Joe Bartolozzi says IShowSpeed is ‘a celebrity now,’ too big for Streamer of the Year
A fellow Streamer Awards nominee picked Jynxzi instead, and said he would not call himself the winner either. Voting closes Oct 31.
The tea in 3
- Nominee Joe Bartolozzi said IShowSpeed is "kind of a figure more than a streamer" and picked Jynxzi for Streamer of the Year.
- He also said CaseOh "doesn't stream enough," and added, "I wouldn't say that I am Streamer of the Year."
- Winners are 70% viewer vote and 30% panel. Voting closes Oct 31; the ceremony is Nov 12.
Joe Bartolozzi, one of the five nominees for Streamer of the Year at the 2026 Streamer Awards, says one of his fellow nominees may not belong in the category. In comments reported on Oct 20, the 24-year-old said IShowSpeed has become so famous that he is “kind of a figure more than a streamer.”
Bartolozzi did not stop there: he named Jynxzi as his pick and said he would not call himself the winner either.
What he said
According to Net Influencer, which cited a Sportskeeda report, Bartolozzi made the remarks to his audience this week.
Speed is kind of a figure more than a streamer.โ Joe Bartolozzi, as quoted by Net Influencer
His reasoning, as reported, is that the award should go to someone who grinds. “Streamer of the Year in my mind is you’ve got to be grinding,” he said, adding: “I think Jynxzi is Streamer of the Year.”
He also said CaseOh, another nominee, “doesn’t stream enough” for the category, per the same report. He called Stable Ronaldo and Jynxzi “very deserving” and said, “I wouldn’t say that I am Streamer of the Year.”
The field
vs
The Streamer of the Year nominees are Jynxzi, IShowSpeed, Joe Bartolozzi, Stable Ronaldo and CaseOh, according to Geo.tv’s list of nominees. IShowSpeed won the same award at the 2025 ceremony, per Net Influencer, and is also nominated this year in categories including Best Vertical Live Streamer and Gamer of the Year.
Bartolozzi is up for Streamer of the Year, President of Chat and Best Breakout Streamer, among others. IShowSpeed had not publicly responded in the reports on the comments.
How the voting works
The nominees were revealed on Oct 16. Per Net Influencer, winners are decided 70% by viewer vote and 30% by a panel. Geo.tv reports that voting requires registering on the awards website, and that the ceremony will air live on Twitch and YouTube from Los Angeles.
The category is decided mostly by fans, so a debate over what counts as a “streamer” is really a debate over what voters should reward: hours logged or sheer reach.
Where it stands
Voting is open until Oct 31. Bartolozzi’s comments are his own opinion. The winners will be named on Nov 12.
Poll
Is IShowSpeed a streamer or a celebrity?
Your reaction?
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