Emiru talks about why OTK called out Twitch & Grace Van Dien drama

Twitch star and OTK co-owner Emiru opened up about the org’s response to Twitch’s branded content drama in an exclusive interview with Dexerto — as well as the backlash surrounding Grace Van Dien’s induction into FaZe Clan.

The OTK Games Expo is coming up soon, where co-owner, cosplayer, and Twitch streamer Emiru is slated to make an appearance to discuss the organization’s plans for breaking into the video game biz.

After experiencing a breakout year on Twitch back in 2021, she’s gone on to become a massive force in the streaming space… an industry that was recently threatened by Twitch’s (now-defunct) branded content guidelines that sparked concerns from broadcasters all across the net.

We got the chance to speak with her about those proposed advertising changes, what it was like being the first woman in OTK, and the drama surrounding Stranger Things actress Grace Van Dien’s FaZe Clan fiasco.

Emiru talks Twitch’s “scary” branded content guideline drama

When Twitch first rolled out its proposed guidelines for branded content on June 6, streamers all across the platform were left fearing for their income. These changes placed heavy restrictions on what kinds of advertisements would be allowed on the site, forbidding any “burned in” audio, video, and display ads.

As a result, a slew of top streamers discussed potentially moving away from Twitch and taking their business elsewhere — sentiments echoed by several key members of OTK. The group even penned an open letter to Twitch asking the company to reconsider those guidelines (which they eventually did, completely removing them just a day later).

Dexerto bent Emiru’s ear and asked her how she felt about those two days where the future of streaming seemed uncertain, and what platform she thinks OTK might have gone to if those changes actually went through.

“Currently, I think Twitch is the best platform for the kind of content that we do,” she said. “But I mean, wherever is the best place to do our events is where we will go. It was really scary when they announced those changes. I’m glad they rolled them back, because had they gone through with those changes, I don’t think any of our shows would’ve been possible. Even things like charity events.”

When asked where she would have taken her own stream if things had gone differently, she had a humorously concise reply: “It’s hard to say. I would want to know what they were offering. I think that’s kinda important.”

Emiru discusses Grace Van Dien’s FaZe fiasco

It’s no secret that women endure less-than-savory treatment from male players in online games. Even esports aren’t free from harassment, with professional players going as far as making sexist remarks about their opponents after discovering their coach was a woman.

So, it should come as no surprise that female streamers are regularly targeted and harassed on Twitch and other livestreaming platforms. And, though certain chatters can be banned if they’re spotted making sexist or inappropriate remarks, it can feel like there’s no escape from it when creating live content in comparison to just recording videos for something like TikTok or YouTube.

Stranger Things actress Grace Van Dien notably came under fire from all sides after being announced as FaZe’s latest content creator last month — a trend that was only exacerbated when co-founder FaZe Rain took aim at her with several personal insults.

We asked Emiru for her take on the situation, and, although things have improved on Twitch since she started streaming in her opinion

“Well, I’ve been a streamer for eight years now, and I have seen over time a lot of positive changes for women in the space,” she said. “Before, it was very difficult to be a female streamer and to be, you know, up there with a lot of the guy streamers.

“I think it’s easier now, but it’s sad to see that in a lot of parts of the communities, women still aren’t respected or seen as equal. But I feel pretty lucky that within my org, within my section of Twitch, I don’t really experience that as much. But, it is sad to see things like that and I hope that they improve.”

This led to a conversation about Emiru’s personal experiences. And, while things have gotten better now, the things she suffered and the stalking and harassment she experienced has clearly stuck with her.

Emiru gets real about what it’s like to be a woman on Twitch

Seeing as Emiru is one of Twitch’s biggest streamers with over 1.2 million followers on the site (not to mention her 670k Instagram fans), she’s found a great deal of success within the space. However, being a major streaming sensation isn’t all sunshine and roses.

Emiru, like many other female content creators, has had to deal with her fair share of stalkers in the past — so much so, that she had to take a break from streaming to handle the toll it took on her mental health.

“I would say pretty much every girl that’s a content creator has a [stalker story], unfortunately,” she said of the situation. “Like, it doesn’t matter how big or small of a streamer you are. It is definitely a big problem for women. I would say like, even male streamers get people like that, but for women it’s very scary.”

“I do wish that law enforcement took stalking and threats online more seriously,” she added. “Because all it takes is one person. As for platforms, it kind of feels like for a lot of situations, especially for women, you’re kind of alone on that. A lot of the girls in streaming will like, talk to each other, make communities about what to do about certain situations. But, in terms of the platforms, there’s not a lot they can do, unfortunately.”

That said, Emiru has played a huge role in improving conditions for women in the streaming space and has done her best to create a community that welcomes everyone. And, with her joining arguably the biggest streamer-run organization on Twitch, that community has expanded massively.

In fact, Emiru was the first woman ever to be signed with OTK, followed by Extra Emily earlier this year. We asked her what it was like being a trailblazer on the platform and the first girl in the group — and she admitted that, although it was a bit intimidating at first, she was “excited and honored” to be part of the star-studded organization.

“I was really excited and also honored, because I had known a lot of OTK as friends before,” she said. “There are a lot of creators that I look up to in OTK that I wanted to be more like as a creator, myself. It was kind of a scary and big position to be the first girl, but I was really excited to change my content and improve myself.”

Now, Emiru is focusing on growing as a creator and running her own shows within OTK — such as the upcoming Cosplay Clash, which is set to take place sometime this June. But when it comes to the future, the streamer says she isn’t sure where she’ll be five, ten years from now… but she still wants to be doing what she loves.

“I would like to still be in the entertainment industry — doing what? I don’t know exactly yet.”

For more news on OTK’s Game Expo, check out our page right here on Dexerto.