xQc
{{Short description|Canadian streamer (born 1995)}}
{{Lowercase title}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = xQc
| image = XQc July 4 2023.jpg
| caption = Lengyel in 2023
| birth_name = Félix Lengyel
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|11|12}}
| birth_place = Laval, Quebec, Canada
| module = {{Infobox Twitch streamer|subbox = yes
| channel_name = xQc
| years_active = 2014–present
| followers = 12 million
}}
| module2 = {{Infobox Kick streamer|subbox = yes
| channel_name = xQc
| years_active = 2023–present
| followers = 877 thousand
}}
| module3 = {{Infobox YouTube personality|subbox = yes
| years_active = 2015–present
| channel_handle = xQcOW
| channel_display_name = xQc
| subscribers = 2.38 million
| views = 1.72 billion
| silver_button = yes
| gold_button = yes
| module = {{Infobox video game player|embed=yes
| game = Overwatch
| role = Tank
| career_start = 2016
| career_end = 2019
| highlights =
}}
| stats_update = May 2, 2025
}}
| signature = xQc sig.svg
}}
Félix Lengyel ({{IPA|fr|feliks lɑ̃ʒɛl}};{{efn|The original Hungarian pronunciation of Lengyel is {{IPA|hu|ˈlɛɲɟɛl|}}.}} born November 12, 1995), better known as xQc (formerly xQcOW), is a Canadian online streamer, influencer, and former professional Overwatch player.
While he is best known for his streaming career, Lengyel initially gained recognition as a professional Overwatch player. His esports career began in 2016, during which he also started streaming regularly. He joined the Dallas Fuel, a team competing in the inaugural season of the Overwatch League, in late 2017. However, his time with the Dallas Fuel was marred by controversy, resulting in repeated suspensions and ultimately his release from the team midway through the season. Additionally, Lengyel represented Team Canada in the Overwatch World Cup from 2017 to 2019.
Following his departure from competitive Overwatch, Lengyel shifted his focus to a full-time streaming career on Twitch. During this period, he also signed with several esports organizations, such as Sentinels and Luminosity Gaming, as a content creator. Throughout his streaming career, Lengyel has faced several bans and suspensions on Twitch for violating platform guidelines. These incidents involved showing explicit content, making offensive remarks, and engaging in stream sniping. Despite these controversies, Lengyel maintained a large and dedicated fanbase, consistently attracting high viewership numbers. He was the most-watched streamer on Twitch for three consecutive years, from 2020 to 2022. In June 2023, Lengyel signed a two-year, non-exclusive $100{{nbsp}}million deal to stream on Kick.
Career
= Early streaming =
After finishing high school, Lengyel enrolled in a CEGEP, studying business administration until dropping out in second year after feeling "directionless". At the age of 19, Lengyel subsequently began streaming on the platform Twitch, where he initially played League of Legends (LoL) under the pseudonym xQcLoL.{{cite news |last1=Howard |first1=Charlie |last2=Yovchev |first2=Yovcho |last3=Jones |first3=Samantha |last4=Cortez |first4=Ivan |last5=McNeil |first5=Colin |display-authors=1 |title=The Rise Again of xQc — From esports failure to king of Twitch |url=https://upcomer.com/video-the-rise-again-of-xqc-from-esports-failure-to-king-of-twitch |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Upcomer |date=February 25, 2022 |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316230459/https://upcomer.com/video-the-rise-again-of-xqc-from-esports-failure-to-king-of-twitch |url-status=live }} The name xQc was derived from the last letter of his first name, x, combined with the abbreviation for his home province of Quebec, QC.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Alexander |title=Everything You Need To Know About xQc |url=https://blog.gfuel.com/xqc |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=G Fuel |date=September 29, 2020 |archive-date=April 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430033537/https://blog.gfuel.com/xqc |url-status=live }} As his streaming career progressed, Lengyel gained recognition and prominence primarily through his involvement with Overwatch, a video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Consequently, he adjusted his alias to xQcOW to reflect his association with Overwatch (OW).
= Esports =
Lengyel embarked on his professional esports career in Overwatch by initially competing in smaller online tournaments as a tank player for teams such as DatZit Gaming. In October 2016, he was recruited by Denial Esports, a prominent multi-game esports organization.{{cite news |last1=Duwe |first1=Scott |title=Denial Esports Signs Overwatch Team |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/denial-esports-signs-overwatch-team-12330 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=October 13, 2016 |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429084009/https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/denial-esports-signs-overwatch-team-12330 |url-status=live }} However, after a brief period, Denial disbanded, leading Lengyel and his former teammates to form an independent roster called Yikes, which later underwent a name change to Arc 6.{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=Denial Esports drops its entire Overwatch team |url=https://dotesports.com/news/denial-drops-overwatch-team-14444 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=May 3, 2017 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421054710/https://dotesports.com/news/denial-drops-overwatch-team-14444 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Duwe |first1=Scott |title=Dallas Fuel signs eccentric tank main xQc to Overwatch League roster |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/dallas-fuel-xqc-roster-announcement-18319 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=October 28, 2017 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060944/https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/dallas-fuel-xqc-roster-announcement-18319 |url-status=live }} During their tenure, the team participated in Season Zero of Overwatch Contenders, where Lengyel's competitive drive appeared to reach unhealthy levels. He acknowledged prioritizing gaming over fundamental aspects of life, such as sleep, nutrition, and personal relationships, and he would dedicate all of his time to playing ranked matches to regain confidence following subpar performances.{{cite news |last1=Viana |first1=Bhernardo |title=XQc: 'There will never be a harmony between streaming and playing that I'm comfortable with' |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-there-will-never-be-a-harmony-between-streaming-and-playing-that-im-comfortable-with |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=May 7, 2019 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421054710/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-there-will-never-be-a-harmony-between-streaming-and-playing-that-im-comfortable-with |url-status=live }} Lengyel also had the opportunity to represent Team Canada in the 2017 Overwatch World Cup. The team reached the tournament finals before ultimately being defeated by the reigning champions, South Korea.{{cite news |last1=Van Allen |first1=Eric |title=Overwatch World Cup Comes Down To A Fight Over Meters |url=https://kotaku.com/overwatch-world-cup-comes-down-to-a-fight-over-meters-1820149729 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Kotaku |date=November 4, 2017 |archive-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418042149/https://kotaku.com/overwatch-world-cup-comes-down-to-a-fight-over-meters-1820149729 |url-status=live }} Despite the loss, Lengyel was named the event's most valuable player.{{cite news |last1=Alonzo |first1=Damian |title=Win or lose, the Overwatch World Cup was full of great storylines |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/win-or-lose-the-overwatch-world-cup-was-full-of-great-storylines/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=PC Gamer |date=November 9, 2017 |archive-date=December 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217172636/https://www.pcgamer.com/win-or-lose-the-overwatch-world-cup-was-full-of-great-storylines/ |url-status=live }}
In October 2017, Lengyel joined the Dallas Fuel, one of the teams competing in the inaugural season of the Overwatch League (OWL). However, before the start of the season, he faced two suspensions on his personal Overwatch account from Blizzard. The first suspension was a 72-hour penalty in November for misusing the game's reporting system. The second suspension, a seven-day penalty in December, was a result of him throwing games on stream.{{cite news |last1=Grayson |first1=Nathan |title=Overwatch League Players Keep Getting In Trouble |url=https://kotaku.com/overwatch-league-players-keep-getting-in-trouble-1821436706 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Kotaku |date=December 19, 2017 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060944/https://kotaku.com/overwatch-league-players-keep-getting-in-trouble-1821436706 |url-status=live }} Lengyel's debut in the Overwatch League occurred during the Fuel's first match of the season on January 10, 2018. The team suffered a 1–2 loss to the Seoul Dynasty.{{cite news |last1=Katsuragi |first1=Chris |title=Dallas Fuel vs Seoul Dynasty {{!}} Map 4 Recap |url=https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/01/10/dallas-fuel-vs-seoul-dynasty-map-4-recap/ |work=Overwatch Wire |publisher=USA Today |date=January 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021161924/https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/01/10/dallas-fuel-vs-seoul-dynasty-map-4-recap/ |archive-date=October 21, 2018}} Following the Fuel's third match, a 0–4 defeat against the Houston Outlaws on January 18, Lengyel made homophobic remarks directed at Austin "Muma" Wilmot, a player from the Outlaws who is openly gay, during his personal Twitch stream. Lengyel later issued an apology to Muma on Twitter, expressing that his comments were not intended to be malicious and that he had spoken hastily. In response to the incident, the Fuel decided to bench Lengyel for the subsequent match on January 19. Additionally, the Overwatch League fined him $2,000 and suspended him for four matches. The Fuel then extended the suspension through February 10.{{cite news |last1=Wolf |first1=Jacob |title=Dallas Fuel suspend xQc for anti-gay slurs; Overwatch League fines player |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/22156350/dallas-fuel-suspends-felix-xqc-lengyel-following-use-anti-gay-slurs-stream |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=ESPN |date=January 19, 2018 |archive-date=March 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323000044/https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/22156350/dallas-fuel-suspends-felix-xqc-lengyel-following-use-anti-gay-slurs-stream |url-status=live }}
Lengyel made his return to the Overwatch League on February 23 in a 3–1 victory over the Los Angeles Gladiators.{{cite news |last1=Wenrich |first1=Connor |title=Dallas Fuel burns blue with a 3-1 win |url=https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/02/23/dallas-fuel-burns-blue-with-a-3-1-win/ |work=Overwatch Wire |publisher=USA Today |date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021163015/https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/02/23/dallas-fuel-burns-blue-with-a-3-1-win/ |archive-date=October 21, 2018}} However, his comeback was short-lived. On March 10, he received a fine of $4,000 and another four-match suspension from the league. The disciplinary action was taken due to his usage of an emote in a "racially disparaging manner" during an Overwatch League stream and on his personal social media accounts. Additionally, Lengyel had used "disparaging language" against Overwatch League broadcasters and players on his social media and personal stream.{{cite news |last1=Mastin |first1=Sabriel |title=xQc receives a new fine and suspension |url=https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/03/09/xqc-receives-a-new-fine-and-suspension/ |work=Overwatch Wire |publisher=USA Today |date=March 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310135421/https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/03/09/xqc-receives-a-new-fine-and-suspension/ |archive-date=March 10, 2018}} The following day, Lengyel was released from the Dallas Fuel team.{{cite news |last1=Wolf |first1=Jacob |title=xQc released from Dallas Fuel after receiving second Overwatch League suspension |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/22727221/xqc-released-dallas-fuel-receiving-second-overwatch-league-suspension |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=ESPN |date=March 11, 2018 |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426224148/https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/22727221/xqc-released-dallas-fuel-receiving-second-overwatch-league-suspension |url-status=live }} In an interview with The Washington Post, he expressed that there were no racial undertones intended with his use of the emote. While Lengyel did not feel that he had made a mistake, he expressed regret for how his actions were misconstrued. He also admitted uncertainty about whether pursuing a professional career in Overwatch was the right path for him.{{cite interview |first1=Selk |last1=Avi |title='I blame myself': A fallen e-sports star reflects on video gaming's image problems |work=The Washington Post |date=March 14, 2018 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/03/14/i-blame-myself-a-fallen-esports-star-reflects-on-video-gamings-image-problems/ |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124022731/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/03/14/i-blame-myself-a-fallen-esports-star-reflects-on-video-gamings-image-problems/ |url-status=live }}
Lengyel's involvement in the Overwatch scene continued as he joined various teams over the years. He became a part of the Overwatch Contenders teams GOATS and Gladiators Legion.{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=Controversial former Overwatch League player xQc joins Contenders Trials team |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/xqc-ow-contenders-north-america-trials-24473 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 7, 2018 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421213005/https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/xqc-ow-contenders-north-america-trials-24473 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Abbas |first1=Malcolm |title=Popular Twitch streamer xQc joins Gladiators Legion as a substitute main-tank |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/xqc-joins-gladiators-legion-substitute-main-tank |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=February 12, 2019 |archive-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416215333/https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/xqc-joins-gladiators-legion-substitute-main-tank |url-status=live }} Additionally, he represented Team Canada in the 2018 and 2019 Overwatch World Cups.{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Harry |title=Canada announce final starting roster for 2018 Overwatch World Cup |url=https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/07/10/canada-announce-final-starting-roster-for-2018-overwatch-world-cup/ |work=Overwatch Wire |publisher=USA Today |date=July 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815055404/https://overwatchwire.usatoday.com/2018/07/10/canada-announce-final-starting-roster-for-2018-overwatch-world-cup/ |archive-date=August 15, 2018}}{{Cite web|last=Richardson|first=Liz|date=July 29, 2019|title=Team Canada introduces Overwatch World Cup roster|url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/team-canada-introduces-overwatch-world-cup-roster|access-date=December 14, 2021|work=Dot Esports|archive-date=April 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417112730/https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/team-canada-introduces-overwatch-world-cup-roster|url-status=live}}
= Return to full-time streaming =
After his departure from Dallas Fuel in 2018, Lengyel shifted his focus primarily towards his streaming career. In February 2019, he joined esports organization Sentinels as a content creator.{{cite news |title=xQc parts ways with Sentinels |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-other-xqc-sentinals/xqc-parts-ways-with-sentinels-idUSFLM9C5ZQH |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Reuters |agency=Field Level Media |date=August 27, 2020 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060906/https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-other-xqc-sentinals/xqc-parts-ways-with-sentinels-idUSFLM9C5ZQH |url-status=live }} By May 2019, Lengyel had gained significant success as one of the most prominent variety streamers on Twitch. However, Lengyel also faced some controversies during his streaming career. In July 2019, he received a three-day ban from Twitch for streaming a video that contained brief explicit content, specifically showing a penis. Although a Twitch employee had reportedly permitted the video, the ban was enforced. However, Lengyel's ban was lifted after just one day.{{cite news |last1=Byers |first1=Preston |title=xQc's Twitch channel unbanned after less than a day |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-twitch-unbanned |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=July 31, 2019 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421054710/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-twitch-unbanned |url-status=live }} Despite these incidents, Lengyel achieved notable milestones on Twitch. In December 2019, he emerged as Twitch's most watched streamer, accumulating nearly eight million hours of watch time, surpassing other popular channels by a significant margin. Overall, he ranked as the sixth-most watched streamer of the year, accumulating nearly 54{{nbsp}}million hours of watch time, with over 14% coming from December alone.{{cite news |last1=Michael |first1=Cale |title=XQc ends 2019 on a high note by claiming December's top spot on Twitch |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-ends-2019-on-a-high-note-by-claiming-decembers-top-spot-on-twitch |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=December 28, 2019 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060907/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-ends-2019-on-a-high-note-by-claiming-decembers-top-spot-on-twitch |url-status=live }}
In 2020, Lengyel faced a series of bans and controversies during his streaming career. On February 29, he received a three-day ban from Twitch for streaming explicit content in the game Strip 4: Classmate Study. Lengyel entered a code that uncensored nudity in the game, leading to a brief exposure of the female character's breasts. Twitch upheld the ban even after his appeal, and the game gained attention, reaching the top of Steam{{'s}} "new and trending" list.{{cite news |last1=Bily |first1=Dustin |title=Strip Connect Four gets a free marketing boost after Twitch bans xQc for streaming it |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/xqc-ban-strip-4 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=PCGamesN |date=March 3, 2020 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060944/https://www.pcgamesn.com/xqc-ban-strip-4 |url-status=live }} In March 2020, Lengyel started playing chess on his stream, and in April, he received mentoring from chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Twitch and Chess.com collaborated to organize the inaugural PogChamps, a chess tournament that took place from June 5 to 19.{{cite magazine |last1=D'Anastasio |first1=Cecilia |title=The Grandmaster Who Got Twitch Hooked on Chess |url=https://www.wired.com/story/hikaru-nakamura-twitch-chess/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |magazine=Wired |date=June 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012043139/https://www.wired.com/story/hikaru-nakamura-twitch-chess/ |url-status=live }} Lengyel participated in the tournament, and in a match against Charlie "MoistCr1TiKaL" White, he was defeated in just six moves. The match became the most-watched video on Chess.com's YouTube channel, garnering over ten million views by May 2021.{{cite magazine |last1=Abbot |first1=Will |title=PogChamps 4 and the fight for the future of chess |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/pogchamps-4-chess |access-date=April 7, 2022 |magazine=Wired UK |date=May 9, 2021 |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310202730/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/pogchamps-4-chess |url-status=live }} In the PogChamps tournament, Lengyel reached the consolation bracket semifinals but ultimately lost to Ludwig Ahgren.{{cite news |title=VoyBoy, MoistCr1tikal Win Chess.com PogChamps Finals |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/voyboy-moistcr1tikal-win-chess-pogchamps-finals |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=Chess.com |date=June 23, 2020 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422141938/https://www.chess.com/news/view/voyboy-moistcr1tikal-win-chess-pogchamps-finals |url-status=live }} During PogChamps, on June 12, 2020, Lengyel received a 24-hour Twitch ban after accidentally opening a video of gorillas engaging in sexual activity, which was submitted by one of his viewers.{{cite news |last1=Duwe |first1=Scott |title=XQc receives 24-hour Twitch ban for showing clip of gorillas having sex |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-receives-24-hour-twitch-ban-june-2020 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 12, 2020 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517145009/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-receives-24-hour-twitch-ban-june-2020 |url-status=live }} Sentinels decided to part ways with him on August 27, 2020, after his request for release. He then joined Luminosity Gaming on October 1, 2020.{{cite news |last1=Frascarelli |first1=Victor |title=Luminosity Gaming Signs Streamer xQc, Lands Sponsor for Reality Show on Twitch |url=https://archive.esportsobserver.com/xqc-signs-with-luminosity-gaming/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=The Esports Observer |publisher=Sports Business Journal |date=October 1, 2020 |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121172516/https://archive.esportsobserver.com/xqc-signs-with-luminosity-gaming/ |url-status=live }} Lengyel faced another suspension from Twitch on November 18, 2020, when he and his team stream sniped an opposing team during a Twitch Rivals event for Fall Guys. This marked his fourth suspension from Twitch, resulting in a seven-day ban. He was also banned from Twitch Rivals for six months and had to forfeit his prize winnings from the event.{{cite news |last1=Chalk |first1=Andy |title=xQc has been suspended from Twitch for stream-sniping in Fall Guys |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/xqc-has-been-suspended-from-twitch-for-stream-sniping-in-fall-guys/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=PC Gamer |date=November 18, 2020 |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122235446/https://www.pcgamer.com/xqc-has-been-suspended-from-twitch-for-stream-sniping-in-fall-guys/ |url-status=live }} Despite the bans and controversies, Lengyel achieved remarkable Twitch viewership in 2020. He accumulated the highest watch hours at over 174{{nbsp}}million, surpassing all other channels by nearly 50{{nbsp}}million watch hours.
By mid-2021, Lengyel continued to dominate Twitch viewership, with 163{{nbsp}}million hours watched that year, nearly double that of the second-largest channel.{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Trent |title=xQc dominates the first half of the year - Twitch viewership recap for H1 2021 |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Esports-Landing/Sections/Media/2021/08/Twitch-h1-top10s.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202065219/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Esports-Landing/Sections/Media/2021/08/Twitch-h1-top10s.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=The Esports Observer |publisher=Sports Business Journal |date=August 6, 2021 }} In June 2021, Lengyel made the decision to move back to Canada after experiencing multiple instances of swatting, a dangerous prank targeting streamers. He expressed genuine fear for his safety and cited concerns about his well-being.{{cite news |last1=Ng |first1=Hayley |title=Doxxing and Swatting: The Deadly, Growing Threats Faced by Twitch Streamers |url=https://centennialbeauty.com/doxxing-swatting-twitch/ |access-date=May 8, 2022 |work=Centennial Beauty |date=February 23, 2022 |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202155954/https://centennialbeauty.com/doxxing-swatting-twitch/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Richman |first1=Olivia |title=xQc has moved back to Canada after doxxing issues continue |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/17198/xqc-has-moved-back-to-canada-after-doxxing-issues-continue |website=InvenGlobal|access-date=June 8, 2022 |language=en |date=May 16, 2022 |archive-date=December 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218120839/https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/17198/xqc-has-moved-back-to-canada-after-doxxing-issues-continue |url-status=live}} In October 2021, a leak exposed the earnings of top Twitch streamers, including Lengyel. The leak revealed that he was the highest-paid individual streamer, earning over $8{{nbsp}}million since 2019. While the accuracy of the leak was questioned, Lengyel confirmed that his reported earnings were correct.{{cite news |last1=Grayson |first1=Nathan |title=Massive Twitch hack reveals streamers' pay, with top stars making millions |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/10/06/twitch-hack-pay-xqc-pokimane-summit1g/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 6, 2021 |archive-date=October 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006191030/https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/10/06/twitch-hack-pay-xqc-pokimane-summit1g/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Irwin |first1=Kate |title=XQc talks Twitch, Overwatch 2, and his move to Los Angeles |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-talks-twitch-overwatch-2-and-his-move-to-los-angeles |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=October 22, 2021 |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429084009/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-talks-twitch-overwatch-2-and-his-move-to-los-angeles |url-status=live }} Lengyel maintained his position as the most-watched streamer on Twitch in 2021, accumulating 274{{nbsp}}million hours watched. His peak viewership reached 173,000 viewers, although it fell short compared to the channel with the highest peak, which garnered 2.5{{nbsp}}million viewers.{{cite news |last1=Troughton |first1=James |title=XQC Was 2021's Most-Watched Twitch Streamer |url=https://www.thegamer.com/xqc-twitch-most-watched-streamer-2021/ |access-date=April 7, 2022 |work=The Gamer |date=January 10, 2022 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407060945/https://www.thegamer.com/xqc-twitch-most-watched-streamer-2021/ |url-status=live }}
In April 2022, Lengyel participated in the r/place social experiment on Reddit, an online canvas in which registered users could edit by changing the colour of a single pixel. During the event, he targeted a My Little Pony art piece, which resulted in an influx of death threats. Lengyel said that he received more death threats in just one hour during that month than he had throughout his previous six years of streaming combined.{{cite news |last1=Datuin |first1=Sage |title=xQc says he's received more death threats in April than past 6 years combined thanks to viral r/Place art streams |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-says-hes-received-more-death-threats-in-april-than-past-six-years |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=April 4, 2022 |archive-date=April 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404140758/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-says-hes-received-more-death-threats-in-april-than-past-six-years |url-status=live }} Despite the negativity, he broke his Twitch viewership record, peaking at over 293,000 viewers during the event.{{cite news |last1=Miter |first1=Mateusz |title=xQc breaks his all-time Twitch viewership record off the back of Reddit's /r/Place hype |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-breaks-his-all-time-twitch-viewership-record |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=April 5, 2022 |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429003052/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-breaks-his-all-time-twitch-viewership-record |url-status=live }} Later that month, he surpassed that record while streaming a beta build of Overwatch 2, reaching a peak of over 312,000 viewers.{{cite news |last1=McIntyre |first1=Isaac |title=xQc roars to huge new Twitch record off the back of Overwatch 2 beta hype |url=https://dotesports.com/news/xqc-roars-to-huge-new-twitch-record-off-the-back-of-overwatch-2-beta-hype |access-date=April 29, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=April 29, 2022 |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429134733/https://dotesports.com/news/xqc-roars-to-huge-new-twitch-record-off-the-back-of-overwatch-2-beta-hype |url-status=live }} He continued to lead all Twitch streamers in terms of hours watched for the year 2022.{{cite news |last1=Miceli |first1=Max |title=XQc expected to leave Luminosity following 'thank you' video on social media |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-expected-to-leave-luminosity-following-thank-you-video-on-social-media |access-date=June 20, 2023 |work=Dot Esports |date=January 13, 2023 |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620160235/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-expected-to-leave-luminosity-following-thank-you-video-on-social-media |url-status=live }}
In January 2023, Lengyel announced his departure from Luminosity Gaming. In June 2023, Lengyel signed a deal with the streaming platform Kick. The deal was valued at $70{{nbsp}}million over two years, established a non-exclusive partnership between Lengyel and Kick. Additionally, the agreement included the potential for performance-based bonuses, totaling approximately $30{{nbsp}}million. The deal was noted as potentially one of the largest in entertainment history.{{cite news |last1=Browning |first1=Kellen |title=Twitch Star Signs $100 Million Deal With Rival Platform |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/business/twitch-kick-xqc.html |access-date=June 20, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=June 16, 2023 |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619101253/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/business/twitch-kick-xqc.html |url-status=live }} Lengyel finished 2023 as Twitch's fourth-most watched streamer with a total of 89{{nbsp}}million hours watched on the platform.{{cite news |last1=Fragen |first1=Jordan |title=KaiCenat, LoL, Diablo IV top Twitch 2023 charts {{!}} StreamElements |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/kaicenat-lol-diablo-iv-top-twitch-2023-charts-streamelements/ |access-date=January 6, 2024 |work=VentureBeat |date=December 19, 2023 |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502230149/https://venturebeat.com/games/kaicenat-lol-diablo-iv-top-twitch-2023-charts-streamelements/ |url-status=live}}
In October 2024, Forbes ranked the influencer 28th in their Top Creators 2024 list.{{Cite web |last=Bertoni |first=Steven |title=Top Creators 2024: The Influencers Turning Buzz Into Billions |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2024/10/28/top-creators-2024-the-influencers-turning-buzz-into-billions/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502230617/https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2024/10/28/top-creators-2024-the-influencers-turning-buzz-into-billions/ |url-status=live}}
Personal life
Lengyel was born on November 12, 1995, in Laval, Quebec, Canada.{{Cite tweet|number=1326996553819688961|user=xQc|title=quarter of a century. FeelsBirthdayMan https://t.co/IgJQ7Nw2ft|last=Lengyel|first=Félix|date=November 12, 2020|access-date=July 19, 2022}}{{cite news | first1=Karim | last1=Benessaieh | website=La Presse | date=October 6, 2021 | url=https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/techno/2021-10-06/twitch/le-lavallois-felix-lengyel-aurait-engrange-8-5-millions-us.php | title=Le Lavallois Félix Lengyel aurait engrangé 8,5 millions US | language=fr | access-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502231038/https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/techno/2021-10-06/twitch/le-lavallois-felix-lengyel-aurait-engrange-8-5-millions-us.php |url-status=live}} He is of Hungarian descent.{{cite web|url=https://24.hu/tech/2018/03/12/kirugtak-a-botranyt-halmozo-magyar-szarmazasu-e-sportolot/|title=Kirúgták a botrányt halmozó magyar származású e-sportolót|trans-title=Scandal-hit e-athlete of Hungarian descent fired|language=hu|first=Péter|last=Birkás|website=24.hu|date=March 12, 2018|access-date=April 11, 2022|archive-date=April 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425170709/https://24.hu/tech/2018/03/12/kirugtak-a-botranyt-halmozo-magyar-szarmazasu-e-sportolot/|url-status=live}}
From 2017 to 2022, Lengyel was in a relationship with fellow streamer Samantha Lopez, known by her Twitch username adeptthebest.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-10 |title=Who is AdeptTheBest? Streamer gets permanently banned from Twitch amid ongoing drama |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/adeptthebest-streamer-gets-permanently-banned-173601603.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Yahoo Life |language=en-US |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502231325/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/adeptthebest-streamer-gets-permanently-banned-173601603.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADty6kQ68EFnE00e7HpUJQ-SE4LvLRTSpgW3oEBkt9yQ8BdJD0vE1AITMy4yW4uZT4zj6RKp0axc-nxZVol8UdXxAXGN6P5edpNC6pKFKr5F1YAD58BQ9SSwE_WiLJ9om3C1TrCLKcDwO0rVD36JuW8BTNME0LTD55uH8AyOpmV-|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Wildermuth |first=John |date=2024-09-12 |title=XQc and Adept court case timeline, explained |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-and-adept-court-case-timeline-explained |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502231703/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/xqc-and-adept-court-case-timeline-explained |url-status=live}}
On August 5, 2024, Lengyel accompanied online streamer Adin Ross during a meeting with president of the United States Donald Trump.{{cite journal |last1=Phillips |first1=Zoe G. |title=Adin Ross' Livestream With Donald Trump Peaks at 500,000 Viewers |journal=The Hollywood Reporter |date=August 6, 2024 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/adin-ross-livestrea-donald-500000-viewers-1235966797/ |access-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-date=May 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502231840/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/adin-ross-livestrea-donald-500000-viewers-1235966797/ |url-status=live}}
Awards and nominations
See also
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|lcfirst=yes}}
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{{Overwatch League}}
{{Streamy Awards Winners CSS}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Video games|Canada|Internet}}
Category:Canadian esports players
Category:Canadian people of Hungarian descent
Category:Canadian Twitch (service) streamers
Category:Denial Esports players
Category:Kick (service) streamers
Category:Sidemen Charity Match players
Category:Sportspeople from Laval, Quebec