Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Popular Twitch trends explained
Twitch is home to some of the most entertaining live streams on the planet. However, to keep up with topics and trends, you will need to know what some terms and emotes mean. For example, do you know what KEKW means on Twitch?
READ MORE: How to create and download clips on Twitch
THE SHORT ANSWER
KEKW is an emote used to convey laughter.
L + Ratio is a term people use to mock a post many disagree with and don't like.
Kappa is an emote used to convey sarcasm, irony, and a lack of general seriousness.
POG, or "PogChamp," is an emote used to convey excitement, joy, and hype.
Copium, often represented as an emote, is a fictional drug helping the poster deal with loss, depression, or sadness.
KEY SECTIONS
What does KEKW mean on Twitch?
KEKW is a popular Twitch emote of El Risitas (Juan Joya Borja) laughing hysterically. Since 2019, it’s been a highly-used response to funny happenings on-stream or in chat.
HISTORY OF KEKW
The KEKW emote on Twitch originates from a 2007 interview hosted on the Spanish TV program "Ratones Coloraos," or "Red Mice." Interviewee Juan Joya Borja broke down into a fit of laughter during one segment, and interview host Jesus Quintero couldn't help but laugh as well.
This seemingly infectious laughter has become immortalized as a popular Twitch emote and an internet meme.
What is L + Ratio on Twitch?
L + Ratio (+ You ____) is not an emote on Twitch. It’s not even used exclusively on Twitch.
Across various social media platforms (including Twitter and Twitch), L + Ratio is a mocking insult that people send in response to a post.
The ‘L’ portion stands for loss, or “taking an L.” It’s pretty straightforward.
‘Ratio‘ refers to when a post is (a) unpopular or disagreeable, and (b) has accumulated fewer likes than replies. If someone disagrees with a post and their response accumulates more likes than the original post, people might add more responses that say “L + Ratio.”
That said, the term “ratio” today is seen as a form of internet trolling. Because the dislike button is absent from many social media platforms, people settle for a subpar (and, in many situations, immature) solution like “ratio.”
What is Kappa on Twitch?
The Kappa Twitch emote is typically used to infer sarcasm or irony. Typically added at the end of a sentence, it’s also used in a more generic sense to let readers know that you aren’t serious or are “trolling.”
As a favorite of internet trolls, sometimes all reason is thrown out the window and Kappa is spammed repeatedly in chat.
HISTORY OF KAPPA
The Kappa face emote is a picture of Josh DeSeno. DeSeno was an employee of Justin.TV, which eventually became Twitch. When it was still small, Justin.TV uploaded emotes of many of their employees—like many close-knit companies do within their circles. As it would turn out, Josh DeSeno's emote caught fire and became wildly popular.
What does POG mean on Twitch?
“POG”—at least in its literal sense—is an acronym referring to the “play of the game.”
On Twitch, Discord, and other gaming communities, Pog, Poggers, PogChamp, and PogU all reference an iconic facial expression made by Gootecks (Ryan Gutierrez) in a Cross Counter TV video from 2010. This emote is still commonly used today to convey excitement, joy, surprise, and hype.
Why can’t I find the PogChamp emote on Twitch?
In January 2021, Gootecks posted a question on Twitter that Twitch interpreted as inciting additional violence after Donald Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol.
As a result, Twitch proceeded to ban the original PogChamp emote featuring Gootecks’ face. The original emote has not been unbanned since then and cannot be used on the Twitch platform even as a custom upload, as that would go against TOS (terms of service).
Because so many “hype” situations still occur all the time on Twitch, they decided to keep the PogChamp emote. However, instead of Gootecks’ face, they subbed in a dinosaur making a similar expression.
What is Copium on Twitch?
Copium is a recent trend on Twitch that has been growing in popularity. When something unfortunate, sad, or disadvantageous happens on-stream, it’s common to see users in chat comment with “Copium.”
Copium is a combination of the words “cope” and “opium,” and blends their meanings to a certain extent. It’s supposed to be a fictional drug that helps the poster deal with loss and is represented by a meme of Pepe the frog attached to a tank of Copium.
Many streamers choose to upload custom Copium emotes as well on Twitch. They’ll typically add their username at the front of the emote to make it their own.