The Nessie emote is typically used to express a sense of mystery, curiosity, or something rare appearing in chat or on stream. It can represent spotting something unusual or unexpected, similar to how people claim to spot the Loch Ness Monster. The emote is often used playfully to indicate that something elusive or hard to find has shown up, or when something mysterious is happening on stream. It can also be used simply as a cute or wholesome reaction due to its charming appearance.
Origin
The Nessie emote originates from the Loch Ness Monster legend and became popular on Twitch through various streamers who created clay or toy-like versions of the mythical creature. This particular version appears to be a clay or plasticine sculpture of Nessie with its characteristic long neck and rounded body. The emote gained traction in the mid-2010s as a custom emote on various Twitch channels, particularly those focused on creative content, gaming, or general entertainment. It's commonly found on BetterTTV (BTTV) and FrankerFaceZ (FFZ) as a third-party emote rather than an official Twitch global emote.
When to use
When a streamer who rarely streams goes live ("a rare Nessie sighting")
When something mysterious or unexplained happens during a stream
When a viewer or regular chatter who hasn't been seen in a long time appears in chat
During underwater or water-related content in games
As a cute or wholesome reaction to heartwarming moments
When something that was thought to be impossible or unlikely actually happens
