimes help attract viewers who want to sit back and eat some popcorn. A perfect example of that is Asmongold. His at times salty demeanour is actually an admirably well-balanced blend of intellect and creativity. In that, his directed offense is usually within the realms of typical guy talk. Interestingly, Asmongold never uses explicit language within World of Warcraft in order to avoid breaking the EULA (End User License Agreement) and keeps his openness on stream.

The outbursts Ninja had on Twitch are a thing of the past. He constructively discusses topics and issues without favouritism and stays politically correct when controversial issues are raised. This helps to keep his viewers in line and happy, which brings me to the next point…

It’s Really Simple: Brands Want a Person Everyone Will Love

Think about how you want to monetise your stream. Is it through the number of views your stream racks up? Or the sponsors who want to associate your name with their products? Whichever path you choose, think about the values a brand represents and who their main target group is. It may take a little digging around and deciphering to figure out what those values may be, as not every brand has them explicitly stated.

Be Unique – While Considering the Above

Some people like entertainers – whether you do that through engaging your viewers in fresh and funky discussions, visual candy or are a downright asshole. That’s up to you but bear in mind the above.

At first glance, it was easy to spot how Ninja wanted to differentiate himself – through his vibrant blue hair. DrDisrespect would get an A+ in this department also, with his neatly groomed mustache, shades and hefty wig. As a longstanding Warcraft 3 fan, I personally enjoy Grubby’s stream with the occasional appearance of his adorable labrador, Logan!

Invest in That Microphone – Seriously

For those with more sensitive ears, audio clipping is traumatising. This shouldn’t be an issue if you keep your voice tone at a constant level. But that’s not very expressive, is it? You want a mic that can capture the highs and the lows of your charming voice.

Ninja uses the Rode Procaster Broadcast Dynamic Vocal Microphone which should be around 140 Euros. He also keeps a slightly cheaper (about 85 Euros).

Love him or loathe him. Ninja has undeniably become a staple in modern streaming and an inspiration to many, being disputed by Twitch and other platforms. Perhaps there’s someone around the corner who’s gonna make it as big, or even bigger – could it be you?

Check all our knowledge to help you be the next Ninja on our knowledge section for streamers!