Twitch streaming platform has given rise to a variety of streaming careers over the years since its launch, some of which have been more successful than others. Hasan ‘HasanAbi’ Piker is one of the few Twitch streamers whose popularity has launched him into a new form of celebrity stardom, complete with the lavish lifestyle one might expect. His name is currently trending on Twitter after he purchased a brand-new Porsche Taycan for $200,000 USD, and reactions appear to be decidedly mixed.
Piker is a popular political streamer who is well-known for his Just Chatting streams and for playing social games like Among Us, where he often shares his pro-communist and anti-capitalist political views. He has been described as a "known socialist" and sells anti-capitalist merchandise with slogans like “Make The Rich Pay.”
With such a strong background in socialist and generally anti-capitalist activity, it may not be a surprise to learn that some people are upset with Piker for buying a $200,000 dream car. It appears that some find Piker's expensive purchase to be hypocritical given his political views. Some have gone so far as to attack the idea that he is anything but a capitalist. This isn't the first time fans and other internet users have turned on Piker for making a large purchase.
Piker’s editor, Ostonox, uploaded a clip from Piker's car purchase video – where he finalized the purchase and showed off the vehicle while promoting a fake business called “Piker Dental Group” – congratulating the streamer. A number of other users replied to the clip with fewer complimentary words, however. One user even replied with a meme explaining how they perceived Hassan Piker to be the socialist streamer equivalent of scam televangelist.
Other users expressed dismay or confusion at the fact that Piker was trending, particularly those who expressed that they were not fans of his content.
One frustrated Twitter user even tweeted that everything they'd ever learned about Piker had been taught to them against their will. They soon made a follow-up tweet complaining that people were now teaching them even more things about Piker that they didn't consent to learning.
Although Hasan Piker has contributed to strike funds and other socialist or anti-capitalist causes in the past, it's unclear how deep his commitment truly goes. Some users argue that his pattern of indulging in the vices of capitalism while criticizing it makes his criticism ring hollow. Regardless, it remains to be seen where the Twitch streamer will go from here.