There’s a surprising channel taking the top spot for September’s most-subscribed Twitch channels list. Created in March 2018, AnimeFan_30 is the Twitch account in question that is experiencing a case of overnight success. But that flash of subs is causing concern among the Twitch community because something doesn’t seem right.
With the focus of many streamers, popular and otherwise, switching to new releases such as WoW Classic and Borderlands 3, September’s top channel remains loyal to its first and only game, VRChat.
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However, AnimeFan_30’s newfound popularity comes with a few caveats. The explosive growth in subscribers first spotted by Dexerto doesn’t seem entirely natural to observant eyes. There is no direct correlation between subscribers and video views, with the most popular clip boasting close to 5,000 views, but no other AnimeFan_30’s video managed to surpass 20 views.
AnimeFan_30 seems to be aware of this situation and even mentions that this isn’t the first time that his channel is allegedly hit by bots. During a stream on September 14, they said “Oh my god, it’s happening again. They’re doing it. There it goes, they’re doing it again.” This was the day when the abnormal surge in subscriptions happened, with 534,792 new viewers joining the channel, according to Twitchmetrics.
It’s unlikely that Twitch will let this situation go unnoticed, considering how this outlook affects the overall lists. Which action it will take in face of such a bizarre event is a whole different matter, because it could end up with repercussions for the thousands of bot accounts, or even for AnimeFan_30.
In September, AnimeFan_30’s channel beat established streamers such as NickEh30, who recently switched YouTube for Twitch, resulting in a natural growth as his corresponding player base followed suit. Controversial streamer Amouranth came in third place for September, following her brief ban for accidental nudity. Bugha, a renowned Fortnite streamer, saw an increase of nearly 230,000 views during the month, putting him in fifth place.
