Credit: Christian Valerio
IGN threw unnecessary shade at Kai by mentioning a past event that nearly ended his streaming career while reporting on his completion of Elden Ring.
Kai Cenat is the most well-known online streamer who recently embarked on a week-long marathon playing Elden Ring that began on May 10. For someone who had never played a Souls game before Elden Ring, Kai’s gaming journey was a rollercoaster of surprises.
Initially, Kai predicted he would finish it within 100 hours, a feat he planned to achieve by live-streaming his every movement, including sleeping on camera.
his completion in Elden Ring on May 17 took over 167 hours, with many historical moments, as he perished 1700 times in the most stressful and goofiest ways.
Over 400 deaths were attributed to Melania, the most demanding boss in Elden Ring according to fans, in a mere 24-hour eat, sleep, and repeat pattern witnessed on screen.
The biggest highlight was his realisation that Melania had two forms, which resulted in laugh-out-loud moments but a sigh of relief when he finally slayed the monster.
Various people congratulated his rise to Elden lord, including Bandai, the publishers of Elden-Ring, who tweeted: “Congrats on the 100-hour milestone, cheering you to the end.”
However, a news outlet that reported his success faced criticism for a controversial tweet.
IGN, one of the most popular gaming news outlets, published a shady tweet posted on May 17.
IGN, one of the most popular gaming news outlets, was underfire for a shady tweet that was posted on May 17 which read: “Kai Cenat, the popular Twitch streamer who once incited a riot in New York with a giveaway event, had officially finished Elden Ring after more than 160 hour marathon that at one point included throwing his controller out the window.”
For context, on August 4, 2023, around 3:30 p.m., Kai Cenat hosted a gaming-related giveaway in Union Square, Manhattan, without obtaining the necessary permit, leading to a riot as thousands gathered at Union Square Park.
IGN’s tweet sparked a backlash from Kai’s followers and the broader gaming community.
Many felt it unfairly overshadowed his impressive milestone by bringing up a tragic incident that nearly ended his career.
Fans were outraged on social media to express their concerns, arguing that there was no relevance and that his dedication and commitment to completing one of the most challenging games of all time should be prioritised.
Others were shocked at how long the tweet was left on social media before being taken down. Some comments stated that IGN’s PR is in the mud.
IGN finally removed the tweet and apologised, saying: “We messed up that Kai Cenat story by couching it in something that has nothing to do with Elden Ring or his playthrough. We apologise to [Kai Cenat], who we’re big fans of, and his followers, and we promise to do better in the future.”
Kai comedically responded with a post of him smoking and dancing in his usual setup, with a following comment saying “Fuck iGN.”
Despite the controversy, Kai’s Elden Ring marathon remains significant in streaming history.
His ability to entertain and engage thousands of viewers for over a week and his determination to overcome the game’s formidable challenges highlight his skill and dedication as a streamer.
The event showcased Kai’s gaming prowess and demonstrated the power of community in the world of online streaming.
