Overwatch YouTuber SVB Taking Break After False Grooming Allegations

gamerant.com:

There are many positive stories of gaming communities coming together for great causes and creating strong bonds in real life after they started online. But there's always the unsavory reminder that people use the anonymity of social media for terrible reasons. Unfortunately, one such negative incident could lead to the Overwatch community losing one of its most positive voices, SVB.

Allegedly a person assumed to be around 14 created Twitter and Discord accounts under the name «NiaPlaysOW,» claiming to be a 17-year-old Black girl. They joined multiple Discord channels and built a foundation around the persona. Then they made a tweet with a Twitlonger link labeled «About SVB.» In it, they made false claims that started with a request for coaching and ended with claims of SVB soliciting nude photos of an underaged «victim.» Two hours after the initial fervor, the account revealed that it was all a hoax aimed at showing «how easy it is to 'cancel' someone and how cringe this community xd.» The perpetrator, «SwagTortoiseOW,» has deleted all the accounts they used in the scheme and has virtually disappeared.

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SVB made a video days after the initial reactions died down, detailing his side of the entire ordeal. He stresses the fact that there are many women that have been victims of grooming and sexual misconduct in the gaming space and that his case is not a reflection of the majority of claims made against high-profile figures. He goes on to describe his emotions as he went through the whirlwind of finding out about the claim and the abuse and condemnation he received from individuals, including esports and gaming journalists, fans, and other streamers