“Most overrated streamer of the decade”: FaZe Lacy criticizes xQc’s Award win

The 2025 Esports Awards bestowed the unusual honor of Streamer of the Decade upon Twitch and Kick superstar Felix "xQc" Lengyel, thereby kind of cementing his decade-long dominance over the livestreaming industry. Though the award garnered congratulations from many great names in gaming and entertainment, the accolade did create some controversy, most notably from fellow streamer Nick "FaZe Lacy," who basically dismissed the recognition with a scathing critique.

A Night of Recognition for xQc

The Esports Awards of 2025, bestowed honors upon competitive gaming and streaming's most influential names. The award presented to xQc was hardly a surprise. An ex-professional Overwatch player, Lengyel entered streaming full-time; his grossly animated mannerisms, antics, and worldwide following being the pieces that built him up as one of the most watched persons. Throughout the years, he broke viewing records, brought the spotlight on variety content, and almost single-handedly steered the development of livestream culture.


Congratulations started to pour in from fellow Twitch streamers and YouTubers such as TrainwrecksTV, Asmongold, and MrBeast himself. TrainwrecksTV even stated, "Finally, an award that makes sense," as if implying that this set of awards con

FaZe Lacy Pushes Back

Some were not in a mood to party. FaZe Lacy took to X (formerly Twitter) with a cutting message: "congratulations to @xQc for winning most overrated streamer of the decade ♥️"

Another sarcastic remark made the rounds, with some agreeing that xQc's chaotic way of streaming is glory without substance, while others said his popularity and longevity speak differently.

The community divided

The post brewed another round of heated debates across Reddit, X, and Twitch communities. Some were of the opinion that Lacy was merely articulating what has long been said by critics-that xQc's content is entertaining but repeats itself while relying more on his personality than on any real substance or innovation-. Meanwhile, others saw in Lacy's remarks the very opposite of the claim few masters have: remaining relevant for almost a decade in an ever-changing industry is itself quite a feat.

A Reflection of Streaming Culture

This exchange is emblematic of the much broader discussion of what constitutes success in live streaming. Do we measure it through raw numbers and influence or "quality" of content? While xQc may not be everyone's cup of tea, his Streamer of the Decade award is testimony to the fact that impact often weighs heavier than polarizing opinion. For now, xQc remains the center of attention for sure.


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