Social Robotics, the creators of humanoid influencer Rizzbot, have filed a lawsuit against popular streamer IShowSpeed over an incident during a September livestream that allegedly left the robot severely damaged. The petition, filed in November and obtained by TechCrunch, names Speed (Darren Watkins Jr.), his management company Mixed Management, and another member of his team.
Footage from the livestream shows Speed repeatedly hitting Rizzbot, placing it in a chokehold, pinning it to a couch and eventually throwing it to the floor. The lawsuit claims the robot suffered “complete loss of functionality,” including damage to its mouth, neck, head cameras and internal sensor ports, leaving it unable to walk or operate normally. Social Robotics said Rizzbot required a full body replacement.
The filing states that the destruction caused significant financial losses for Rizzbot’s team, including missed appearances and sponsorship deals with CBS’s The NFL Today and creator MrBeast. It also alleges that Rizzbot’s viewership dropped by more than 70% in the month following the incident because it could not produce new content. Austin Police responded to the scene and documented the damage, with an investigation still ongoing.
Speed’s management did not respond to requests for comment. Social Robotics’ lawyer, Joel Levine, said the lawsuit was filed after compensation discussions stalled. Rizzbot, now rebuilt, confirmed via email that it has returned to content creation.
