A popular streaming platform Twitch, an Amazon-owned video game streaming service, was hacked on October 6, and the hackers leaked a massive amount of internal data, including revenue numbers for the service’s most popular channels.
According to the leak, the highest-paid Twitch channel earned nearly $10 million from the Amazon-owned company in the last 24 months.
That’s before any advertising partnerships or other forms of revenue, and it doesn’t include what the channel’s owners made from the popular YouTube channel they run, which edits Twitch content for YouTube users.
Critical Role is run by a group of self-described “nerdy-ass voice actors” who streamed live everything from elaborate “Dungeons & Dragons” campaigns to short films.
Even if you’re a big Twitch user, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Critical Role. Its owners haven’t streamed video games in a long time.
Critical Role, unlike the vast majority of Twitch streamers, focuses on long streams of the classic role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
Furthermore, Critical Role’s lengthy D&D campaigns feature professional voice actors who are capable of playing multiple roles — a distinct advantage over other role-playing Twitch streamers.
Critical Role operates more like a traditional media operation than a single person owning and operating the channel: there are creative staff, production staff, marketing staff, and more. Over 30 employees are listed on the group’s team page.
Critical Role is one of 100 popular Twitch streaming channels whose revenue information appears to have been compromised as part of the massive Twitch data breach.
The list includes big-name streamers like Félix “xQc” Lengyel and Imane “Pokimane” Anys, who are said to have earned over $1 million in Twitch revenue in the last 24 months.
Ryan Morrison, CEO of Evolved Talent Agency and xQc’s agent, told Insider, “It’s unfortunate this leak happened.”
According to a 4chan post by those claiming responsibility for the breach, the goal of the hack was to create more disruption and competition in the online video streaming space.
In a statement sent to Insider and also shared on Twitter, Twitch confirmed the data breach.
Critical Role representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment.