FrostPrime, a "Slay the Spire" content creator with over 160,000 Twitch followers, announced that his talent agency, GG Talent Group, has terminated their relationship with him. The dismissal reportedly stems from FrostPrime's continued criticism of fellow agency member Dan Gheesling's involvement in a U.S. Army-sponsored Twitch livestream.
The controversy began on September 21, when Gheesling participated in a U.S. Army-sponsored game show streamed to his audience. Northernlion, a long-time collaborator of Gheesling, addressed the sponsorship, stating that the presentation, which prominently featured Army imagery, was "so far beyond the bounds of what is acceptable to me."
In a subsequent stream, Gheesling responded to criticism, offering what was described as a "second half-baked apology." He explained that several friends, subscribers, and moderators had distanced themselves from him. Maintaining an "apolitical" stance, Gheesling stated he did not want to discuss whether the sponsorship indicated support for the current administration. When pressed on his claim of not knowing the U.S. Army sponsorship was political, Gheesling explained his perspective: "I have family that has served in the military. I have family that’s in the military. From my perspective, and I’m trying to keep it private, there are people that believe in every different thing that are in the military… So that’s why I’m like, OK, [the U.S. Army] represents everyone. That was my thought going into it."
FrostPrime had voiced his disapproval of Gheesling's Army sponsorship in both Gheesling's Twitch chat and Discord server. On September 22, FrostPrime posted a video detailing a conversation with Eric Harper, the CEO of GG Talent Group, which represented both streamers at the time. FrostPrime stated that Harper instructed him to cease communication with Gheesling. FrostPrime refused, explaining that he could not remain silent as viewers associated his channel with Gheesling's actions. "I’m gonna be getting constant questions throughout the coming days about whether or not I support the actions that he did," FrostPrime said. "And no, I do not support the actions—I think it’s one of the most disgusting and despicable things that I think I’ve ever seen anyone close to me in the streaming space do. To take a pro-genocide sponsorship is undeniably, abhorrently disgusting."
According to FrostPrime, the GG Talent Group CEO then issued an ultimatum: "No, you need to stop, or else." FrostPrime subsequently announced he was "no longer with [the] agency," attributing his dismissal to his "anti-genocide, because I am pro-Palestine, because I am anti-U.S. military, because I am anti-war, and I am loudly speaking out about what I believe in."
Kotaku has reached out to GG Talent Group for comment on the situation.