Emmett Shear, the CEO of Twitch, has announced his immediate resignation in a blog post on Thursday. Shear has been a part of Twitch since its early days, having co-founded Justin.tv, the platform that eventually evolved into Twitch in 2011, with a specific focus on popular gaming livestreams. Not long after, in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch for a staggering sum of almost one billion dollars.
Dan Clancy, the current President of Twitch, will be taking over as CEO following the resignation of Emmett Shear. Clancy and Shear have had a close working relationship, making the transition smooth.
Shear stated that his reason for stepping down is to prioritize spending more time with his newborn son, but he will remain involved with Twitch in an advisory capacity. He also expressed his appreciation for the community that he helped build, and acknowledged that Twitch will always hold a special place in his heart.
In his words, “With my first child just born, I’ve been reflecting on my future with Twitch. Twitch often feels to me like a child I’ve been raising as well. And while I will always want to be there if Twitch needs me, at 16 years old it feels to me Twitch is ready to move out of the house and venture alone.”
Emmett Shear expressed confidence in the future of Twitch following his resignation, stating in his blog post that he has never been more confident in the platform’s leadership, product, and team than he is today.
Shear admitted that in the past, he had felt that Twitch may struggle without his guidance and input, but he no longer holds that belief. His vote of confidence in Twitch’s future highlights the strength and stability of the platform, as well as the capability of its team to carry the torch forward.
With a loyal and dedicated community of streamers and viewers, Twitch has revolutionized the way people consume and engage with gaming content. The company’s growth and success have been driven by its innovative features, robust platform, and commitment to user experience. As Twitch looks to the future, it is poised to continue its trajectory of growth and continue its leadership in the live streaming space.