Twitch streamer Ali ‘SypherPK‘ Hassan and his wife Daniela are opening a new hotbed of creative talent, and they just announced the first partner who will make use of that facility. Reckz, an up-and-coming Fornite streamer, is the inaugural signee for Oni Studios, a 30,000-square-foot production facility located just outside of Austin, Texas.
Hassan’s six million Twitch followers make him one of the platform’s most popular streamers. He is known for his pro-level Fortnite content, and in his videos, he often educates viewers on ways they can improve their own gaming skills. Around the time he re-upped his exclusive streaming contract with Twitch, he launched a new venture through which he could aid streamers with their careers as well as their gameplay.
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That venture is Oni Studios. The incubator offers talent management and content development services, and its massive home base is full of production stages and streaming rooms. It also serves as the headquarters for Hassan’s 40-person team, which helps him operate his channel while also overseeing his fashion brand, Metal Umbrella.
Through all that support and state-of-the-art tech, Hassan hopes to turn Reckz into his own personal anti-hero. The new Oni Studios signee is a brash, wisecracking streamer whose personality makes him a perfect foil to the family-friendly star he’s working with. You can see their odd couple dynamic on display in a Twitter video they shot together.
I give amazing advice basically a licensed therapist https://t.co/QQl5L8cBii
— Reckz 🦖 (@OhReckz) August 3, 2022
“Since the early days of my career, Daniela and I have always had a bigger vision. One that will expand our roster beyond just my desk and help accelerate the career of aspiring creators,” Hassan said. “With Reckz on the team, we’re taking that first step and I’m excited to see his channels grow.”
Is Texas the new Hollywood (for gamers)?
As Oni Studios continues to grow, it will face stiff competition in its home state. Gamers, no doubt enticed by Texas’ lack of income tax, are flocking to the Lone Star State en masse.
Another Austin-based company, Rooster Teeth, helped jumpstart this trend. Three of the digital media company’s founders met while attending the University of Texas at Austin, and Rooster Teeth fans flock to the Texas capital every year for the RTX convention.
For a while, Rooster Teeth was an anomaly: A Texan company in an industry dominated by Los Angeles. But things changed when Twitch came around. Several of its top personalities, including Amouranth and Sodapoppin, are Texas natives.
On a larger scale, some of the biggest firms in the streaming industry call cities like Austin and Dallas home. Asmongold, another Austin-based creator, helped establish One True King in his hometown in 2020. Meanwhile, a couple hundred miles to the north, Complexity Gaming is combining streaming with sports. That firm, co-owned by Dallas Cowboys boss Jerry Jones, has signed gamers like TimTheTatman.
So yes, I guess it’s true what they say. Everything is bigger in Texas, and thanks in part to SypherPK, the Lone Star State plays a huge role in the streaming ecosystem.
