Valkyrae

Who Is Valkyrae?

Rachell Marie Hofstetter is a force of motion: a streamer who became an entrepreneur, a gamer who became an owner, and a voice whose reach routinely stretches into millions. Born January 8, 1992, in Moses Lake, Washington, she emerged from a small-town start — working at GameStop, attending community college — to become one of the most-watched and influential creators in modern gaming culture.

The world knows her better as Valkyrae.

She is widely recognized as one of the most influential female content creators in the gaming industry and is often referred to as the “Queen of YouTube Gaming.” Furthermore, she is a co-owner of the gaming organization 100 Thieves, founder and CEO of Hihi Studios, podcast co-host, voice actress, and brand ambassador.

Her fan community is known as the “Raelets.” Together, they have followed her journey from obscure Twitch streamer to global digital icon.

Early Life: Moses Lake, GameStop, and a Gaming Obsession

Growing Up in Washington State

Growing up in Moses Lake, Washington, Rachell Marie Hofstetter developed an early interest in video games, actively encouraged by her mother.

Moses Lake is a small city in eastern Washington. It is far from the bright lights of Los Angeles. However, it gave Valkyrae something no big city could — a deep appreciation for hard work, community, and authentic connection.

She is of Filipino and German descent. Therefore, she carries a multicultural identity that has made her a proud representative for Filipino Americans across the gaming world. She has spoken openly about Filipino representation in gaming and animation.

From Community College to Content Creator

She attended community college, balancing her studies with a job at GameStop, and ultimately earned an associate degree in arts and science.

She started streaming video games on Twitch in 2015 to battle loneliness and possibly make a few friends. That single, humble motivation would change the course of her life entirely.

The Name “Valkyrae” and Its Origins

Her nickname “Valkyrae” comes from Norse mythology. The Valkyries were powerful female figures who chose the worthy on the battlefield. It is a fitting name for a woman who would go on to conquer one of the most competitive industries in the world.

Career: From Twitch Bedroom Streams to Global Gaming Icon

Getting Started on Instagram and Twitch (2014–2015)

Valkyrae’s shift from gaming to streaming was particularly organic. She started posting gaming clips on Instagram back in 2014, which sparked her interest. Then she began streaming on Twitch in 2015.

She streamed casually at first. She played games. She talked to her small community. But her bubbly, genuine personality stood out. Due to her bubbly personality, she amassed millions of followers on multiple platforms, which led to sponsorships and brand endorsements.

The Fortnite Boom and Joining 100 Thieves (2018)

2018 was a pivotal year. She became very popular in 2018 by playing the game Fortnite.

More importantly, that same year she made a move that would define her career trajectory. In 2018, she became the first female streamer to join the gaming and lifestyle organization 100 Thieves.

This was not a small step. It was a giant leap. 100 Thieves was already one of the most respected names in esports and gaming culture. Moreover, Valkyrae was breaking new ground — as the first female content creator in their history.

Moving Exclusively to YouTube (2020)

In January 2020, Valkyrae signed a multi-year YouTube exclusive streaming contract. This was one of the biggest platform deals in gaming content history.

The timing was extraordinary. Valkyrae’s YouTube channel saw monumental growth in late 2020, achieving an average viewership of approximately 100,000, primarily driven by her popular Among Us streams.

Among Us became a pandemic-era sensation. Valkyrae was at the center of it. She streamed it daily. She played with celebrities, politicians, and fellow creators. As a result, the world could not look away.

Becoming a Co-Owner of 100 Thieves (2021)

She joined the 100 Thieves ownership group in April 2021 alongside high-profile investors Drake and Scooter Braun. At the time, 100 Thieves was valued at approximately $190 million.

This was not a sponsorship. It was not a brand deal. It was genuine ownership. Therefore, Valkyrae became one of the rare content creators in history to hold real equity in a major gaming organization.

Awards and Accolades: A Winning Streak

Her rise brought recognition from every corner of the industry.

• She won “Content Creator of the Year” at The Game Awards in 2020. She also won “Best Live Streamer” at the Streamy Awards that same year.
• In 2021, Adweek named her “Gaming Creator of the Year.”
• In 2022, she was on Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in the Games category.
• In February 2024, she won The Sapphire Award at the Streamer Awards.
• In May 2024, she was named an A100 honoree by Gold House.

GTA V Roleplay and MrBeast (2024)

In May 2024, she played a lot of Grand Theft Auto V roleplaying on the modded NoPixel server. The GTA RP genre brought a new wave of fans to her channel.

Additionally, in July 2024, she participated in the MrBeast video “50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000” — one of the most-watched YouTube events of the year, further expanding her already massive audience.

Return to Twitch: A Triumphant Homecoming (January 2025)

Valkyrae’s exclusive YouTube contract expired in January 2025. She returned to Twitch on January 8, 2025 — her 10th streaming anniversary and her 33rd birthday.

In her first week back, she was the most-watched female streamer on Twitch. The return proved something important. Her audience had not moved on. They had simply been waiting.

Sis-A-Thon: A Marathon Streaming Event (2025)

In February 2025, Valkyrae started a week-long live streaming event called Sis-A-Thon with fellow streamer Brittany “Cinna” Watts.

The November 2025 Sis-A-Thon 2 proved the format was a sustainable model — not just a one-time event. Together, the events raised over $50,000 for charity, cementing Valkyrae’s reputation as not just a creator, but also a community leader.

Sis-A-Thon Incident (March 2025)

On March 2, 2025, the last night of the Sis-A-Thon event, something scary happened. Valkyrae, Cinna, and their guest Emily “Emiru” Schunk were at Pacific Park when a man approached them. The incident drew widespread attention and highlighted the very real safety concerns facing public figures, particularly women in gaming.

Entrepreneurship: Building Beyond the Stream

Hihi Studios — Her Own Media Company (2024)

In September 2024, she started her own media company, Hihi Studios. This company aims to create stories for graphic novels, TV, and movies.

Hihi Studios is an anime and animation production house designed to create and produce original animation content. In 2026, Hihi Studios released sequels for the webcomic Bad Influence and pitched an anime series to Netflix.

This is Valkyrae’s most ambitious venture yet. Furthermore, it reflects her deep love of anime and storytelling — passions she has carried throughout her entire career.

Wine About It Podcast With QTCinderella

In 2025, Valkyrae joined the popular podcast Wine About It as a co-host alongside QTCinderella.

The show has amassed over 250,000 subscribers on YouTube and 40,000 members on Patreon. The podcast allowed her to connect with audiences on topics beyond gaming — relationships, life, mental health, and everything in between.

Brand Partnerships

Valkyrae has marketing brand partnerships with Alienware, Pokémon, Crunchyroll, Gucci, Burberry, Valentino, and Gymshark.

In September 2022, she became an ambassador for the fitness clothing brand Gymshark. These partnerships span gaming, fashion, and lifestyle — a testament to her broad cultural appeal.

Acting and Voice Work: A New Creative Frontier

The Family Plan (Apple TV+, 2023)

She made her acting debut in the Apple TV+ film The Family Plan, playing herself — a competitive gamer in a championship battle.

“It felt like the perfect first role because they literally wanted me to be Valkyrae,” she said. “I wore my clothes. I didn’t even have to act like anyone new. It was just literally me.”

Voice Acting

She has provided voices for the anime Tribe 9 and Netflix’s animated series Sonic Prime. She also voiced a character in the Goldbeak film in 2025. Additionally, she provided additional voices for the game Iron Lung in 2026.

Music

In 2024, she also dabbled in music, releasing the track “Echoes.” This further demonstrated her desire to build a multidimensional creative identity beyond gaming.

Personal Life: Real, Relatable, and Resilient

Life in Los Angeles

Valkyrae lives in Los Angeles, where she has built a life around friends and her career.

From 2023 to 2024, she shared a house with fellow streamers Leslie “Fuslie” Fu, Miyoung “Kkatamina” Kim, and Christina “TinaKitten” Kenyon — known online as “The Roomies.” It was a living arrangement full of collaborations, laughter, and content.

Mental Health and Creator Burnout

She openly discusses mental health and creator burnout. Her honesty about personal struggles has helped many fans feel understood and supported.

She speaks about how she took a break for burnout and makes therapy a norm. This vulnerability has made her one of the most trusted voices in the gaming community.

Relationships

From 2016 to 2021, Valkyrae was in a public relationship with fellow streamer Michael “Sonii” Sherman. She has since kept her personal romantic life largely private.

Still Going Strong in 2026

In 2026, she clarified rumors suggesting she planned to retire from streaming, assuring fans that she still enjoys creating content and has no immediate plans to stop.

Awards and Achievements Timeline

Year	Award / Achievement
2018	First female content creator to join 100 Thieves
2020	Content Creator of the Year — The Game Awards
2020	Best Live Streamer — Streamy Awards
2021	Gaming Creator of the Year — Adweek
2021	Co-Owner of 100 Thieves (valued at $190M)
2022	Forbes 30 Under 30 — Games category
2022	Best Live Streamer — YouTube Streamy Awards
2022	Gymshark Ambassador
2023	Acting debut — The Family Plan (Apple TV+)
2024	The Sapphire Award — The Streamer Awards
2024	Gold House A100 Honoree
2024	Founded Hihi Studios
2025	Returned to Twitch — most-watched female streamer in Week 1
2025	Hosted Sis-A-Thon I & II (raised $50K+ for charity)