During a session on December 6, 2021, a follower asked Shroud if he has any plans to return to the world of professional gaming. Working sucks, he said, and he probably won’t ever do it.
One of his followers recently pointed out that streaming is work in and of itself, Shroud questioned whether or not this was the case.
The streamer went on to say that the merchandise line, which he manages to count as real work, is something he barely considers.
From 2014 to 2018, Shroud was a member of Cloud9‘s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team. He launched his merchandise line around the same time he started streaming, which was shortly after he retired from professional gaming. He hasn’t worked a single day in the last four years, according to reports.
The streamer was most likely not trying to stir up controversy, but his comments come amid a debate over whether or not streaming should be considered a form of work. Streamers have become more open about the difficulties they face while participating in this activity. Shroud is one of the few major streamers who has taken such a firm stance on this issue.
Shroud’s Twitch channel, which has over 9 million followers and is one of the most popular on the platform, is one of the most popular. He also has a nearly 7 million-subscriber YouTube channel. His Twitch and YouTube videos have received over 500 million and 800 million views, respectively.
