Streaming star Mike “shroud” Grzesiek told viewers that Mixer simply came too early and that the service would have a much better shot at success if it launched in today’s market. Grzesiek’s comments came during a recent stream where he argued Microsoft’s Mixer was ahead of its time when it tried to take on Twitch in 2019. He said that if the platform had launched in the current climate, it would have been much more viable and compared its potential to the recent growth of Kick.
“Mixer came too early man,” Shroud said. He added that a modern launch could lean on big incentives rather than the experimental features Mixer pushed at the time. The point is blunt. Streaming platforms today often win attention with direct payments and aggressive deals. The history is familiar. Mixer signed high-profile streamers in 2019, including Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Shroud himself, as part of a bid to challenge Twitch. The service later shut down, and the talent returned to Twitch, but Shroud says the concept had merit if it had arrived in a different moment.
"Mixer came too early man…"
Shroud says if Mixer came out today it would have actually succeeded pic.twitter.com/haqbf1IKCu
— Shroud Updates (@ShroudUpdate) November 19, 2025
Shroud also suggested Microsoft could have used its studio and platform relationships to create exclusive content and partnerships. He said that approach, combined with stronger creator incentives, would have given Mixer a fighting chance rather than having it fold the way it did. He was careful to note he was not complaining about his deal. Shroud pointed out he was still paid despite the platform closing and framed his comments as an observation about timing and strategy rather than a grievance. Industry context matters. Rival platforms such as Kick and YouTube have chipped into Twitch’s dominance by offering larger cuts and signing deals. That reality has changed the calculus for creators considering leaving Twitch.
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