German Twitch streamer MontanaBlack88 has reported that he's leaving Germany following a law targeted towards livestreamers and content creators, leaving him no other option, he explained.
Many may have heard of MontanaBlack, as he was once the most subscribed to streamers on Twitch, passing up stars like Shroud in 2019. But he's been creating content online, specifically on YouTube, since 2009, where he shared his troubled past honestly in order to foster an intimate community with his fanbase. He even wrote an autobiography called From Junkie to YouTuber. Others may have heard of him due to a more recent scandal, where MontanaBlack was banned on Twitch after making sexual unsolicited comments about women while recording on the streets.
Regardless of the reason, his popularity has garnered him over 3.7 million followers on Twitch, where he often streams Mario Kart 8 and Call of Duty as of late. But his popularity may be the cause of a new issue for MontanaBlack. Germany recently passed a law, forcing anyone who averages more than 20,000 viewers on a livestream to obtain a broadcasting license. This rule has also affected other big-name streamers from Germany, such as Gronkh and Drachenlord.
This new law also comes with other regulations that many German content creators are upset by. On Twitter, MontanaBlack spoke out against the many negatives that come with the regulations, which have no positive outcomes for streamers. For example, games rated for ages 16+ can't be played until after 10 PM, and games rated 18+ can't be played until after 11 PM. MontanaBlack also says that he must recruit a youth protection officer.
Unfortunately, there's nothing Twitch streamers can do to negate or bypass these legislations, according to MontanaBlack and other content creators. The law is meant to impact the mass public opinion-forming by the usage of online streaming, which is considered broadcasting in Germany.
During a stream, MontanaBlack said he has no other option but to leave Germany, hinting towards Malta, a small island country off the southern coast of Italy, as an option. However, this isn't an easy easy decision for the Call of Duty streamer. Among other reasons like family and friends, MontanaBlack just recently renovated his house. Other German streamers like Trymacs face similar dilemmas.
In addition to the new regulations, MontanaBlack has also expressed anger about the high taxes, feeling that the government in Germany is "taking everything away," forcing his hand.
However, MontanaBlack hasn't formally announced a move yet, so it's possible that the German streamer will stay put, at least for the time being.