Twitch, the Amazon-owned streaming platform, has banned one of the top players in the Super Smash Bros Melee community, known as ‘bobby big ballz,’ for drinking and driving during a live stream. The incident occurred on September 5 when the Falco main streamed his trip to a store, where he purchased wine and proceeded to consume it while driving his car.

The event has sent shockwaves through the Super Smash Bros Melee community, eliciting widespread calls for action against the player, who often finishes in the top 16 at major tournaments like Team Liquid and Hungrybox’s Coinbox series. Responding swiftly to public sentiment, Twitch issued what appears to be a permanent ban for violating its community guidelines.

Bobby big ballz admitted

Shortly after the ban was enforced, ‘bobby big ballz’ addressed the controversy on social media, stating that although he wasn’t drunk, he recognized the severity of his actions. “Surely one singular sip of my 12% wine on my 3-minute drive home from 711 doesn’t classify as drunk driving,” he said. “As a streamer, I’m wrong and will take responsibility for my actions. If the community wants to ban me, I will humbly oblige. I am not a role model; please don’t accept my internet personality as such.”

He further mentioned that he uses alcohol to “cope” with life but clarified that he wasn’t using it as an excuse for his reckless behavior.

Potential career impact

The ban could potentially end ‘bobby big ballz”s professional career, as Twitch’s terms would prevent other tournaments from broadcasting his matches without facing bans themselves. Currently, his Twitch account displays a message saying, “This channel is currently unavailable due to a violation of Twitch’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service,” which has previously indicated permanent suspensions.

Previous Incidents

This incident isn’t the first of its kind on Twitch. Earlier this year, a Polish streamer faced suspension for running over a dog while being distracted by her chat during a live stream.