Valkyrae reveals true feelings on RFLCT drama in leaked Discord messages

Rachell ‘Valkyrae’ Hofstetter’s true feelings on her ongoing RFLCT controversy have been revealed via a series of Discord leaks between the under-fire 100 Thieves co-owner and Twitch star Ludwig from October 27.

Just over a week ago, Valkyrae released a skincare line she had rubber-stamped as co-owner: “RFLCT,” designed to protect gamers from blue light glare.

The 100 Thieves star came under scrutiny for the new product almost immediately, with many dubbing it “snake oil” and accusing her of deliberately scamming her young audience. The problem many had was peer-reviewed studies have suggested blue light is inconsequential to skin health.

In the ensuing RFLCT backlash, which still has yet to truly die down, Valkyrae claimed ⁠— in a careful Oct. 23 stream ⁠— she’d “seen the research,” but has been considering reducing her involvement slightly.

Leaked messages between Valkyrae and Ludwig tell a different story though; one that suggests she’s trying everything in her power to abandon the $4m RFLCT ship.

The leaked Valkyrae-Ludwig DMs, accidentally revealed by Atrioc while using Ludwig’s PC, reveals a conversation between the two streamers about Hofstetter’s RFLCT controversy.

In the Discord messages, sent on October 27, Valkyrae admitted she “really messed up trusting [the people involved in RFLCT’s launch], and has been talking to her lawyers about breaking her contract entirely.

“They [ULTA] just don’t understand how this RUINS my brand,” the 29-year-old wrote in several leaked Discord messages to Ludwig. “I really needed [all the RFLCT research] to be public. ULTA invested $4 million so it’s like, why wouldn’t they make it legit? Why would a company invest in something like this if they didn’t believe the research?

• Read More: Valkyrae’s RFLCT co-founder fires back at criticism

Valkyrae also admitted she made a mistake not doing her own digging: “I’m so dumb. I should have asked more questions, I just thought [the info] would be there.”

The only option left, Valkyrae continued in the leaked messages, was to “embrace the scammer life, get out of the contract, and admit I’m an idiot.”

Luckily for the 100 Thieves co-owner, who most definitely remains a figurehead at the booming esports organization despite rumors she’d been dropped for the controversy, there are options for her, though most are legal avenues. The biggest one, Valkyrae explains, is because she forgot to sign a document.

“[ULTA] hate me for leaving the contract, but it’s looking possible, so I’m hopeful,” she revealed. “Apparently, I didn’t sign one of the contracts, so I have leverage.”

Right now though, Valkyrae has just found herself bogged down in legal red tape, as marketing gurus from ULTA look to spin yet another statement for her to put out so both parties can save face in any potential divorce.

For now, the 100 Thieves star is stuck going “back and forth with PR people and lawyers” trying to form a statement. According to the YouTuber, RFLCT is “trying to get [her] to say the dumbest shit,” including more support for the anti-blue light skincare product, and well-wishes for the ULTA team.

• Read More: Valkyrae is urging Twitch stars to leave for YouTube

Earlier this week, Valkyrae shot down ‘cash grab’ claims: “I don’t need money… this wasn’t about money. I was excited to be part of something revolutionary.”