PogChamp or simply Pog is an emote used on the streaming platform Twitch intended to express excitement, intrigue, joy or shock.[1][2][3][4] The image originally depicted streamer Ryan "Gootecks" Gutierrez with a surprised or shocked expression,[5] which originated from a YouTube video uploaded to Gutierrez's channel, Cross Counter TV, on November 26, 2010.[6][7][4] The original emote was added to Twitch's pool of global emotes in 2012 and was later removed in January 2021, after Gutierrez expressed support for the January 6 United States Capitol attack.[8] Twitch responded to calls to revive the emote by alternating between several unique designs every 24 hours, each using a similar expression,[9] and eventually allowed viewers to vote on one of these faces to become the permanent replacement during what they called "The PogChampening".[10] Users voted for an image of a Komodo dragon, which is also the basis for the KomodoHype emote.
Ryan Gutierrez was initially reluctant to allow Twitch to use his likeness for the original PogChamp emote, but soon made a deal to allow its use for between US$50,000 and US$100,000 and undisclosed additional concessions.[11]
The emote, like others on Twitch, is displayed at a very small size of 56 by 56 pixels. PC Gamer described the PogChamp emote as "one of the most ubiquitous emotes in Twitch history [...] used to react to decisive moments",[12] while Kotaku stated it "[indicated] surprise and hype".[13] CNN describes the use of PogChamp as a gamer's expression for excitement, expanding the use of the PogChamp emote to the word PogChamp and its variants "Pog" and "Poggers" to describe "particularly awesome" moments.[4] Emotes in general have been reported by CNN to be popularly used "ad nauseum [sic]" during moments while gamer activity is livestreamed.[4] Given the long history of the use of the PogChamp emote and its variants, Twitch acknowledges the impact of PogChamp's role in shaping the culture of its streaming services.[14]
^Kelly, Makena (January 6, 2021). "Twitch deletes PogChamp emote because it's now the face of 'further violence'". The Verge.
^Ford, Colin; Gardner, Dan; Horgan, Leah Elaine; Liu, Calvin; tsaasan, a. m.; Nardi, Bonnie; Rickman, Jordan (2017-05-06). Written at Denver, Colorado, USA. Chat Speed OP PogChamp: Practices of Coherence in Massive Twitch Chat. Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems. CHI EA '17. University of California, Irvine: Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 858–871. doi:10.1145/3027063.3052765. ISBN 978-1-4503-4656-6. S2CID 23784118. For instance, a string of PogChamp messages indicated amazement at an impressive play or situation,
^Davis, Paul K.; O'Mahony, Angela; Pfautz, Jonathan (2019-04-09). Social-Behavioral Modeling for Complex Systems. John Wiley & Sons. p. 421. ISBN 978-1-119-48496-7.
^ abcdLiao, Shannon (7 January 2021). "PogChamp emote deleted for ties to Capitol violence". CNN.
^PogChamp Original Video | Cross Counter Bloopers! With Gootecks and Mike Ross. Cross Counter TV. November 26, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2021 – via YouTube.
PogChamp or simply Pog is an emote used on the streaming platform Twitch intended to express excitement, intrigue, joy or shock. The image originally depicted...
"VoyBoy, MoistCr1tikal Win Chess.com PogChamps Finals". chess.com. Retrieved 6 August 2020. "Pogchamps". Pogchamps. Archived from the original on 31 October...
Garendall (PoG), a role-playing video game PogChamp, an emote and internet meme originating on Twitch PogChamps, an online chess tournament "Pog", an Alan...
chess tournament PogChamps 3 in 2021. She placed last with 4 losses and 0 wins, along with streamer Myth. She was coached by PogChamps coaches, WGM Anna...
amateur chess tournament Pogchamps, Botez was part of the commentator team. In 2021, Botez took part again in the Pogchamps 3 tournament, doubling as...
2021. In the PogChamps tournament, Lengyel reached the consolation bracket semifinals but ultimately lost to Ludwig Ahgren. During PogChamps, on June 12...
part of the 2020 chess boom associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the PogChamps internet celebrity chess tournaments, and Queen's Gambit series on Netflix...
30, 2020. In August and September of 2020, Blaire participated in the PogChamps 2 amateur chess tournament hosted by Chess.com, making it to the semifinals...
streaming on Twitch. In January 2021, an illustration of her cat was made the PogChamp emote on Twitch for a day. Sims, as part of the team Sandy's Candies with...
the server, and his friends. In February 2021, Smith participated in PogChamps 3, an online amateur content creator chess tournament hosted by Chess...
popularly called "Gaules" in honor of the streamer. He was the face of the PogChamp emote on Twitch for one day on January 25, 2021. On December 9, 2021, Gaules...
with the livestreaming service. In 2023, Colquhoun participated and won PogChamps 5. Many of Colquhoun's videos feature him cosplaying and role-playing...
Retrieved August 19, 2023. Hope, Henrik (May 4, 2019). "Hello [Streamer] PogChamp": The Language Variety on Twitch (PDF) (Master's thesis). University of...
Later that year he was invited to compete in the amateur chess tournament PogChamps. In February 2024, he won "Best Chess Streamer" at The Streamer Awards...
Chess Championship, PRO Chess League, the Speed Chess Championship, and PogChamps. Rensch has also commentated live, over-the-board tournaments like the...
Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021. "Pogchamps: All The Information". Chess.com. August 12, 2020. Archived from the original...
Global Offensive. He has taken part in Twitch chess tournaments such as PogChamps. He has appeared in several YouTube videos by MrBeast, including one in...
podcast, created by Payne Lindsey. Wilson also competed in Chess.com's PogChamps 3 chess competition, finishing in second place after a tiebreaker game...
gave lessons to players in PogChamps, an amateur tournament for Twitch streamers hosted by Chess.com, and its sequel, PogChamps 2. He additionally provided...
Fu participated in a Chess.com tournament for Twitch streamers titled PogChamps. She made it to the quarterfinals of the consolation bracket, where she...
In 2021, she was one of twelve contenders in the third edition of the PogChamps tournament organized by Chess.com and was the winner of the consolation...
2021 Chess.com announced that he would play in the third edition of the PogChamps chess tournament. In 2018, Negreanu was promoted and credited as an associate...
tsaasan, a. m.; Nardi, Bonnie; Rickman, Jordan (May 6, 2017). "Chat Speed OP PogChamp". Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors...
Rozman. She has also commentated on matches and coached participants in PogChamps, a series of tournaments run by Chess.com for popular non-chess streamers...
2020. Chess.com teamed up with high-level chess streamers to organize PogChamps, an amateur tournament contested between popular Internet personalities...
streaming career, Niemann served as a coach and co-commentator for the second PogChamps online chess tournament, coaching participating Twitch streamers like...