Bonjwa: Who Is Behind the Popular Twitch Channel?
Bonjwa isn’t a single streamer but a streamer collective from Hamburg that has been shaping the German gaming scene for more than a decade. Founded in 2013 as an esports school for StarCraft II, Bonjwa is now a small media company with its own studio that goes live on Twitch at least six days a week – 267K people follow the channel there. The team became known for community projects like RUSTplatz and the Bonjwa SMP (Minecraft), for its game shows and for taking part in Craft Attack. Please note that Bonjwa’s streams and videos are in German. In this profile, you’ll learn who is behind Bonjwa, which projects the team has done and what parents should know about the streams.
Profile
- Creator name
- Bonjwa
- From
- Hamburg-Stellingen
- Channel since
- 2016
- Status
- active
As of: October 21, 2026 · Figures are updated automatically every week. Ranks compare all German-speaking creators with a profile on CraftControl.
- Type: Streamer collective / content creator team
- Founded: 2013 (esports school), end of 2015 (Bonjwa UG), 2016 (Twitch launch)
- Founders: Niklas “Honor” Behrens, Hartmut “hamu” Massny, Matteo “Mental” Ricciardi
- Legal form: Bonjwa UG (haftungsbeschränkt), a German limited liability company
- Team size: twelve employees (as of May 2026)
- Language: German
- Main content: Gaming streams, game shows, community projects, events
- Known projects: RUSTplatz, Bonjwa SMP (Minecraft), Among Us events, Bonjwa Jugendspiele, Craft Attack 13 and 14
- What makes it special: Community-funded studio, transparent management
Channels & reach
Latest video: Dein Vater ist so 🥵... (October 18, 2026)
As of: October 21, 2026 · Figures are updated automatically every week. Ranks compare all German-speaking creators with a profile on CraftControl.
Besides the main channel, there is a second Twitch channel, BonjwaChill, and on YouTube also Bonjwa Gaming and Bonjwa Clips. In 2023, Bonjwa ranked 7th among the most-watched German-language Twitch channels.
What is Bonjwa doing right now?
In October 2026, Bonjwa is taking part in Craft Attack 14 – just like in season 13. At the end of September, the new game show “IMPOSTER” launched on YouTube, alongside the “Bonjwa Sandkasten WM” (a sandbox sports contest) and highlights from Gamescom 2026. New to the team since January 2026 is Marcel “Aster” as the third streamer. Our analysis of the uploads shows what has recently appeared on the main YouTube channel:
- Other (Other games, Other content (vlogs, reactions …))28 · 100%
- Minecraft
- Other
Based on all public uploads on the main YouTube channel. We assign the game based on the title and tags. Ranks compare all German-speaking creators with a profile on CraftControl.
Who is Bonjwa? History and team
Bonjwa is a streamer collective based in Hamburg-Stellingen. The story begins in 2013, when Niklas “Honor” Behrens, during his active career as a professional StarCraft II player, came up with the idea for Germany’s first esports school. Under the name Bonjwa Academy, learning content for StarCraft II was provided – from the basics and game principles to specific build orders.
The beginnings (2013–2015): Bonjwa Academy
The concept for the Bonjwa Academy came out of Niklas’s bachelor’s thesis in information technology and design. The academy offered learning content for StarCraft II in the form of texts and videos. The goal was to establish esports education in Germany.
Various formats were also launched in cooperation with other internet TV channels such as Rocket Beans TV:
- Archon Cup: a StarCraft II tournament
- Straight To Gold: a learning format for players
- Call of Budi: an entertainment format
Over time, a forum developed, the first community meetups took place (the first one in 2014 at Gamescom), and a StarCraft academy team was formed to train young talents like Leon “RedPanda”.
The founding (2015–2016): Bonjwa UG
At the end of 2015, Bonjwa UG (haftungsbeschränkt) was founded, based in Hamburg-Stellingen. The three founders – Niklas “Honor” Behrens, Hartmut “hamu” Massny and Matteo “Mental” Ricciardi – wanted to turn the volunteer initiative into a professional company. In 2016, the team’s own Twitch channel launched. From the start, the plan was to involve the community closely, communicate transparently and deliver high quality.
Building up (2017–2019): the studio
At first, the “studio” was founder Niklas’s apartment. In May 2017, a crowdfunding campaign was launched in which the community gave more than $17,000 to build a studio in a small hall in the Stellingen industrial area. Bonjwa has been broadcasting from there since August 2017. The community funding is still a symbol of the close bond between Bonjwa and its viewers.
Getting established (2018–2020)
2018 was a milestone: as an official German Twitch partner, Bonjwa hosted the stage program of the Twitch Arena at Gamescom 2018 and set up its own LAN area at the Nordish Gaming Convention (details below in the projects section).
The breakthrough (2020–2021): Among Us and RUSTplatz
During the Among Us hype of 2020, Bonjwa was one of the most active organizers of big community events. In early 2021 came the RUSTplatz project with 112 streamers, and in April 2021 the Bonjwa SMP on its own Minecraft server with 40 streamers.
Consolidation (2022–2024)
In 2022, the team tried its hand at game development but found that viewer interest was moderate and the costs too high. In 2023, Bonjwa was among the most-watched German-language channels on Twitch, ranking 7th.
Today: twelve people, six days live
According to its own team page, Bonjwa now has twelve employees (as of May 2026), and the channel is live on Twitch at least six days a week.
The team
The founders
- Niklas “Honor” Behrens – CEO and founder. A professional StarCraft II player before Bonjwa; the idea for the esports school was his.
- Hartmut “hamu” Massny – managing director and co-founder, responsible for tech, development and organization.
- Matteo “Mental” Ricciardi – co-founder and streamer. Originally the community manager and known for his “meme game”; today one of the faces of the channel.
On camera
- Leon “RedPanda” Kress – streamer. Joined the team as a StarCraft II talent via the Bonjwa Academy and has been a full-time streamer since January 2019.
- Marcel “Aster” – streamer, on board as the third streamer since January 2026.
Behind the scenes
- Maurice Otto – project manager
- Jens “Kerrag” Taubert – no longer full-time at Bonjwa since January 2022, but still involved as an advisor and networker
- Andreas “Neanderl” Neudecker – designer and artist
- Jannik “AmateurBOHNE” Schmidt – directing, concepts, live design and music
- Simon Schwart – set building, bookkeeping, “the guy for everything”
- Robin “Rez” – video editor and social media (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok), employed since May 2024
- Theres “LaMahuni” – head mod and link between the team and the moderators, since April 2025
Touri, who according to earlier reports streamed with the team from May 2024, is no longer listed on the team page in 2026.
Known projects & series
RUSTplatz: the roleplay project
One of Bonjwa’s most successful projects is RUSTplatz – a roleplay server for the survival game Rust. The project came about in early 2021 during the worldwide Rust hype and was organized together with Rocket Beans TV and Dhalucard.
- Streamers only: Only selected content creators were allowed to take part via a whitelist
- Roleplay focus: Players had to stay in character and could only kill others after roleplaying first
- Limited playing time: The server was only online for a few hours in the evening and at night
- Voice chat only: Text chat was disabled; all communication happened via in-game voice
- KOS zones: In “Kill on Sight” zones, fighting without roleplay was allowed
Season 1 (January–February 2021) started with 112 streamers, season 2 followed in March 2021, and season 3 (March 2022) ran non-stop for 7 days of 24 hours after a year’s break. RUSTplatz became one of the biggest German Twitch events.
Among Us events
During the Among Us hype of 2020, Bonjwa regularly hosted big sessions with many well-known German streamers that drew thousands of viewers.
Game shows: from quizzes to “IMPOSTER”
Bonjwa’s own game and quiz shows have been part of the schedule for years. At the end of September 2026, the new game show “IMPOSTER” launched on YouTube, in which the group has to figure out who is cheating.
Bonjwa Jugendspiele and the Sandkasten WM
The Bonjwa Jugendspiele (“Bonjwa Youth Games”) combine sporting challenges with gaming and have been run with partners including AOK Bayern (a German health insurer). In 2026 came the “Bonjwa Sandkasten WM”, in which the streamers put their athleticism to the test.
Bonjwa AFK – the board game format
In 2017, Bonjwa launched its own “offline” board game format in cooperation with Pegasus Spiele. “AFK” (Away From Keyboard) offered a change from digital gaming. In December 2018, the format continued with support from Hasbro.
Gamescom 2018 and Nordish Gaming Convention
In 2018, as an official German Twitch partner, Bonjwa hosted the stage program of the Twitch Arena at Gamescom and interviewed people including MontanaBlack. At the Nordish Gaming Convention 2018, Bonjwa set up its own LAN area for 100 viewers.
Twitch Rivals
Bonjwa members regularly take part in Twitch Rivals events – official Twitch tournaments. In August 2025, they finished 8th in the Elden Ring Twitch Rivals event.
Bonjwa and Minecraft: SMP, Kill the Warden & Craft Attack
Bonjwa SMP (2021)
In April 2021, Bonjwa launched the Bonjwa SMP (Survival Multiplayer). SMP means the game is played mostly vanilla (without big mods) – with only a few tweaks such as in-game voice chat.
- 40 streamers played together on one server
- Goal: build a city together and defeat the Ender Dragon
- Duration: 8 Sundays of 4 hours each (4 to 8 p.m. German time)
- Finale: a joint fight against the dragon
Participants included: Baso, Mahluna, JenNyan, derShakes (who designed the Minecraft skins for the streamers), Torro, ScheppertLive and NieRaus.
Kill the Warden
In 2025, Bonjwa announced the Minecraft project “Kill the Warden”. The goal is to defeat the Warden, one of the most dangerous mobs in the game. The format is meant to offer more flexibility – every member can bring in their own “twist”.
Craft Attack 13 and 14
Since season 13, Bonjwa has been one of the participants in Craft Attack, Germany’s best-known Minecraft project. According to the official participant list, Bonjwa is back on the server for season 14, which started in October 2026. You’ll find all the players in our Craft Attack 14 overview.
Minecraft Walls and other formats
Besides the big community projects, Bonjwa has also played formats like Minecraft Walls (PvP challenges) and taken part in various community events.
Merch
Official Bonjwa merch is available in the Bonjwa shop on the team’s website. On Twitch, Bonjwa also points to advertising partners in the channel info – these links are labeled “Werbung” (German for “ad”).
Friends, crew & collabs
- Rocket Beans TV: a partner since the academy days and co-organizer of RUSTplatz
- Dhalucard: co-organizer of RUSTplatz
- DoktorFroid: opponent in the “Streamerduell” (2026) and a fellow Craft Attack player
- Baso: participant in the Bonjwa SMP and, in 2026, opponent in the “Baso vs. Aster” duel
- Craft Attack: part of the big creator project with more than 100 players since season 13
Income & net worth
Bonjwa is known for being transparent with its community. The team is funded through:
- Twitch subscriptions as well as donations and Bits
- Collaborations: brand deals and sponsorships, labeled as ads in the streams
- Merchandise: its own shop at bonjwa.de
- Events: income from community events and partnerships
In 2022, the team openly revealed that, after the summer slump, a loss of almost $110,000 for the year was looming at one point. Bonjwa doesn’t publish reliable revenue or profit figures – estimates online are usually based on sub counts and are correspondingly imprecise.
Is Bonjwa kid-friendly?
- Recommended age
- 12+
- Language
- occasional swearing
- livestreams with live chat
- merch promotion and calls to buy
- videos are in German only
Long Twitch shows with game shows, community projects and Minecraft – mostly harmless, but made for adults. Rust, horror games and the live chat are better suited to teens.
A good fit for teens (from around age 12) ✓
- Gaming content: Minecraft, strategy games, indie games – creative and entertaining
- Community projects: RUSTplatz and the Minecraft SMP show teamwork and creativity
- Show formats: quiz and game shows
- Positive community: respectful interaction and open-minded values
Limitations for younger kids
- Rust content: The survival game is better suited to teenagers (USK 16; PEGI 18, ESRB M)
- Long streams: Streams often last many hours – not ideal for young kids
- Complex games: StarCraft II and strategy games are hard for younger kids to follow
- Twitch chat: The live chat moves fast and should be moderated for young kids
- Language: Everything is in German
Does Bonjwa swear? Occasionally – it’s casual stream banter among adults, not a show built on crude language.
Recommendation for parents: From around age 12, the content is a good fit. For younger kids aged 10 and up, the Minecraft projects and certain shows are interesting. For kids under 10, it’s worth watching together first.
Questions about Bonjwa
What is Bonjwa?
Bonjwa is a German streamer collective based in Hamburg-Stellingen. Founded in 2013 as an esports school for StarCraft II, Bonjwa has grown into a professional content team with twelve employees (as of May 2026). The team streams mainly on Twitch and produces gaming and entertainment formats in German.
Who founded Bonjwa?
Bonjwa was founded by three people: Niklas “Honor” Behrens (a former professional StarCraft II player), Hartmut “hamu” Massny and Matteo “Mental” Ricciardi. The idea came about in 2013, the company Bonjwa UG was founded at the end of 2015, and the Twitch channel launched in 2016.
How many followers does Bonjwa have on Twitch?
Bonjwa has around 267K followers on Twitch. In 2023, the channel ranked 7th among the most-watched German-language Twitch channels.
What is (or was) “RUSTplatz”?
RUSTplatz was a roleplay server for the survival game Rust, organized by Bonjwa, Rocket Beans TV and Dhalucard. The project started in early 2021 with 112 streamers and ran over several seasons (2021, 2022). Only selected content creators were allowed to take part via a whitelist. The server was only online for a limited time each day, and strict roleplay rules applied. RUSTplatz became one of the biggest German Twitch events.
Which Minecraft projects has Bonjwa organized?
The Bonjwa SMP (Survival Multiplayer) server launched in April 2021 with 40 streamers. The goal was to build a city together and defeat the Ender Dragon; the project ran for 8 Sundays of 4 hours each. In 2025, the team announced the project “Kill the Warden”. Bonjwa has also been part of Craft Attack since season 13 – including season 14 (2026).
Is Bonjwa content suitable for kids?
Bonjwa content is harmless overall, but it is made for adults. For teens aged around 12 and up, most of it is a good fit, and the Minecraft projects are also interesting for kids aged 10 and up. Rust content is more for teenagers (USK 16; PEGI 18, ESRB M). For younger kids, parents should watch together first. All streams are in German.
How is Bonjwa funded?
Bonjwa is funded mainly through viewer support: Twitch subscriptions, donations and Bits, plus collaborations and sponsorships, merchandise from its own shop and income from events. The studio was largely funded in 2017 through a crowdfunding campaign in which the community gave more than $17,000. There are no reliable revenue figures.
Who are Bonjwa’s main streamers?
On camera, it’s mainly co-founder Matteo “Mental” Ricciardi and Leon “RedPanda” Kress; in January 2026, Marcel “Aster” joined as the third streamer. Co-founder Niklas “Honor” Behrens runs the company as CEO. In total, Bonjwa has twelve employees (as of May 2026).
What makes Bonjwa special?
Bonjwa stands out for several reasons: a permanent team instead of a solo streamer, productions from its own community-funded studio, transparent communication, the organization of large multi-streamer events (RUSTplatz, Minecraft SMP, Among Us) and formats ranging from esports to roleplay to game shows.
Where can I find Bonjwa?
The main platform is Twitch. There are also the YouTube channels @BonjwaDE, Bonjwa Gaming and Bonjwa Clips, X, Instagram and TikTok, a Discord server and the website bonjwa.de with the schedule and shop. All of Bonjwa’s streams and videos are in German.
What does the name “Bonjwa” mean?
The name “Bonjwa” comes from the StarCraft scene and is a Korean term for a dominant player who stays unchallenged at the top for a long period of time. The term stands for excellence and mastery in esports – fitting for the team’s original focus as an esports school.
How can you support Bonjwa?
On Twitch: subscribe, use Channel Points, cheer with Bits, take an active part in the chat
In the shop: buy merchandise at bonjwa.de/shop
On other platforms: watch YouTube videos, like and share social media posts
Community: attend events, be active on Discord, share content with friends
Ads: watch streams without an ad blocker
Transparency & sources
Primary sources:
Twitch channel, YouTube channel and video list, X, Instagram, TikTok, official website, Bonjwa team page with timeline (accessed October 14, 2026), Craft Attack participant list
Secondary sources:
Wikipedia (German), StreamsCharts, TwitchTracker, various media reports (Spiegel Online, Die Welt, MeinMMO, PC Games Hardware)
We update the figures and the content mix automatically every week via the YouTube and Twitch APIs.
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