Have you heard? Pirate Software leaves Ludwig’s company while Lilly Singh’s movie gets distribution

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, one creator got back on the job market, another got a deal for her movie, and a third got some chicken in an unexpected location.

Creator commotion

Pirate Software is out at Ludwig’s Offbrand Games. The Blizzard alum turned Twitch streamer, whose real name is Jason “Thor” Hall, chose to leave Offbrand after his dissenting opinion on the “Stop Killing Games” movement caused critics to review-bomb Offbrand’s Rivals of Aether 2. Ludwig already shut down Offbrand’s events wing to focus on game publishing — so what happens next?

Kai Cenat talked to Eric Adams about another NYC giveaway. The Mayor of the Big Apple told Cenat that he could do a giveaway “the right way” after the streamer’s 2023 Union Square event ended in chaos and arrests. To set the record straight, can we get Zohran Mamdani’s stance on future Kai Cenat giveaways?

Nonstop Dan’s Kuwait Airways vlog turns into a fracas. Representatives for the airline demanded that Dan delete his footage after he was accosted by flight staff for recording mid-flight. Even if Kuwait Airways gets its hands on that footage, something tells me they won’t come out of this situation looking like the heroes.

Pop culture minute

Lilly Singh is Doin’ It with a theatrical deal. The creator-turned-director premiered her debut feature at SXSW. In September, Doin’ It will get a nationwide theatrical run thanks to a distribution deal with Aura Entertainment. YouTube’s favorite Superwoman is showing the world that her powers are not limited to the internet.

YouTube-born IP Lostlings is getting developed for television. The TalesVision channel is a hub that puts a digital spin on the traditional pilot process. Clearly, there’s something to that idea, because Lion Forge Entertainment has agreed to develop a series based on a TalesVision-incubated young adult concept.

Creators are starting to contribute to local TV broadcasts. A station in L.A. has added some creator collabs to its lineup. With the way creators are evolving news coverage, this trend feels inevitable, but it’s still nice to see influencers becoming more than just the subject of local news.

The biz

MrBeast, meet Nick DiGiovanni. Nick, meet Jimmy. One of the most popular and active chefs on YouTube has joined Feastables

as an official brand partner. Leveling up a notable creator snack brand seems easy enough, but teaching MrBeast how to cook? Now that’s a challenge of epic proportions.

The VTubers of hololive are heading to Kura Sushi USA. The chain known for its conveyor belt-based service has new menu items and merch designed in collaboration with some of the world’s biggest VTubers. Between this partnership and an upcoming return to Dodger Stadium, hololive is fully committed to its westward push.

Here’s why retailers are launching their own creator programs. Modern Retail has published interviews with execs from Best Buy and Lowe’s, both of which have ramped up their creator partnerships. Best Buy CMO Jennie Weber said “the market was moving in this direction,” while Lowe’s CMO Jen Wilson noted that “creators are often more trusted than brands.”

Platform headlines

YouTube wants to turn audience loyalty measurements into the hot new metrics. That’s why a “viewer segmentation” option is replacing the “returning viewers” figure on the platform’s analytics dashboard. This is yet another step in YouTube’s plan to focus on sustainable viewership rather than cheap hits.

Substack doubles down on live video. Newsletter creators who go live will be able to better promote their streams to followers while also integrating their live content into YouTube Shorts. I don’t know if this will make Substack the next TikTok Live, but it certainly expands the platform’s capabilities as a source for breaking news.

TikTok is making younger consumers more interested in luxury brands. Here’s a tip for strapping young lads who want to live it up: As a start, stop buying stuff from Temu and Shein.

The internet is a strange place

AMP’s summer subathon involves a private Nando’s. The creator group is hosting its month-long bash at the Texas mansion of former NBA star Tony Parker. One of the accoutrements inside the Frenchman’s pied a terre is a fully-stocked Nando’s location, complete with all the peri-peri chicken six hungry creators could ever want.

Adding insult to injury: Korean creator deletes YouTube channel after losing fight. Stand-up comedian Yoon Hyung-bin defeated creator Banzz in an MMA match, and thanks to the terms of a bet, Banzz must delete his YouTube channel. His two million subscribers are probably wishing he’d kicked and punched a little harder.

Persona 5: The Phantom X won’t let you name characters after certain streamers. Want to traverse an RPG world with Asmongold and HasanAbi at your side? Well, too bad. If you name your Persona character after those controversial lightning rods, the game won’t let you proceed. You can try Twitch Plays Pokemon instead.