Streamer FRAN completely quits Twitch and Overwatch amid NFT backlash

Overwatch Twitch streamer and Toronto Defiant member, Francine ‘FRAN’ Vo, has announced that she will no longer be streaming or playing the game she has become best-known for. Her decisions follows some backlash over NFTs.

In the wake of a tweet claiming that the number one NFT in trade is, in fact, produced by the Overwatch team, in response to criticism from Overwatch fans about her own adoption of NFTs, FRAN received backlash from some the game’s fanbase.

Referring to the incident as a “dumpster fire,” she has gone on to apologize for the tweet and her responses in a lengthy January 24 Twitlonger.

In the post, FRAN said that she will no longer be streaming or playing Overwatch – even when the highly anticipated sequel, Overwatch 2 is finally released.

Overwatch streamer FRAN leaves Twitch

Discussing the difficulties she’s experienced while streaming, she confesses that “streaming for me was not as easy as it may have looked.”

“I was harassed almost every single day since my franplayshalo days, whether it be a creepy comment to full-on nonconsensual pictures in my DMs. I was constantly scrutinized for the way I looked and it caused massive insecurities and low self-esteem in myself. The extreme loneliness and unhealthy habits I’ve developed from streaming caused an abundance of harm. And don’t get me started on the bullying. My entire self-worth was dependent on likes and numbers. I wish to never have to experience that again.”

• Read More: Overwatch players optimistic for big reveal as TimTheTatman teases OW stream

She continues, “I mentioned before on stream that I was moving home to take care of my parents, particularly my father who had a stroke and subsequent seizures, and I did/am doing exactly that. In last few months I have been much happier and repaired my relationship with my family, who I had abandoned the last five years to ‘go play video games for a living.'”

Answering the questions “Will I play Overwatch ever again? Probably not, and Overwatch 2 won’t change my mind. Will I ever stream again? Probably not,” she concludes, “I would like to close this chapter of my life and move on.”

FRAN leaves a legacy of Overwatch content behind her, and has etched herself into the game’s history. But, at least for the time being, we may not see her in the public eye again.