A number of popular streamers have led their communities in a moving tribute to Byron ‘Reckful‘ Bernstein, a beloved World of Warcraft icon.
Bernstein, a well-known streamer and a long-time member of the World of Warcraft community, committed suicide in 2020. The streamer frequently used his platform to raise mental health awareness, and he was open about his bipolar disorder and depression struggles.
For those who are unfamiliar, r/Place is a subreddit that acts as a canvas for capturing a moment in time. It’s only open for a few weeks each year, but users can share a single pixel every five minutes during that time.
Bernstein was famous for the large stuffed duck that appeared in the background of nearly all of his streams. It quickly became a part of who he was as a streamer, and the most ardent fans would create and share their own animal-themed fan art.
While the concept of r/Place is based on sound, it frequently devolves into a battle for space and meaning. After all, there’s no real limit to who can edit the canvas, so a successful piece necessitates harmony and coordination. Fortunately, the streamers were able to deliver exactly that.
The r/Place canvas went live on April 1, and Mizkif announced on April 2nd that every Twitch streamer and viewer available would come together on April 3rd – the canvas’s final day – to pay tribute to Bernstein.
That’s precisely what happened! Using a lovely piece of fan art created by Liftaris as their starting point, the various communities helped to recreate Bernstein’s duck one pixel at a time.
Blizzard also paid tribute to the late streamer by creating a character for him in World of Warcraft in 2020. It’s safe to say that Bernstein will not be forgotten anytime soon.
