Back in 2020, the gaming community was rocked when Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm, one of Twitch’s biggest stars, was suddenly and permanently banned from the platform. The kicker? Nobody knew why.
A year later, he initiated legal action against Twitch, claiming that the ban had not only cost him money but had also inflicted substantial harm upon his reputation.
Despite the settlement reached between Dr Disrespect and Twitch outside of court in 2022, neither party has admitted guilt or revealed the true reasons behind this shocking decision.
But now, the silence has been broken, and the internet is buzzing with speculation.
What New Allegations Have Surfaced?
According to a former Twitch employee, Cody Conners, Dr. Disrespect was allegedly banned because he got caught sexting a minor in the then-existing Twitch whispers product.
Conners further claimed that the streamer was even “trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon.”
How Has Dr Disrespect Responded?
The Doc isn’t taking these accusations lying down. He’s already fired back, refuting the claims and stating that the matter was settled with no wrongdoing recognized.
In fact, he claims Twitch paid out his entire contract.
“I get it, it’s a hot topic but this has been settled, no wrongdoing was acknowledged and they paid out the whole contract,” he said on X.
[Updated on June 26] Further, on June 26 X post, Dr. Disrespect made a public statement confirming the Twitch settlement was about text messages, but of a casual nature with nothing illegal.
He apologized to his community, and team, and stepped down from Midnight Society to protect the team’s culture and career ambitions.
Here are highlights of his tweet:
- Confirms there were Twitch whisper messages with a minor in 2017.
- Asserts that the messages were inappropriate but had no real intentions behind them.
- No illegal actions were taken: no pictures were shared, no crimes were committed, and no meetings with the individual.
- The issue was resolved through a civil arbitration settlement with Twitch, not a criminal case.
- Strongly denies being a predator or pedophile.
- Announces an extended vacation with family and a plan to return rejuvenated.
Why Are These Allegations Coming to Light Now?
The timing of these revelations has raised eyebrows across the gaming community.
Some speculate that a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) might have expired, allowing former Twitch employees to spill the tea.
As Game artist Del Walker pointed out that many NDAs last for four years, which lines up with the timing of Dr Disrespect’s ban in June 2020.
Walker said, “I know many NDAs are listed at 4 years – his Ban was June 2020.”
Meanwhile, some criticized Conners for his approach to the allegations, suggesting he might be leveraging the controversy for personal gain, such as monetization on social media or to sell the tickets of his show.
What Do Other Industry Insiders Say About the Situation?
The allegations have prompted responses from various figures in the streaming and gaming world:
Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau, a well-known industry insider, cryptically tweeted, “I didn’t lie,” referring to his initial statements about Dr Disrespect’s ban in 2020, where he claimed to know the reasons but couldn’t disclose them.
Journalist Nathan Grayson claimed to have heard similar explanations from multiple sources, though he emphasized they were secondhand sources.
Journalist Mikhail Klimentov commented on the situation in his blog explaining why no journalist has been able to confirm the allegations with enough evidence to publish a definitive story.
The news media outlet “Aftermath” echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the complexities and challenges associated with these allegations, as well as the wider consequences for journalism and the gaming community.
“Verifying such serious allegations involves overcoming numerous hurdles, including legal constraints, the availability of willing and credible sources, and the risk of defamation lawsuits. The high bar set by journalistic ethics is crucial to avoid spreading potentially false or damaging information.”
Robert Bowling, co-founder of Dr Disrespect’s gaming studio Midnight Society, cryptically tweeted that he was “now aware” of the situation and was “addressing it.”
[New Update (Jun,25): Midnight Society ended its association with Doc immediately upon making the announcement]
Former Twitch employee Zachary Diaz expressed relief that the information was “finally out there.”
Meanwhile, a good friend of Doc, NICKMERCS pointed out, “Until we know more, until we know them as fact, until they’ve been proven as evidence, what are we talking about?”
— Nickmercs (@NICKMERCS) June 22, 2024
While the allegations are serious, it’s important to remember that they remain unproven at this time.
What’s Next for Dr Disrespect?
Despite the controversy, Dr Disrespect seems determined to carry on.
He’s announced plans to continue streaming Elden Ring, demonstrating his resolve to maintain his online presence in the face of these allegations.
Is This Dr Disrespect’s First Brush with Controversy?
Far from it! The Doc has a history of controversial incidents:
- In 2019, he was banned from Twitch for streaming in a bathroom at E3.
- In 2017, he took a break from streaming after admitting to infidelity.
- He’s faced accusations of racism in the past.
Aftermath: Ousted from Own Studio, Losing Sponsors, and Most Importantly Losing Fans and Supporters
Ousted from Midnight Society:
In the aftermath of these allegations, game developer Midnight Society, which is currently developing the free-to-play first-person extraction shooter Deadrop, has officially severed ties with Beahm, who co-founded the company with former Call of Duty community manager Robert Bowling in 2021.
The following day, Beahm formally addressed his departure from Midnight Society, apologizing to both the founders and employees.
Losing Sponsorships:
In addition to that, Turtle Beach, a gaming headset and accessory company, has also terminated its longstanding partnership with Dr Disrespect.
The collaboration between Beahm and Turtle Beach dates back to a multi-year agreement in 2020 through the ROCCAT accessories brand, followed by another deal in January 2023.
Last autumn, Turtle Beach introduced a Dr Disrespect-themed headset and has been a consistent sponsor of Beahm’s YouTube livestreams over the years.
Dr Disrespect previously had a dedicated merchandise page on the Turtle Beach website featuring various branded items, which as of this morning, seems to have been removed.
Also, The San Francisco 49ers, a professional American football team, have severed ties with Beahm.
YouTube Channel Demonetised
In a statement to Kotaku, a YouTube spokesperson revealed that Beahm can no longer generate income from his account and his account in the YouTube Partner Program has been suspended.
After Twitch banned Doc moved on to YouTube where his channel has amassed over 5 million subscribers.
NBA 2K to Remove Dr Disrespect Content
2K has confirmed to Dexerto that the streamer’s name, along with his animations, will be removed from the game and replaced with generic ones.
Dr Disrespect was previously included in MyCareer in NBA 2K 2023, with his custom jump shot and dunk style available as in-game skins.
The removal will take place with the release of the Season 9 patch for 2K24, following the recent launch of the Season 8 update. Season 8 is set to go live on June 28, 2024.
Furthermore, 2K has decided not to include Dr Disrespect’s content in future games.
The Dr Disrespect saga continues to unfold, and we’ll be watching with bated breath to see how it all shakes out. Stay tuned, gamers!
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