The Asmongold lawsuit is a federal defamation and breach-of-contract case filed in November 2025 by Twitch streamer Matthew “Mizkif” Rinaudo against Zack “Asmongold” Hoyt, Rinaudo’s ex-girlfriend Emily “Emiru” Schunk, OTK Media Inc., Mythic Talent Management Inc., and King Gaming Labs Inc. The case, now captioned Mizkif Enterprises LLC v. Schunk, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas before Judge Robert Pitman. Rinaudo claims the defendants coordinated false accusations of criminal conduct against him to damage his reputation and push him out of companies he helped build, costing him more than $896,000 in lost equity and management fees.1Kotaku. Emiru Asmongold Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit2CourtListener. Rinaudo v. Schunk
What Mizkif Says Asmongold Did
The complaint accuses Hoyt of defaming Rinaudo on his own livestreams by repeatedly calling him “the aggressor and abuser” and saying he “should be in jail” for what he allegedly did.3KXAN. Top Twitch Streamer Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Fellow Streamers1Kotaku. Emiru Asmongold Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit The suit alleges Hoyt also falsely accused Rinaudo of threatening Schunk’s employees at TwitchCon and described him as “abusing and manipulating others, hurting other people.”4Yahoo Entertainment. High-Profile Twitch Streamer Files Lawsuit
According to the complaint, Hoyt repeated these accusations “on a near daily basis” after Schunk’s October 2025 stream and profited through advertising revenue and subscriptions driven by the attention.4Yahoo Entertainment. High-Profile Twitch Streamer Files Lawsuit Rinaudo frames the conduct as coordinated, alleging Schunk and Hoyt “knew they stood to benefit from Rinaudo’s ouster from OTK and the associated companies and coordinated the timing of their statements to maximize the injury.”1Kotaku. Emiru Asmongold Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit
The suit also raises a breach-of-contract claim tied to an “OTK Letter” filed as an exhibit to the original complaint. The specific terms of that document have not been detailed in publicly available records.2CourtListener. Rinaudo v. Schunk
What Triggered the Statements
On October 25, 2025, Schunk went live on stream and accused Rinaudo of sexual assault, psychological and domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, and threats of blackmail.5Yahoo Entertainment. Emiru Accuses Mizkif of Sexual Assault1Kotaku. Emiru Asmongold Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit
Rinaudo denied the most serious allegations in a response stream, though he appeared to acknowledge being controlling and having “bad fights” with Schunk.1Kotaku. Emiru Asmongold Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit Schunk filed for restraining orders against Rinaudo in both California and Texas.5Yahoo Entertainment. Emiru Accuses Mizkif of Sexual Assault Hoyt’s commentary in the days that followed is the basis of the defamation claim against him.
Asmongold’s Motion to Dismiss
On January 8, 2026, Hoyt filed a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), arguing Rinaudo failed to state a valid claim.6Dexerto. Asmongold Asks Court to Dismiss Mizkif’s Defamation Lawsuit The motion advances four main arguments.
First, the defense contends Hoyt was repeating and agreeing with statements Rinaudo had already made publicly, including his own admissions about controlling behavior and bad fights. “By definition, Mizkif cannot sue Hoyt for defamation for simply repeating and agreeing with some of Mizkif’s own statements,” the filing states.6Dexerto. Asmongold Asks Court to Dismiss Mizkif’s Defamation Lawsuit
Second, the defense characterizes Hoyt’s commentary as constitutionally protected opinion and fair reporting rather than verifiable statements of fact.7Game Rant. Asmongold Mizkif Lawsuit
Third, because both Hoyt and Rinaudo are public figures, the motion argues Rinaudo would have to prove “actual malice” by clear and convincing evidence, a standard the defense says cannot be met on the facts pleaded.6Dexerto. Asmongold Asks Court to Dismiss Mizkif’s Defamation Lawsuit
Fourth, the motion argues the complaint fails to identify the allegedly defamatory statements with enough detail, lacking complete quotes, sources, and specific publication dates.6Dexerto. Asmongold Asks Court to Dismiss Mizkif’s Defamation Lawsuit As a fallback, the defense asks the court to order Rinaudo to provide a “more definite statement” specifying exactly which comments he considers defamatory.7Game Rant. Asmongold Mizkif Lawsuit
Where the Case Stands
The corporate defendants — OTK Media, Mythic Talent Management, and King Gaming Labs — filed their own motion on December 23, 2025, seeking to compel arbitration and stay the litigation under an arbitration clause not detailed in the public docket. Schunk separately filed her own motion to dismiss.2CourtListener. Rinaudo v. Schunk8PACER Monitor. Mizkif Enterprises LLC v. Schunk
Rinaudo himself was formally terminated as a party on January 22, 2026, leaving Mizkif Enterprises LLC as the sole remaining plaintiff. The court also flagged deficiencies in the jurisdictional allegations, noting the complaint alleged party residences rather than domiciles, which diversity jurisdiction requires. Judge Pitman ordered the plaintiff to file a brief clarifying the issue by June 5, 2026.8PACER Monitor. Mizkif Enterprises LLC v. Schunk9Justia. Rinaudo v. Schunk, 1:25-cv-01773-RP Rinaudo also filed a notice of intent to seek a spoliation instruction in December 2025 tied to preservation of an audio or video exhibit; the court has not ruled on that request.2CourtListener. Rinaudo v. Schunk
On June 15, 2026, Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower issued a Report and Recommendations addressing the corporate defendants’ arbitration motion, Schunk’s motion to dismiss, and Hoyt’s motion to dismiss.8PACER Monitor. Mizkif Enterprises LLC v. Schunk The substance of those recommendations is not yet public, Judge Pitman has not entered final rulings on any of the motions, and no trial date has been set.