Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) – Ninja returns to Twitch with a new exclusive multi-year deal

Pro gamer Ninja returns to Twitch after a year off the top streaming platform.

What happened: Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has signed an exclusive multi-year contract with Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) company Twitch, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Because it is important: Ninja left last year to join Mixer, the streaming platform for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT). Mixer closed and Ninja became a free agent instead of serving his rival’s games service. Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB).

Ninja is the most recognizable figure in streaming and has branched out into the mainstream with huge licensing deals.

Twitch gives Ninja access to a large number of fans. Ninja already has 15.1 million followers on Twitch, the highest of any streamer on the platform. Its 483 million total views rank fifth in Twitch history.

The exclusive deal with Twitch is a blow to From Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) YouTube, where Ninja has 24.1 million subscribers. A video showing the Fortnite Ninja skin had 13.9 million views.

Ninja had been streaming videos on YouTube since Mixer ended.

Whats Next: Ninja’s first broadcast under the new deal began at 3 p.m. ET Thursday. Over 115,000 people were already tuned in, an hour into the broadcast, where Ninja was playing “Fall Guys.”