Zepla, a Twitch streamer known for her Final Fantasy XIV gameplay, will soon flee Ukraine due to the ongoing threat of Russian invasion. Originally from Louisiana, Jessica St. John moved to Ukraine in 2014 and streams on Twitch under the name Zepla. Well-known for her gameplay of Square Enix's massively multiplayer online role-playing game, the FFXIV Twitch streamer will soon find herself streaming a much different adventure.
Putting their lives on full display for viewers to see, professional streamers often have their private lives made public against their wishes. The live streaming service's most popular figures, such as Richard "Ninja" Blevins and Imane "Pokimane" Anys, have reached an outstanding level of success by cultivating a loyal community of followers. However, this constant existence in the public eye can sometimes be detrimental to the private lives of these streamers. Having personal information available can lead to harassment, or even threats, from the streamer's detractors. For example, an incident back in September 2018 saw gun shots hit Twitch streamer Dr DisRespect's house in the middle of a stream, with repeated incidents assumed to be deliberate attacks.
Due to the increasingly tense situation on the border between Ukraine and Russia, PC Gamer reports that FFXIV streamer Zepla will soon flee the country. The Twitch star moved to Ukraine from the United States in 2014, but the threat of invasion has motivated her to flee the country as soon as possible. However, before she can leave, Zepla must acquire pet passports for her dog Nora and cat Tallulah, and this can be a long process. Once the pet passports are finalized Zepla will immediately return to the United States, and she promises to stream every step of her journey.
Due to the public and sometimes volatile nature of streaming, Zepla is not the first Twitch figure forced to leave behind their home. While the tension between Ukraine and Russia is motivating Zepla's move, GTA RP streamer xQc moved in June 2021 due to repeated "swatting" incidents. The extremely dangerous prank sees viewers send the police to a streamer's home by reporting a fake incident, which can easily result in accidental injury or death. The Grand Theft Auto role-play streamer was apparently being swatted on a nearly daily basis, which prompted him to move back to Canada last year.
With the situation in Ukraine continuing to escalate, Zepla is wise to return to the United States before the conflict with Russia grows worse. While the pet passport process is making her return slower than ideal, hopefully the Final Fantasy XIV streamer will be safely over the border soon. With a large community of Twitch viewers following every step of the way, Zepla should have plenty of support on her journey to safety.
Source: PC Gamer