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Time of India

ZChum gets banned mid-subathon over alleged Twitch drops farming violation, loses 288 hours of VODs

In a surprising turn of events, popular Twitch streamer ZChum was hit with a sudden platform ban right in the middle of a highly anticipated week-long subathon. The ban, issued for 'rebroadcasting VODs to farm Twitch drops,' wiped out over 280 hours of footage and left fans both confused and furious. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now What Triggered the Ban? ZChum was running a Rust subathon with fellow streamer OmidLive, operating in shifts to keep the stream live around the clock. They played, slept, and streamed every moment, claiming they only went offline for basic hygiene and meals. Everything seemed within Twitch's terms, until it wasn't. On July 5, Twitch suddenly hit ZChum with a suspension citing 'rebroadcasting VODs to farm Twitch drops.' The accusation? Fake engagement. 'We Never Looped VODs' ZChum quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to challenge Twitch's decision. According to him, there were no loops, no fake streams, and definitely no shady tactics. 'We didn't loop any VODS, we have always been on camera….,' he wrote. He also revealed that their subathon began a full week before the Rust Twitch Drops campaign even started. The timing, he says, was purely coincidental. 288 Hours — Just Gone Possibly the most brutal consequence? A massive chunk of the stream's history—288 hours of VODs—was completely wiped. These weren't just casual streams. Viewers had donated thousands to keep the subathon going. And now, nearly all that content? Gone without a trace. Only one VOD, lasting 46 hours, remains visible on his channel. Fans and Creators React The ban sparked immediate backlash online. Many creators pointed out how unclear Twitch's automated moderation can be, especially during Twitch Drop campaigns when viewership spikes and strict rules kick in. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Several questioned how streamers are supposed to plan legitimate long-format content without accidentally triggering Twitch's moderation bots. Back Online, But Not Without Damage Though ZChum's Twitch account was eventually restored and the subathon resumed, the damage was already done. Lost content, lost trust, and a major disruption in one of his most ambitious events to date. Twitch, as usual, hasn't commented on the specifics—adding to growing frustrations about transparency and consistency in enforcement. The Bigger Question ZChum's case raises a much larger issue: Can creators safely run long-format, collaborative subathons during Twitch Drop events without risking a ban? Right now, the answer seems unclear—and streamers are watching closely.