Asmongold blames HasanAbi for Twitch’s 'adpocalypse' affecting streamers’ ad revenue

Asmongold accuses HasanAbi of being a key cause for Twitch’s 'adpocalypse,'citing controversial political content.

Twitch streamer Zack "Asmongold" has attributed the platform’s ongoing "adpocalypse" to fellow streamer HasanAbi, whose real name is Hasan Piker. Speaking on his alternate channel, zackrawrr, Asmongold claimed that HasanAbi’s controversial political content has significantly contributed to the issue, which has reportedly caused major declines in ad revenue for streamers since early November 2024.

Asmongold explained his position during the broadcast, saying, "Hasan clearly is one of the biggest proponents of this. I would say he is the main reason." He added that a majority of the examples used in discussions about demonetization on Twitch pertain to HasanAbi: "Maybe not 90%, maybe 80, 70%. But it is the majority of all examples on the entire platform."

The "adpocalypse" refers to a reduction in ad revenue across Twitch, reportedly affecting some creators by as much as 90%. Industry experts, including Devin Nash, have previously linked the issue to polarizing political content on the platform. HasanAbi has faced criticism for his coverage of Middle Eastern conflicts, with allegations of promoting antisemitic rhetoric. U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres even cited HasanAbi in a Congressional letter accusing Twitch of amplifying extremist views.

Asmongold defended his stance, stating, "You can say that it's unfair, that's fine. But you can't say that it's not happening, or that it's not the reason." He also criticized Twitch for its inconsistent moderation policies.

Twitch has not officially commented on the controversy but recently updated its Hateful Conduct policy regarding the term "Zionist." The situation continues to spark debate over free speech and platform accountability.